Wat Yai Intharam is an old monastery in the centre of Chonburi, dating to the late Ayutthaya period and bound up with local history from the reign of King Taksin. It is still a working temple for the Bang Pla Soi neighbourhood rather than a sealed monument.
The murals
What gives the temple its artistic weight is the mural painting inside the ordination hall: scenes from the life of the Buddha and the Jataka tales, intact enough that the hand of the period's painters is still legible.
Getting inside may mean asking a member of the temple staff first, so enquire when you arrive — and do not use flash, which accelerates the fading of the pigments.
Visiting respectfully
- Dress modestly, shoulders and knees covered
- Remove your shoes before entering the buildings
- Avoid arriving during a ceremony; if one is under way, keep quiet and do not walk in front of people who are chanting
- It is in the town centre — street parking on Chet Chamnong Road is possible but limited