Wat Samphanthawongsaram Worawihan (Wat Ko)

Wat Samphanthawongsaram Worawihan (Wat Ko) is a third-class royal temple of the Dhammayut sect. It is located near the eastern bank of the Chao Phraya River in Samphanthawong Subdistrict, Samphanthawong District, Bangkok, in the Yaowarat area. Originally, it was a private temple known as Wat Ko. The exact details of its original construction are unknown, but it is recognized as an ancient temple dating back to the Ayutthaya Kingdom, before the establishment of Bangkok as the capital of the Rattanakosin Kingdom. The name "Wat Ko" (Island Temple) comes from the fact that the temple was surrounded by canals connected to the Chao Phraya River. Later, King Rama I ordered the restoration of several temples, including Wat Ko. He entrusted Prince Samphanthawong, the founder of the Montri family lineage, to oversee the complete renovation of the temple. After the restoration, the temple was elevated to the status of a royal temple and renamed "Wat Ko Kaew Langkaram."