Wat Bot (วัดโบสถ์)

Thai. ‘Temple of the Ordination Hall’. Name of a Theravada Buddhist temple located in Pathum Thani Province, in the lower Chao Phraya River basin of central Thailand. The name Wat Bot derives from the term bot (fig.) or ubosot, the consecrated ordination hall that constitutes the ritual centre of a Thai monastery and in which formal ecclesiastical acts such as ordinations and recitations of the monastic code are conducted. The temple achieved particular prominence through its association with Luang Poo Thiang Jittasupho (หลวงปู่เทียน จิตฺตสุโภ), a revered monk whose reputation for meditative discipline, moral rectitude, and the consecration of amulets attracted a wide lay following in Pathum Thani and neighbouring provinces. Within the temple complex, the ubosot and associated monastic buildings follow the conventions of central Thai religious architecture, integrating traditional forms with later renovations. The monastery functions not only as a site of daily monastic observance but also as a focal point for communal rites, merit-making ceremonies, and calendrical festivals. Devotees visit to pay respect to Luang Pu Thian, whose image and preserved bodily remains are objects of veneration, reflecting the Thai Buddhist practice of honouring accomplished monks as embodiments of accumulated merit and spiritual attainment. Amulets attributed to his consecration circulate widely and are regarded by adherents as bearers of protective efficacy and metta, loving-kindness. An important component of the sacred landscape of Wat Bot is the shrine dedicated to King Taksin the Great (fig.), the eighteenth-century monarch who reunified Siam after the fall of Ayutthaya in 1767 and established the Thonburi Kingdom. The veneration of King Taksin at the temple exemplifies a broader Thai religious pattern in which royal figures of historical significance are incorporated into local devotional practice. Although not a monastic or doctrinal figure within Buddhism, King Taksin is widely revered as a heroic and protective presence, symbolising resilience, martial virtue, and national restoration. The King Taksin shrine at Wat Bot serves as a locus for petitions concerning personal strength, success, and protection. Worshippers commonly present offerings and make vows, returning in fulfilment of promises once their aspirations have been realised. Such practices illustrate the interweaving of state history, royal cult, and popular religiosity within Thai Buddhism. In addition to these devotional activities, the temple grounds also accommodate ritual specialists who perform prosperity-oriented rites for lay visitors. At the rear of the temple complex, a monk conducts a hand-blessing ritual known as jeem meua peut duang setthi (เจิมมือ เปิดดวงเศรษฐี), literally ‘hand-blessing to unlock your path to becoming a millionaire’, in which sacred chants and golden yan markings are applied to the palms in order to unlock your destiny to fortune. This practice reflects contemporary expressions of merit-making and ritual empowerment within Thai popular Buddhism, where traditional monastic authority intersects with aspirations for material prosperity. WATCH VIDEO. 回