Wat Chalong Special Temple in Phuket

This Buddhist temple located on the southern outskirts of Phuket Town, is greatly respected by the local Buddhist community. Considered the most beautiful on the island, it contains a gilt statue of Luang Por Cham, the monk who became a hero when he helped quell the Chinese Coolie rebellion of 1876, during the reign of King Rama V. The wat also has a statuette of the famous abbot Luang Por Gluam.

Wat Chalong is Phuket’s most important Buddhist temple and is the biggest and most ornate of Phuket’s 29 Buddhist monasteries. The architecture is typical of wats found throughout Thailand. Wat Chalong is associated with the revered monks, Luang Pho Chaem and Luang Pho Chuang, both of whom were famous for there work in herbal medicine and tending to the injured. During the tin miners’ rebellion of 1876 they mobilized aid for the injured on both sides. They also mediated in the rebellion, bringing the warring parties together to resolve their dispute. Statues honoring them stand in the sermon hall (viharn). Many Thais come here to be blessed by the monks and receive a good luck charm in the form of a string tied around the wrist, which they believe protects them from injury and illness.

Wat Chalong, Phuket
Address; Bypass Road, off Vichit Songkram Road, Chalong, Phuket, Thailand