Wat Khun Inthapramun

The reclining Buddha at Wat Khun Inthapramun is around fifty metres long, brick and plaster, dating in origin to the Sukhothai period, and it lies in the open with only pillar stumps around it - the hall that covered it fell long ago. It is one of the largest reclining images in Thailand. The story attached is that Khun Inthapramun, a local official in the Ayutthaya period, used tax revenue meant for the crown to build or restore it and was flogged to death for the diversion; his remains are said to be interred at the site. Whether the tale is historical or moral is not settled, but it is the reason the temple carries his name. The figure is repaired and repainted periodically and the surface is modern over an old core. There is no shade, no ticket, no staff and very few visitors - Ang Thong is not on any tourist route.

What's there

• The reclining Buddha - around fifty metres, in the open with no roof.
• The pillar stumps - what remains of the hall that covered it.
• The Khun Inthapramun story - the official said to have died for building it.
• The quiet - free, unstaffed and almost never busy.

When to go

November to February, early or late in the day - there is no shade at all. An hour covers it; it pairs with Wat Muang nearby.

Things to know

No shade, no facilities and minimal interpretation. The surface is modern restoration over an older core. It is a twenty-minute stop. Ang Thong has almost no tourist infrastructure.

Nearby

Wat Muang and its ninety-two metre Buddha are close; Ayutthaya is south.

Key facts