The Mummified Monk of Koh Samui: Visiting Wat Khunaram
Why a monk in sunglasses has sat in a glass case on Koh Samui since 1973, how to visit Wat Khunaram and Wat Kiri Wongkaram, and the etiquette to follow.
Koh Samui has two faces. One is the island of beach clubs and bars in Chaweng and Lamai. The other is an island of mystery, and nothing on Samui is more mysterious than the monk who has been sitting in meditation, in a glass case, for more than fifty years.
We visited both of the island's mummified monks on a scooter tour of the south: the famous one at Wat Khunaram, in his sunglasses, and the far quieter one at Wat Kiri Wongkaram.
It is a strange, slightly eerie experience, but also a peaceful one, and it says a lot about how Thai Buddhism sees life and death.
Quick answer: The mummified monk Luang Pho Daeng sits at Wat Khunaram, on the main ring road (route 4169) in the south of Koh Samui, between Hua Thanon and Ban Thurian, near the turn-off to Na Muang waterfalls. Entry is free; dress respectfully. He died in 1973 in a seated meditation position, and he wears sunglasses because his eyes sank into his skull.
Who was Luang Pho Daeng?
Luang Pho Daeng (officially Phra Khru Samathakittikhun) was born in 1894. Before becoming a monk, he lived an ordinary family life, married a woman from Lamai and raised six children. Only at the age of 50 did he join the monkhood, and he became known as a dedicated teacher of meditation.
According to the story told at the temple, he sensed his death approaching. He stopped eating and speaking in his final days, and asked that if his body did not decay after his death, it should be displayed upright as a reminder of the Buddha's teachings on impermanence. He died in 1973, aged 79, in the seated meditation position in which he still sits today.
When his eyes eventually sank into his skull, the monks gave him a pair of sunglasses. They have become his trademark.
Visiting Wat Khunaram
- Location: on the ring road (route 4169) in the south of the island, easy to reach by scooter, taxi or island tour.
- Entry: free. Donations are welcome.
- Time needed: 15–30 minutes, or longer if you combine it with the Na Muang waterfalls nearby.
- Dress code: cover shoulders and knees, take off your shoes before entering the hall, and speak quietly.
- Photos are allowed, but be discreet and respectful; this is a place of worship, not a museum.
The second mummified monk: Wat Kiri Wongkaram
Far fewer visitors know that Koh Samui has a second mummified monk. At Wat Kiri Wongkaram, also in the south of the island, the body of Luang Por Ruam rests in a glass case behind the incense offerings. He became a monk at 21, led a simple life with one meal a day, served as head monk of the temple and died in 1976 at the age of 87.
The temple is small, with faded blue wooden buildings and cracked white walls, and much quieter than Wat Khunaram. If you want to see a mummified monk without tour groups, this is the one.
Why are the monks displayed?
In Theravada Buddhism, a body that does not decay after death is seen as a sign of deep spiritual practice. Displaying it is meant as a lesson for the living: everything is impermanent, and the body is only temporary. Many Thai visitors come to pay their respects, leave offerings and pray, so behave as you would in any temple.
Combine it with
- Hin Ta and Hin Yai, the "grandfather and grandmother" rocks south of Lamai.
- Na Muang waterfalls 1 and 2, a short drive inland.
- Hua Thanon, a Muslim fishing village with colourful boats.
- The Secret Buddha Garden, high in the hills nearby (see our Secret Buddha Garden guide).
More temples: Koh Samui temples worth visiting · More ideas: 22 best things to do in Koh Samui.
About the authors
Dasza — Writer and photographer behind PTraveler. Polish-born, raised in Germany, happiest renting a flat in a new city for a month.
Tomek — Project manager, fixer and tour leader. Plans the routes, finds the free days and tests every street-food stall.
