Khun Samut Chin
PLACE: KHUN SAMUT CHIN (ขุนสมุทรจีน)
LOCATION: Phra Samut Chedi district
GPS Coordinates: 13.507098, 100.531188
OPENING HOURS: Daily
ADMISSION: free
Wat Khun Samut Trawat in Ban Khun Samut Chin, Samut Prakan Province in Thailand, is a Thai temple that has now become surrounded by the sea due to land erosion.Many of the families in Ban Khun Samut have moved their houses inland four or five times during the last two generations. In total, over one kilometre of land has been lost and a further four kilometres has been affected.The temple is the only building that hasn’t been moved yet in this community. Most of the temple buildings have been raised on stilts, including the kutis where the monks sleep. However, the only thing that they could do with the chapel is to raise the floor.
It is not easy to reach this community as there are no roads in this area. You have to catch a songtaew from Phra Samut Chedi that is heading towards Sakhla. You need to get them to drop you off at a bridge in the middle of no-where where you can rent a boat. You have to tell the boatman that you want to go to Wat Khun Samut Trawat. However, he won’t be able to take you the whole way. He will drop you off at a pier which again is literally in the middle of no-where. You next have to walk for about 40 minutes towards the sea where you will finally find this temple.
Map for Khun Samut Chin:
Hi,
A few weeks ago I could bike till the temple, taking a unpaved road about 500 m. before the khlong where you can catch a boat. However, I had to take the bicycle on my shoulder when passing a very small wooden bridge. Fortunately, the workers – making a new bridge – helped me. Very adventurous … and worth to do it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEtKJGrZO6I
Update of my previous comment: the bridge I mentioned is ready and it is possible now to bike all the way till the temple in the sea. (bicycle or motorbike). The road is mostly unpaved and after the last bridge too small for cars.