Description
Wat Samakkhi Thewanaram (วัดสามัคคีเทวนาราม) is a small forest temple in the Sakon Nakhon village of Ban Glang, which is in the Ban Pho sub-district of Amphur Kusuman, bordering Amphur Phon Na Kaeo. The Thai word "samakkhi" (สามัคคี) is included in the name of quite a few temples in Thailand, as it means "to be in harmony or unity". It refers to the temple being in harmony with the dharma or teachings of the Buddha.
The main feature of Wat Samakkhi Thewanaram is a large gold Buddha statue named Phra Phutthakosin (พระพุทธโฆสินธิ์), which took two years to build (1996-1998). The statue sits in the forest on a beautiful elevated platform, with stairs running up to the base on which the Buddha sits. Naga serpents line the guardrails on each side.
Currently the construction of a new Viharn (worship hall) is in progress, which looks like it will be quite impressive when finished. In the small forest there are also incomplete concrete Buddha statues which remind us of the collection of broken Buddha statues at the nearby Thung Klang Mai Saeng Thong Priest's Camp Site (สำนักสงฆ์ทุ่งกลางใหม่แสงทอง), except the statues here are not broken.
Wat Samakkhi Thewanaram is only about 3.5 kilometers north of Wat Phutthamok Phalaram, the most visited temple of this area and whose abbot is the highly revered Luang Phor Suwichayo. If you are coming from downtown Sakon Nakhon, it will take you about 40 minutes to reach these Buddhist temples.
