The Kiri Wongkaram temple complex on the island of Samui is not very well known among tourists, despite its interesting history. The temple, whose name translates as «mountain temple», was built at the beginning of the 20th century in the Taling-Ngam area.
Kiri Wongkaram houses a sacred relic – the incorrupt remains of the famous Buddhist monk named Luang-Por Rerm-Khun Thummo. The monk was born in 1879 in the area where the temple was built. At a young age he took monastic vows and went to Burma, where for a long time he studied various secret teachings connected with mysticism. Only in 1966 did Thummo return to Samui, where he lived the rest of his days, until death came to him at the age of 90.
Then a miracle occurred – the monk's body mummified on its own, without the use of embalming. For several decades now, his body has remained incorrupt, and moreover, local monks claim that Thummo's hair and nails continue to grow, and they regularly trim them for their rituals.
On the road leading to the temple, you are greeted by two large and beautiful elephant statues, and the temple itself is farther on, about a kilometer away if you walk along the road.
