Wat Yai Suwannaram

Wat Yai Suwannaram is worth a stop on your way to Wat Kamphaeng Laeng. The temple appears to be very old. The exact date of founding isn't given, but most of the oldest existing buildings are around 300 years old.

The main attraction here is the ordination hall (ubosot), which sits in an enclosed courtyard on the eastern side of the temple. Inside the ubosot, the walls are covered with murals which depict devotees offering prayers to the Buddha. Look closely, and you'll note that each person is different, with varying faces, poses and clothing patterns.

Next to the enclosure is a large pond with a small wooden shed built over it. This is the temple's library, where key Buddhist texts are stored. The texts are written on palm leaves, so the location over water helps to keep out vermin.

The other notable structure in the temple is a large teak wood meeting hall just west of the ordination hall enclosure. The building once stood in the royal palace at Ayutthaya, but was moved here before the Burmese sacked the city in the late eighteenth century. There are some fine details on the gable ends as well as the pulpits inside.