After severe flooding, gardeners in Bang Len paid respects to "Luang Pho Somwang," praying to prevent repeated floods. They also lit firecrackers and took "lucky numbers" home to try their luck for the 1 Nov 2026 lottery draw.
On the morning of 26 Oct 2026, many temples in Nakhon Pathom Province held alms-giving ceremonies for monks on the end of Buddhist Lent day, attracting large numbers of devotees. Particularly at Wat Klang Bang Phra (Luang Pho Somwang) in Bang Phra Subdistrict, Nakhon Chai Si District, Nakhon Pathom, the temple is highly respected for housing the large 30-meter tall Luang Pho Somwang Buddha statue in the Mara Vichai posture. It is believed that making merit and praying here will fulfill one's wishes, as the statue's name suggests, drawing many locals to come and pay respects.
Ms. Sampao Kansong, 61, a gardener from Bang Len District, Nakhon Pathom, who brought her children and grandchildren to make merit, said that today is a major Buddhist holy day. They had given alms since early morning and prayed for luck from Luang Pho Somwang. Her home and gardens had previously been submerged by floodwaters. On this Buddhist Lent Day, she brought her family to pay respects and preserve the tradition so that younger generations remember to make merit on important Buddhist days, as their ancestors did. She prayed to Luang Pho Somwang, asking that no more floods occur. Each flood forced them to hurriedly move belongings, causing hardship, with her family relying on relief supplies that were inconsistent. She prayed that such floods would not happen again.
Ms. Sampao added that besides praying to prevent floods, she also sought luck from Luang Pho Somwang because everything was lost to the water and she felt she had no one else to turn to. She bought a box of 1,000 firecrackers to signal the heavens and earth, asking Luang Pho Somwang that if she wins big in this lottery draw, she will offer 61 trays of fresh chicken eggs in thanks, matching her age. She also planned to use the winnings to buy clothes for her grandchildren, which had been lost in the floodwaters. The firecrackers’ tail numbers revealed were 328 and 45.
Meanwhile, Phra Kru Srisutakorn, abbot of Wat Klang Bang Phra, invited devotees to join the temple's major annual Kathin Samakkhi merit-making ceremony for 2026, scheduled for 31 Oct 2026 starting at 08:00. At 12:30, there will be a casting ceremony for two 32-inch brass replicas of Luang Pho Somwang, to be enshrined at temples in Fang District, Chiang Mai Province, and Khlong Wan District, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, enabling people to pay respects without traveling far. Several renowned monks will preside over the ceremony, and all are welcome to participate.