Underwater Ancient Temple (Muang Badan)
(เมืองบาดาล กาญจนบุรี)
Kanchanaburi
Underwater Ancient Temple (Muang Badan) Unseen Thailand “Underwater City” or “Wat Wang Wirekaram Kao” is one of the well-known tourist sites of Nongloo Sub-District, Sangklaburi District, Kanchanaburi Province. Although the bridge is now under the construction due to the flood, but here was one of the tourist sites of Unseen Thailand that is famous among Thai and foreign tourists

“Wat Wang Wiwekaram” or “Wat Luang Phor Uttama” is the temple that Luang Phor Uttama and local people built in 1953 at Baan Wangkalang, Sangklaburi District, Kanchanaburi Province, next to Thailand-Burma Border, about 220 kilometers away from Muang District of Kanchanaburi.

First, there were only monk’s houses and a pavilion. It was just a house of priest but local people in general called it “Wat Luang Phor Uttama”. It is located on the hill in an area called “Samprasob”, the area that 3 rivers, Songkalia, Beeklee, and Rantee River, gather together. In 1962, Department of Religious Affairs allowed the temple to use the name “Wat Wang Wiwekaram” which is named after the former name of the district, Wangka-Sangklaburi. Later, the district became the sub-district and then it is changed into Sangklaburi District of Kanchanaburi in 1965.

In 1984, Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand built Khaolam Dam or Wachiralongkorn Dam. The water in Khaolam Dam floated over the former Sangklaburi District and this temple. The temple therefore was moved to the hill. The former temple has been under the water for decade. Only the ruins of the temple and houses remain.

Nowadays, the old monastery under water becomes the famous tourist attraction. When the water level reduces, the whole underwater city will appear. The best time to visit is from March to April which is the period that the water level reaches the lowest point.

To visit, drive from Kanchanaburi City on the Public Highway No. 323 Kanchanabui-Thongpapoom-Sangklaburi. Then hire the motor boat to travel in the lake and visit Underwater City.