Wat Sri Sunthon is more often called the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, which is not surprising, since a 29-meter golden statue of Buddha reclines on the roof of the temple. The official name, Sri Sunthon, indicates that the temple is dedicated to the younger of the two sisters, the national heroines of Phuket.
In 1785, the sisters Thep Kasattri and Sri Sunthon saved the island from a Burmese army that greatly outnumbered them. With only a small force, the sisters ordered the women to cut their hair, put on men's clothing, and stand in formation mixed in with the men.
The enemy thought that the Thalang army was much larger than expected and decided not to engage in open battle. For four months, the army of Burma kept Phuket under siege, while the sisters, with their fake army, deceived the enemy as their men carried out nighttime guerrilla raids on the enemy camp.
In the end, the Burmese admitted defeat and retreated, and Thep Kasattri and Sri Sunthon became heroines of their country and symbols of Phuket; streets, airports, squares, and temples were named in their honor. Victory Day over Burma became a national holiday and is celebrated on March 13 with grand processions, carnivals, and public festivities.
Wat Sri Sunthon was built in 1792, and its architecture is rather unusual, which, in principle, is noticeable even from a distance - where else can you find a huge, serenely smiling Buddha lying on a temple roof?
All around the temple grounds and inside it stand brightly painted statues of animals. They remind believers of reincarnation - the rebirth of the soul in another body. Those who behaved badly and broke the laws of Buddhism may later end up in the body of a toad or a jackal, so a reminder of this is never out of place.
