Thailand · TH

Wat Makham Kaew

Wat Makham Kaew (วัดมะขามแก้ว) is a small working village temple tucked along Rural Road 1007 in Moo 3 of Tambon Phela, in the inland Khlong Thom district of Krabi. It is not a polished tourist attraction but an authentic local wat—the spiritual heart of a farming community on Krabi's quieter eastern side—and that is precisely its appeal for travellers who want to see everyday Thai Buddhism rather than a ticketed monument. The temple has recently been brought back to life: long classified as an abandoned site (wat rang), it was formally re-recognised in January 2023 as a monastery with resident monks keeping the annual rains retreat, the kind of revival that depends entirely on local faith and volunteer labour.