Prang Sam Yot, Khmer temple complex in Tha Hin, Thailand.
Prang Sam Yot is an ancient temple complex of three connected towers in Tha Hin, a town in central Thailand. The towers stand close together, with the middle one rising about a meter higher, and their outer walls still show traces of stucco and small niches with figures.
The temple complex was built in the 13th century under Khmer rule as a Hindu sanctuary and later converted into a Buddhist site under Thai administration. This change happened after the Khmer Empire withdrew from the region, when local rulers began to introduce new religious practices.
The three towers host a large colony of wild macaques that live and move freely across the ruins. Visitors watch the animals climb over the ancient stones and sometimes accept food from local vendors who wait near the entrance.
The ruins sit centrally in the town and are easy to reach on foot or by bicycle, as most streets in the area are flat. Early morning hours work well for a visit, when temperatures remain comfortable and fewer people are around.
The complex sits in the middle of a busy street junction, so modern traffic noise and vendors surround the scene while the ancient stones stand quietly at the center. This side-by-side mix of old and new makes it one of the few temples directly embedded in the daily life of the town.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.