The Mummified Monk at Wat Khunaram is a special place to visit. This well known monk, Luang Pordaeng, who passed away in 1973 while meditating in a seated position is displayed in a glass case and even after 40 years his body shows very little signs of decay.
For westerners it might be a strange image seeing a dead body displayed to the public but for most buddhistic thais death is the next step in reaching the highest goal, the nirvana.
Luang Pordaeng is not the only mummified monk on Koh Samui and within Thailand, but it is definitely Koh Samui‘s best known mummified monk, famous all over thailand.
Luang Pordaeng was born in 1894 and like many young Thai men, he became a monk in his early 20s. After several years living together with his wife and six children until the children were grown up, he went to Bangkok to study buddhistic text and meditation, before returning to Koh Samui. Luang Pordaeng passed away at the age of 79 years. He stopped eating and speaking about a week before his death in 1973.
Since this time he is sitting in the same meditative position amazingly preserved, only his eyes have been covered by dark sunglasses to hide the missing eyes.
Admission to the temple and the Mummified Monk is free. Donations for renovation are welcome!
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