About Us
Who We Are
Historical Background
Wat Phra Sri Sanphet was a Royal Buddhist Temple located on the site of the old Royal Palace in Thailand's ancient capital of Ayutthaya. Wat Phra Sri Sanphet UK was founded to revive the history and honour the Chief Buddha Statue known as Phra Sri Sanphet enshrined within the main Temple of Wat Mahathatyuwaratrangsarit, a Royal Monastery in Bangkok where Ven. PM Bhatsakorn is an affiliate and assistant to the abbot.
The history of Wat Phra Sri Sanphet UK began in 2006 when Phrarajawithetpanyakhun or Dr. Phramaha Laow Panyasiri the then abbot of Wat Buddhavihara in Ashton Birmingham, held meditation sessions in Bristol and created the Theravada Buddhist Centre before handing it over to Ven. Phramaha Bhatsakorn Piyobhaso. In order to raise funds for the construction of a permanent temple in south-west England, from 2007 until 2016 Ven. Phramaha Bhatsakorn Piyobhaso with the support of the local Thai Buddhist community, hosted two major events each year: Songkran Festival (Thai New Year) in April and Loy Krathong Festival (Flower Floating) in November. With the support of local Thais, their partners and friends, the organization of festivals improved and the income from the events increased dramatically. This gave the confidence that the establishment of a permanent Buddhist Temple in south-west of England was possible. To achieve this goal, in January 2017 the founding trustees formed the Thai Buddhist South West Trust, which was registered with the Charity Commission and controlled by a Trust deed under charity number 1171258.
The first step in the establishment of a permanent Buddhist Temple was to rent a property at 5 Satchfield Crescent in Henbury, Bristol. This property was used to accommodate the first monks to come from Thailand and to hold small events. After 12 months, the Trust then rented another property at 12 Cloverlea Road, Warmley. It was at this time the Trust commenced looking to purchase a property in order to establish a permanent location for a temple.
Owned Building
In August 2021, the Trust successfully agreed to purchase Berkeley House, 14A Berkeley Gardens, Keynsham, Bristol BS31 2PN, for £645,000, for use as the temple and monks’ residence. The purchase was completed on 21 January 2022, and the first monks moved in on 29 January 2022. The official housewarming ceremony was held on Sunday 22 June 2022 and was attended by 20 Buddhist monks and 50 lay devotees. The temple is managed by a board of trustees, with Phramaha Bhatsakorn serving as Chairman and PK Ittiphon as Head of the resident monks.
In 2025, the Thai Buddhist South West Trust has formally transitioned from an unincorporated charity to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) known as the Thai Buddhist South West Trust (Wat Phra Sri Sanphet) and is now registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales under charity number 1202315. This change establishes the organisation as a separate legal entity with its own legal personality, enabling it to hold property, enter into contracts, and manage its affairs in its own name rather than through individual trustees. The CIO structure also provides limited liability protection for trustees, strengthens governance and regulatory compliance, and enhances transparency and accountability. This transition ensures a more robust constitutional framework to support the charity’s long-term sustainability, operational efficiency, and continued development in accordance with its charitable objectives.
Help Us Secure the Future of Our Temple
For many years, our temple has been a spiritual home for worship, meditation, learning, and community gatherings. Through your kindness and generosity, the temple continues to serve as a place where the Buddha’s teachings are practised, shared, and passed on to future generations.
Today, we kindly invite you to support the next important chapter of our journey.
Our Immediate Responsibility: Repaying the £200,000 Loan (original loan: £390,000)
When the temple purchased Berkeley House in 2021, the total loan secured for the acquisition amounted to £390,000. As of February 2026, £190,000 has been repaid, leaving an outstanding balance of £200,000. The trustees, with the continued support of the temple’s members and supporters, have formally committed to repaying the remaining balance in full within the next five years.
Our repayment plan is:
- Approximately £40,000 per year over five years
- Funded entirely through donations, merit-making, and special fundraising activities
- Managed with full transparency and regular financial reporting
- Every donation—large or small—directly helps to reduce this burden and strengthens the temple’s financial foundation.
Looking Ahead: A Larger and More Suitable Temple Space
Alongside loan repayment, the temple is also planning for the future. Our current premises are increasingly limited in space and no longer adequate for major events such as Songkran, Kathina Robe Offering, and Loy Krathong, which bring together families, elders, youth, and the wider community.
Our long-term vision is to secure a new location with larger indoor and outdoor space, allowing us to:
- Host major festivals safely and with dignity
- Provide better facilities for meditation, education, and cultural activities
- Welcome the wider public and future generations more effectively
At this stage, we are planning and preparing only. No relocation will take place unless it is financially responsible and does not compromise the loan repayment commitment.
How Your Support Makes a Difference
Your generosity helps us to:
- Repay the loan faster and reduce long-term financial pressure
- Build confidence and stability for the temple’s future
- Lay the foundations for a new temple space when the time is right
You may choose to:
- Make a one-off donation
- Pledge a regular monthly contribution
- Sponsor specific fundraising milestones
- Dedicate your donation in memory of loved ones or for special occasions
- All offerings are used solely for charitable purposes and handled in accordance with UK charity regulations.
A Shared Act of Merit and Legacy
Supporting the temple is more than financial assistance—it is an act of dāna that sustains the Buddha’s teachings, nurtures community harmony, and creates lasting merit.
With your continued support, we can repay our obligations responsibly and move confidently towards a future where the temple can serve more people, more fully, and for generations to come.
PATRON AND ADVISORY BOARD
Wat Phra Srisanphet UK is under the patronage of senior monks in Thailand, the patron and advisory board consist of.
Most Ven. Phra Brahmamolee
Member of the Supreme Sangha Council, Chairman of the Regulatory Office of Dhammaduta Monks
Abbot of Wat Wat Paknam Phasi Charoen, Bangkok
พระพรหมโมลี กรรมการมหาเถรสมาคม
ประธานสำนักงานกำกับดูแลพระธรรมทูตไปต่างประเทศ
เจ้าอาวาสวัดปากน้ำภาษีเจริญ กรุงเทพมหานคร
Most Ven. Phra Brahmavajiradibodi
Abbot of Wat Mahathat, Bangkok
President of the Council of Mahachula Buddhist University
Advisor of the Ecclesiastical Governor of Bangkok
พระพรหมวชิราธิบดี
อธิบดีสงฆ์วัดมหาธาตุยุวราชรังสฤษฎิ์
สภานายก มหาวิทยาลัยมหาจุฬาลงกรณราชวิทยาลัย
ที่ปรึกษาเจ้าคณะกรุงเทพมหานคร
Most Ven. Phra Brahmavajjarawimonmuni
Member of the Supreme Sangha Council Ecclesiastical Governor of Bangkok
Assistant to the Abbot of Wat Mahathat, Bangkok
Ven. Phra Rajawithetpanyakhun
Chairman of the Council of Thai Buddhist Monks of the United Kingdom and Ireland
Abbot of the Buddhapadipa Temple, London
Ven. Phrakhru Wimaladhammarangsi
Assistant to the Abbot of Wat Mahathat, Bangkok
Head of Section 5 (Vipassana Section)
Trustees of the Buddhapadipa Temple Trust
Meet the Sangha
Wat Phra Srisanphet UK is managed by a board of trustees, with Phramaha Bhatsakorn serving as the chairman and PK Ittiphon as the head of the resident monks. At the moment, there are two resident monks.
Ven. Phramaha Bhatsakorn
พระมหาภาสกรณ์ ปิโยภาโส
Chairman of the Trust and Founder of Wat Phra Srisanphet UK
ประธานสมาคม และผู้ก่อตั้งวัดพระศรีสรรเพชญ์ ยูเค
Ven. Phrmaha Bhatsakorn is a Buddhist monk from Thailand. Before moving to the UK in 2006, he had been working as a lecturer at Mahachula Buddhist University in Bangkok for a couple of years. He obtained Pali IX, BA (1st Hons), MA (Ethical Studies) and M.Phil. (Buddhist Studies) from the University of Bristol. He is currently studying for a DPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Oxford.
PK Ittiphon Itthiyano (Sam)
พระครูใบฎีกาอิทธิพล อิทฺธิญาโณ
Dhammaduta and Head of Resident Monks
พระธรรมทูตและประธานสงฆ์
Ven. Phrakhru Ittiphon or Monk Sam is a Dhammaduta monk from Wat Khumuang, Si Sa Ket, Thailand. He obtained Pali II, BA and MA from Mahachula Buddhist University and completed a Dhammaduta Training Course Class 20.
Note: Monk Sam has gone to Thailand since December 2024 after his 2-year visa expired.
Ven. PMTaweesin Dhammarangsi
พระมหาทวีศิลป์ ธมฺมรํสี
Dhammaduta and Resident Monk
พระธรรมทูตปฏิบัติศาสนกิจประจำ (ระยะเวลา 2 ปี)
Phramaha Taweesin is a Dhammaduta monk from Wat Mahathat Bangkok. He obtained Pali IV, B. Pol.Sc (Politics and Government) from Ram Khamhaeng University and completed a Dhammaduta Monks Training Course Class 29.
Ven. PM Siam Athipanyo
พระมหาสยาม อธิปญฺโญ
Dhammaduta and Resident Monk
พระธรรมทูตปฏิบัติศาสนกิจชั่วคราว (ระยะเวลา 5 เดือน)
Phramaha Siam is a Dhammaduta monk from Wat Mahapruettharam, Bangrak, Bangkok. He obtained Pali VI, BA and completed Dhammaduta Monks Training Course Class 26.
Ven. PM Phitakyothin Vajiravamso
พระมหาพิทักษ์โยธิน วชิรวํโส
Dhammaduta and Resident Monk
พระธรรมทูตปฏิบัติศาสนกิจชั่วคราว (ระยะเวลา 3 เดือน)
Phramaha Phitakyothin is a Dhammaduta monk from Wat Phosri, Khon Kaen Province. He obtained Pali IV, BA and completed Dhammaduta Monks Training Course Class 31.
Trustees
Wat Phra Sri Sanphet UK is legally recognised as the Thai Buddhist South West Trust and it is managed by a broad of trustees. The current trustees are
Ven. PM Bhatsakorn Piyobhaso (Kota)
Chairman of trustees
With a long-year experience of running Wat Mahathat Temple in Staffordshire and then Wat Buddhapadipa Temple in London, Ven. PM Bhatsakorn successfully founded Wat Phra Sri Sanphet UK in 2022 and is currently the Chairman of the Trust.
Richard Pringle
Secretary
Andrew Threader
Treasurer
Chris Gwenlan
Trustee
Rattigarn (Gail) Essex
Trustee
