Wat Huay Mongkol is home to the largest statue of the immensely popular Buddhist monk Luang Pu Thuat who is famous for his miracles. Luang Pu Thuat lived some 400 years ago.Wat Huay Mongkol temple is located west of Hua Hin and was founded 60 years ago.
In 1994, the abbot of Wat Huay Mongkol started to collect funds to build a large statue Luang Pu Thuat thus elevating the profile and status of the temple. The statue of Luang Pu Thuat was completed in 2004. An opening ceremony attended by the Queen was held coinciding with the Queens 72nd birthday. The actual statue stands a whopping 11.5 meters high from the base and is 9.9 meters wide.
The temple's amulets and blessings are said to provide good "protection" to travelers, so they are popular among drivers. Frequently, posters displaying horrific road accidents and telling tales are told of how some people managed to survive the carnage due to amulets adorning their neck or vehicle.
