Koh Samui · Temple with Guanyin and Budai images around a pond
At Wat Plai Laem, a white Guanyin image, a large smiling figure and temple halls come together around a pond. This temple in northeast Koh Samui offers the experience of viewing figures above the water from a distance and then crossing a bridge to get closer.
See the white Guanyin and smiling figure individually, then visit the hall by the water. The Koh Samui municipal office identifies the smiling figure as Phra Sangkatchai. If you also visit the nearby Big Buddha temple, allow time for each site. At Wat Plai Laem, take in the pond and its sculptures; at the Big Buddha temple, see the golden seated Buddha.
The pin marks the place, not necessarily its entrance, ticket office or vehicle drop-off point.
The white Guanyin statue stands in the middle of a pond. Samui Municipality lists it as about 20 metres high. Its many outstretched arms and position over the water make it a striking figure even from a distance.
You can cross the stone and marble bridges to approach the statue. First take in the view of the statue and pond together, then look more closely at the face and the decorations around the arms. Follow the route open to visitors at the temple.
The large smiling image is Phra Sangkachai, a different figure from the Guanyin in the pond. Samui Municipality describes it as bringing love and happiness, and says Chinese worshippers pay respect there while praying for prosperity and happiness. Rather than photographing only its rounded face and belly, it helps to know which figure it represents.
The white Guanyin and smiling figure are separate objects of worship within the same temple. As you walk between them, give people praying space and notice how the expression and posture of each figure differ.
The temple, whose formal name is Wat Laem Suwannaram, is listed by Samui Municipality as founded in 1880. Do not assume that this is the year when the large Guanyin and every other figure you see today were made. It is an old temple site with several waterside statues added over time.
The municipality also describes a pond where fish are kept. Walk between the pond with the white Guanyin, the smiling image and the halls to see the different places of worship by the water. If you are considering feeding or releasing fish, first check which areas and methods are permitted on site.
For all visitors, we recommend wearing clothing that covers the shoulders and knees. A sleeved top with long trousers or a skirt that covers the knees is a good choice. Please dress modestly rather than wearing a sleeveless top or short bottoms.
No. The white figure with many outstretched arms is a Guanyin statue about 20 metres high. The large smiling figure is a different object of worship, identified by Samui Municipality as Phra Sangkachai. You can compare their expressions and postures as you cross the bridges.
1880 is the temple’s founding year listed by Samui Municipality. It does not mean the large Guanyin statue and all the other figures beside the pond were made then. Consider the old temple site separately from the statues added by the water.
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Sharing image credit: Gunther Dihlmann / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0
