Wat Saensuk (วัดแสนสุข)

Thai. ‘Temple of Extreme Happiness’. Name of a large Buddhist temple in Bangkok's Minburi District, located along Khlong Saen Saeb. The temple dates from the Thonburi Period and was presumably built around 1772 AD as a community temple, and was constructed by the local populace, who initially called it Wat Saen Saeb, after the adjacent canal. Around 1907 AD, the then abbot had the temple's ubosot constructed, which was completed in 1915 AD and received its recognition as sanctified area on 18 April 1916, by a decree known as wisungkahmasihma (วิสุงคามสีมา), in which the borders are determined and marked by look nimit. In 1944 AD, a new ubosot was constructed, replacing the original one, and the temple was renamed Wat Saensuk. In a section of the compound is a school, and along the canal is a pier with a pavilion used for relaxing. The temple's mondop houses a Buddhapada, a small reclining Buddha, a statue of Luang Pho Chaem (หลวงพ่อแช่ม), a former abbot of Wat Chalong (วัดฉลอง) in Phuket (fig.), as well as two former abbots of Wat Saensook. During the devastating floods of 2011 AD (fig.), the high grounds of this temple were turned into a camp to shelter victims. See also QUADCOPTER PICTURE and MAP. 回