Wat Phra Thong

Wat Prathong, which is located in Thalang is definitely worth a visit, not only because of the half-buried Buddha statue there. The temples name, Wat Phra Thong, means “Golden Buddha Image Temple”. It was built in the 1750s and the temple features a museum full of interesting artifacts. The most notable artifact here is the Golden Buddha statue that emerges from the ground inside the main temple. The story concerning this Buddha dates to the time when the Burmese invaded in 1785. They tried to dig the Buddha image out of the ground but it would not move anywhere. After the Burmese left, the locals covered the Buddha in gold and it has remained intact ever since. Wat Prathong is about 20 kilometers north of Phuket City, near the Thalang District Office.