Wat Phra Borommathat Chaiya Ratcha Worawiharn, located in Chaiya, in the north of Surat Thani province is an ancient temple dating from the 9th/10th century in Srivijaya (Hindu) style. The present temple has been renovated and is only one of three known to exist of this type. Normally, all that remains of a temple of this age is the brick base with some of the structure at best so it’s remarkable to see one in this condition. It has become nationally famous after it was given royal temple status in 1957. This is to acknowledge that Chiaya was at least a regional capital and seat of power in the Srivijaya Empire (650–1377) which covered most of the Malay Peninsula and Indonesia. It’s likely that the spread of Buddhism to the region during the period and its eventual incorporation into the Thai Kingdom caused the modifications and helped sustain it.