Wat Tham
Thong Phannara is in Moo 9, Tambon Tham Phannara, about 2 kilometres
from the Asia Highway (Highway No. 41) at the 192-193 km. marker,
and about 1 kilometre from the district office. Legend has it that
two nuns, named Pring and Prang, came by sea with many followers and
valuable belongings for use in the building of a pagoda to entomb
Lord Buddha’s relics. However, when they arrived at the port (Ban
Pak Ra now), they found that the pagoda had already been completed,
so they chose another suitable site to build, which was Thong cave.
They then built a
reclining Buddha image in the cave. When the nuns died, their
descendents placed their bones in the 2 Buddha images that they
built. Since then, it became a tradition that on the first night
with a full moon of the 11th lunar month (October), people would pay
homage to the reclining image and the images representing the nuns
called Phra Pring and Phra Prang. This Khun Tham ceremony is
attended by a great number of worshippers who bring with them
desserts for offerings and who come to tour the caves that consist
of both dark and brightly lit caves.