Backed by fuzzy green hills, the gigantic lake wrapped around Sangkhlaburi was formed in the 1980s by the Vajiralongkorn Dam. Two of the many villages submerged under the new lake were moved up to their present location and Saphan Mon was built to connect them. About all that remains of these original villages are ruined buildings from three temples. A boat ride allows you to see them up close, as well as feel the pace of life on the lake.
The temple visible from the bridge is Wat Wang Wiwekaram Gao (gao means old), also known as Wat Samprasob; this was the site of the Mon village. When the lake rises to its highest point, only the very top of the ubosot (ordination hall) and bell tower stay dry. Nearby, Wat Si Suwannaram Gao was the temple in the Thai-Karen village. It emerges when the lake is very low, while Wat Somdet Gao sits in the forest high on a hill and stays dry year-round. The new versions of all three temples can be visited in the present villages.
