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Wat Ban Laem or Wat Phet Samut Worawihan is located in Samut Songkhram town.
The former name is Wat Sri Champa. It is the most important temple of
the province. According to history, in B.E. 2307 (1764) the Burmese
invaded Muang Phetburi but Ayutthaya's troops protected the city. Ban
Laem people in Phetburi migrated to escape from the Burmese and settled
down at Amphoe Mae Klong, further up from Wat Sri Champa, and called
this village Ban Laem, the same name as their former village in Muang
Phetburi.
The people all ptiched in to renovate Wat Sri Champa and gave it the new name of Wat Ban Laem.
Most of the Ban Laem people were fishermen. One day, they went to catch
fish as usual using a net in the Mae Klong Gulf, two Buddha images were
caught in the net: one was a seated image, another was a standing
image. The sitting image of the Buddha was enshrined at Wat Khao Ta
Krau, Phetburi province. For the second standing image of the Buddha,
the image was 1.67 metres high and holding an alms-bowl, unfortunately,
the bowl could not be recovered. This Buddha image was enshrined at Wat
Ban Laem and was called Luang Pho Ban Laem. This is a very sacred
Buddha and many miracles have been associated with this Buddha image
amking the image highly revered by all.
Wat Ban Laem which once was a small and
disregarded temple, prospered and was enlarged mainly from the
donations made by the people out of their faith and from their merit
making and worshiping Luang Pho Ban Laem. Later, this temple was
promoted to the status of royal temple of the class Worawihan and was
granted the name of Wat Phet Samut Worawihan by the
King. To replace the lost alms-bowl of Luang Pho Ban Laem, Prince
Phanuphanwongworadej presented a blue glass-bowl which can still be
seen today.
In the temple compound, there is a monk museum,
exhibiting Buddha images, amulets from various periods, artifacts,
antiques, and a pulpit from the Ayutthaya period.
In front of Wat Ban Laem, boat trips are
available for a trip along the Mae Klong River to King Rama II Memorial
Park and Damnoen Saduak Floating Market. Contact Mae Klong Travel
Company (under the care of the Chairman of Samut Songkhram Chamber of
Commerce) at 0-3471-3053, 0-1916-3494.
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