Wat Huay Mongkol
This Buddhist temple is home to the world’s largest statue of Luang Phor
Thuad, a legendary southern Thai monk revered for his enlightenment and ability
to perform miracles. Many believe that the amulets created in his image
guarantee safety in times of distress. The statue, set within a park-like
setting that attracts many visitors each weekend, was commissioned by HM Queen
Sirikit and is the first thing you see when approaching Hua Hin from Highway 4
(heading to Prachuab Kirikhand). Sitting in the meditation pose, it looms
overhead once you arrive on the worship ground.
Lang Phor Thuad was born in the late
Ayutthaya
period, in the southern
province
of Nakhon Si Thammarat. Like the stories about the fall of Ayutthaya,
Luang Phor Thuad’s story is imbued with legends and myths. The most famous
story is about the miracle he performed while on a boat journey from Thailand’s south to Ayutthaya, during which he turned seawater
into fresh drinking water, saving the entire crew from dehydration. Other
miraculous stories recount how he helped avert fatal accidents or fire.
Surrounding the statue is a Thai-style pavilion dedicated to the spirits of
teak trees, behind which you will see an enormous fallen teak tree believed to
have magical powers. Worshippers gather here, pray with incense sticks and ask
for their wishes to be fulfilled. This is partly the animist belief in nature
as the guardian spirit; every tree, rock, plant, river, mountain, and basically
every piece of nature, is supposedly protected by its own guardian spirit who
has the power to grant wishes or evoke disasters (should you intentionally
damage it).
There’s also a small elephant sanctuary, a lake and sunflower fields (in
January) on the same ground.
