Wat Bang Phli Yai Nai

Wat Bang Phli Yai Nai is a historic Buddhist temple in Bang Phli Yai, Bang Phli District, Samut Prakan Province, Thailand, located along Khlong Samrong. It is best known for enshrining Luang Pho To, a highly revered Buddha image believed to have floated along the canal during the Ayutthaya period. The temple features traditional Thai architecture, murals and a canal-side setting and serves as the central venue for the annual Rap Bua Lotus Receiving Festival.

Visitors can expect a large active Buddhist temple complex along Khlong Samrong with a main viharn housing the revered Luang Pho To Buddha image, an ubosot, decorated halls with murals, and open courtyards. The grounds include canal-side piers, Buddha statues, market stalls and merit-making areas. Visitors can walk through prayer halls, observe local worship, view traditional architecture and explore the surrounding community market and canal area.

Wat Bang Phli Yai Nai is a temple dating to the Ayutthaya period. According to local tradition, its principal Buddha image Luang Pho To was one of three Buddha images that floated along the canal and was enshrined here, becoming a major object of veneration. The temple has been restored and expanded over successive periods and remains a historic religious center for the Bang Phli community.

The temple is the spiritual center of Bang Phli and houses Luang Pho To, one of the most revered Buddha images in Samut Prakan. It is the focal point of the annual Rap Bua (Lotus Receiving) Festival held at the end of Buddhist Lent, where devotees throw lotus flowers to a boat procession carrying a replica of Luang Pho To along Khlong Samrong, reflecting local canal-based traditions and Buddhist merit-making customs.