Operating day: Daily

Operating time: 08.00 - 17.00

 

Wat Tham Khao Mai Ruak Located at 80/9, Moo 9, Ang Thong Subdistrict, Thap Sakae District, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Wat Tham Khao Mai Ruak belongs to the Maha Nikaya sect and serves as the 24th provincial meditation center in Prachuap Khiri Khan. The temple is currently under the guidance of Abbot Phra Athikan Denduang Thannanako, who also serves as the head monk of Ang Thong Subdistrict Zone 1. Wat Tham Khao Mai Ruak has become a central hub for meditation practice, especially for students and community members who gather here on weekends. It also hosts a Sunday School for Buddhist studies, where local youth are encouraged to learn about Buddhist principles and values.

 

Officially established as a temple on June 7, 2007, Wat Tham Khao Mai Ruak received its consecrated boundaries (wisungkhamsima) on March 31, 2009. The temple grounds consist of flat land and small mountains, with four early-constructed monk cells on a hilltop, providing a serene and peaceful atmosphere for meditation. This early development has set the temple’s tranquil tone, attracting more practitioners over time, which has led to continued growth and expansion of facilities.

 

As more people began practicing meditation here, the abbot and local devotees initiated the construction of a grand, beautifully designed ordination hall (ubosot) for conducting important religious ceremonies. However, with limited funds available, Phra Athikan Denduang Thannanako decided to turn to a unique approach: selling bat guano from Khao Mai Ruak Cave on the temple grounds. This natural resource proved valuable, and the proceeds from guano sales generated over a million baht, allowing the successful completion of the elegant ordination hall. This creative fundraising approach became a noteworthy example of how resources can be utilized sustainably for temple development.

 

The Khao Mai Ruak Cave is a remarkable natural feature of the temple grounds, housing a large bat population. The abbot’s initiative to sell bat guano not only funded the ordination hall but also demonstrated how natural resources could be used sustainably and thoughtfully. This innovative approach allowed the temple to benefit financially while preserving the environment, showcasing a model of mindful temple development.

 

Wat Tham Khao Mai Ruak stands as a meditation and educational center in Prachuap Khiri Khan and exemplifies a temple that grows through collaboration between the monastic community and its devoted supporters. The use of natural resources like bat guano for temple development not only funded an important construction, such as the ordination hall, but also highlights the temple’s commitment to its religious and social responsibilities.