Wat Chayamangkalaram

Wat Chayamangkalaram is a Thai Theravada Buddhist temple located on Lorong Burma in Pulau Tikus, George Town, within Timur Laut District, Penang. Established in 1845 on land granted by Queen Victoria, it is best known for housing a 33-metre reclining Buddha statue, one of the longest in the world. The temple features colourful Thai architecture, ornate dragons, murals depicting the life of the Buddha, and serves as a centre for the local Thai community.

Visitors can expect a colourful Thai-style temple complex with an ornate entrance guarded by guardian figures, a large main prayer hall housing the 33-metre gold-plated reclining Buddha, vibrant murals, gilded statues, and dragon sculptures. The grounds are compact and walkable, with small shrines, urns, and offering areas. The temple sits directly opposite the Dharmikarama Burmese Temple on Lorong Burma, in a quiet residential area of Pulau Tikus.

Founded in 1845 after land was granted by Queen Victoria to the Thai community in Penang to build a Buddhist temple. The temple was established to serve Siamese settlers in Pulau Tikus. The iconic 33-metre reclining Buddha statue in the main hall was constructed in 1958 and remains a major landmark of Thai heritage in Malaysia.

An important centre for Theravada Buddhism and the Thai community in Penang, serving religious, cultural and festival functions including Songkran and Wesak. It exemplifies Thai Buddhist art and architecture in Malaysia and, together with the opposite Dharmikarama Burmese Temple, symbolizes the long-standing coexistence of Thai and Burmese Buddhist traditions in George Town.