Chalong Temple  is replete with history and legend. Many stories have been told about how the miracles performed there and how the wat played a pivotal and healing role in the fighting between Chinese secret societies ('Angyee') in 1876. Wat Chalong is officially called 'Wat Chaitararam' by royal decree but not many people use that name. Located in the northern part of Tambol Chalong ('tambol' means sub-district in Thai) on Chao Fa West Rd, the wat is close to many local attractions. The name 'Chalong' means 'festival' in Thai - many years ago the area was named 'Chalang' after locals, fearing Burmese invaders, had moved from Thalang district. However, the Thai government pointed out that no such word existed in the Thai language and ordered local officials to change the name.

What to See at Wat Chalong

Wat Chalong has been extending a warm welcome to visitors for over a century. Locals come to pray and Westerners come to learn something about Buddhism. The temple is open from seven in the morning to five in the afternoon. Let's go on a tour of it.
Poh Than Jao Wat is one of the more important Buddhist statues in Wat Chalong. It is located in the westerly old hall of the temple, with two statues of an elderly gentleman called Ta Khee-lek (grandpa Khee-lek), a famous local who won many lotteries after consulting the Poh Than Jao Wat statue. Another statue in this hall is called Nonsi.
One of the temple's halls features a gilt-covered statue of Luang Poh Cham and this busy hall also contains statues of Luang Poh Chuang and Luang Poh Gleum, all ex-abbots of the temple.
The Grand Pagoda dominating the temple contains a splinter of Lord Buddha's bone and is officially named Phramahathatchedi-Jomthaibarameepragat. The pagoda is decorated with wall paintings depicting the Buddha's life story and also features various Buddha images. Take your time in the pagoda; it is a breezy, cool location and one which is very popular with visitors to the temple.
There is also an air-conditioned 'exhibition home' of Luang Poh Cham which features lifelike human-sized wax models of Luang Poh Cham, Luang Poh Chuang, Luang Poh Gleum, and Luang Pu Thuad along with antique Thai furniture, and Benjarong (Thai porcelain designed in five colours), while the famous 'magic' walking-stick of Luang Poh Cham is kept at the current Abbot's dwelling.

Wat Chalong's History

Ever since it was built, Wat Chalong has played a major part in Phuket's history. During the 19th century the island was an important centre of industry because of the influx of wealth brought in through tin mining and many Chinese labourers flocked to the island as a result. Some formed secret societies and these 'Angyee' societies began to amass power. When tin mine owners refused them the opium they had grown accustomed to they became incensed. A small group of Angyee seized the Provincial Hall, killing people in the process. Locals escaped to Wat Chalong and ran to the Abbot, warning him of the imminent danger. He stated that as he had been raised and educated at the temple he was not about to run away from it. Locals took heart from him and stayed there. As a Buddhist monk, Luang Poh Cham could not physically fight the Angyee but he rallied the people to fight back whenever the Chinese attacked. The fighting was fierce and the Chinese even breached the temple wall at one point and this breach can be seen at the temple to this day.


Time after time the locals fought back against the attackers and others, encouraged by their success, joined them. They pleaded with the Abbot for a religious talisman to bring them good luck and he gave them pieces of sanctified white cloth which they used as headbands. The Angyee dubbed them the 'Whitehead Troups.' The climax came when the Chinese labourers, drugged and stupefied by their opium, were attacked and destroyed by the locals.
King Rama V (1853-1910) was informed about this victory. He invited Luang Poh Cham to Bangkok in order to promote him to regional Abbot for Phuket and its surrounding provinces. This was when the king bestowed the royal title of Chaithararam on Wat Chalong.

Tales about Luang Poh Cham

Luang Poh Cham's walking stick is the subject of many tales. Apparently it had many healing qualities and, as mentioned, it is in the possession of the current Abbot. One of King Rama V's wives was cured of acute stomach ache by its touch.
The most amusing story about Luang Poh Cham's walking-stick concerns a local girl who was so desperate to get healed that she solemnly vowed to gild his privates if he would rid her of her stomach pains. He healed her (presumably the Abbot knew nothing about the details of her vow) but she forgot about her promise. Thai people believe that breaking a promise can bring evil upon people and sure enough, she fell ill again. When her parents found out about her foolish oath (females must never touch Buddhist monks) they approached the Abbot. His adroitness saved the day. Out came the walking stick and Luang Poh Cham sat on it in such a way that it protruded from his robes. The girl gilded it with gold leaves and was subsequently cured.
This supernatural occurrence was the talk of the area for a while and resulted in many Buddhists from as far away as Penang visiting Wat Chalong.

The Repentant Thieves
While travelling back from his audience with King Rama V, Luang Poh Cham and his entourage stopped for the night at a temple in Chumpon. He insisted on staying in the unprotected main hall instead of a safer inner room, saying that even though they may be robbed, the thieves would not get far with their loot. It was exactly as he said: Thieves came in the night and took all the monks' valuables. Later that morning, the shamefaced thieves returned, bearing their loot and saying that the further away they went the heavier the stolen articles had become.
After Luang Poh Cham passed away in 1908, his followers discovered that his total wealth amounted to 50 satang (half a baht). Many people in Malaysia and other provinces of Thailand heard about this sad news and travelled to Phuket to pay their last respects. Luang Poh Cham's funeral was the biggest ever held in southern Thailand.

Temples are much larger than shrines, with many structures in one compound. Monks and nuns usually live in temples, but not in or around shrines. This month we will take you to Phuket's most famous Buddhist temple.
Wat Chalong: The wat you must visit
There is a saying among Thai tourists that if you are visiting Phuket but have not yet set foot in Wat Chalong, then you have not really arrived on the island.
No one knows exactly when the Wat Chalong was first established, though many people believe the original was built during the reign of King Rama II (1809-1842). It was later relocated and since then has been renovated and augmented a number of times.

                    
The most recent major addition to the wat was the construction of a special chedi, 61.39 meters high and costing 66 million baht, to house a fragment of bone from the Lord Buddha.
This fragment, the Phra Borom Sareerikatat to use the correct term, was brought from Sri Lanka in 1999. It was installed in the chedi in September 2002 in a consecration ceremony presided over by HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, representing HM the King.

Turbulent times
In 1876, during the reign of King Rama V, Chalong came under threat from the Ang-Yee Rebellion - a large mob of rioting immigrant Chinese tin-mine workers that had been rampaging across the island.
Local people were terrified. They did not know where to turn. Should they stay and fight? Should they run away?
They finally went to Luang Pho Chaem (1827-1908), Abbot of Wat Chalong. The highly revered monk told them simply, "I have been here a long time, and I am staying." Hearing this, the people decided to stay and fight off the Ang-Yee. This they succeeded in doing and later, with the help of soldiers rushed from Bangkok, the rebellion was put down.
To show appreciation, the King bestowed upon Luang Po Chaem the title of Phra Kru Wisit Wongsacharn. These days, almost everyone in Thailand is familiar with the name of this remarkable monk.
A statue of Luang Pho Chaem, alongside one of Luang Pho Chuang (1875-1945) can be seen in the wat's main hall. Many Buddhist Thais go there to stick gold leaf to these images as a part of paying respect to the two famed abbots.

Loudly showing gratitude

When you visit Wat Chalong, you may be startled by the sound of firecrackers. You will see people hanging strings of Chinese firecrackers in beehive-shaped "ovens" near the wat's sermon hall, then igniting them. Although this is unusual in other wats around Thailand, it is a common occurrence in Wat Chalong.
People do this to show gratitude for prayers that have been answered. For example, if a woman is having trouble conceiving a child, she may request help from Luang Pho Chaem. If she subsequently becomes pregnant, she will light firecrackers to show her gratitude.
Or perhaps a man suffering from a debilitating illness may go to the wat to pray for a return to good health. When he recovers, he will give thanks by lighting firecrackers.
 
Right action
Wats in general are sacred places for local people, so it is wise for the visitor to watch and emulate the way Thais behave inside temples.

For example, you will see that people are careful not to stand over, or otherwise position themselves higher than any Buddha images except when pasting gold leaf to them - which in any case happens only in some wats, not in most.
Even through Thailand can sometimes be very warm, it is inappropriate to go into a wat - a place of worship - wearing clothes that reveal one's shoulders, chest, belly or legs.
 
You will be asked to take your shoes off when entering some of the buildings, including the sermon hall and the chedi. It's best not to wear your most expensive shoes when visiting wats in case someone else mistaken walks away with them - literally! If that happens, and they are not your favorite shoes, then you won't be too upset.
How to get to Wat Chalong
Wat Chalong is about 8 km south of Phuket City. Travel along Chao Fah Nok Rd (Chao Fa West Rd) from the Central Festival mall, and you will see the temple on the left side of the road. If you are coming from Chalong Circle, take the same road heading towards town, and you will see the temple on your right.