Wat Phranang Sang
Meaning 'Temple built by a queen,' Wat Pra-nang Sang was built some 545 years ago, making it the oldest temple
in Phuket. There are very old tin Buddha statues, wrought when tin was considered a semiprecious metal. Each of the images contains a smaller Buddha image.
In the yard just outside the Wat, there is a monument to the first abbot. Not so far from there is a mummy of former abbot Luang Poh Bai
(or Ziang). There are also statues of Phuket's 'two heroines' Lady Chan and Lady Mook, as well as a large reclining Buddha. The Wat itself has a wonderful interior, featuring murals of the Lord Buddha's life and pictures of important historical events.
In 1973, the then-Governor of Phuket was
officiating over a ceremony at the Wat. At this 'uncovering' ceremony, a head of a Buddha image made of tin was discovered inside the stomach of one of the large Buddha images. About two weeks later, they found one more head inside a second Buddha image. These
are the world largest tin Buddha heads. It was presumed that in the past, with the imminent invasion by Burmese troops, town members built the tin Buddha images in which to hide the heads to save them from the enemy.
The ground in front of the wat was where locals gathered to fight with the invading Burmese troops. It was also the place where Lady Chan and Lady Mook, after they were assigned the royal titles of Thao Thepkrasatri and Thao Srisunthorn, paid
respect to the temple's principle Buddha image
Location: The temple located in Thalang on Thepkasattri Road, at the Baan Kian intersection: on the way to airport, at the traffic
light, the entrance is located right on the side of the road. You will be able to recognize the entrance by the two pairs of large colourful statues holding the gates.