LP Uttama was born in 2453 B.E. in the Burmese province of Malamang. Born on a Sunday he was given the local name Aye Maung. At an early age he suffered from cholera and the epidemic was so severe that his parents decided to send him to live with his uncle at Wat Mokkaniang. His uncle who was a senior monk undertook to provide shelter and education for the young Aye Maung. Tragically he was just 14 years old when another epidemic of cholera struck his family; five of his brothers died from the disease which resulted in Aye Maung having no choice but to return home to work on the family farm. At the age of 18 he decided to join the monkhood and was ordained at Wat Kelasa in Malamang province. After just a couple of years and despite his total dedication to his studies of Pali and Buddha’s teachings he felt compelled to return home to take care of his elderly parents. Eventually another family member came to look after the parents which enabled Aye Maung to immediately return to the monkhood. On 23 April 2476 B.E. Aye Maung was ordained for the second time


LP Uttama

where he was renamed LP Uttama. He spent the next years studying for the highest class of monk qualification Parian Dharma which he finally attained in 2484 B.E. He then moved to Mandalay province in Burma where he learnt meditation and the black magic sciences and then became a travelling monk to get greater experience in life travelling through the jungles of Northern Burma and Northern Thailand.
In 2492 B.E. though reluctant to leave the local Burmese who revered him, LP Uttama finally decided his destiny was to spread Buddha’s teachings in Thailand; he travelled across to Kanchanaburi province despite the raging warfare along the border at that time. He eventually came across LP Tainam of Wat Takanoon in Kanchanaburi province; this influential monk was also ordained at Wat Kelasa. LP Tainam advocated that Uttama should settle himself at the deserted temple of Wat Prang Gali where he could help the growing number of refugees from the Burmese border fighting. LP Uttama worked tirelessly and his first endeavor was to build a big Chedi and some small accommodations for the monks he hoped to attract to his new temple. In the beginning three monks joined him of Karen origin and LP Uttama set about teaching them Dharma and also the Mon language.


LP Uttama

The months passed and the conflict along the border intensified resulting in thousands of Mon fleeing into Thailand looking for refuge and seeking their revered LP Uttama. In 2499 B.E. he travelled across the province and encouraged the Mon people to go with him to settle close to his temple at Banwangkalang; this was the start of the now famous Mon population which can be found today across the wooden bridge which links Sangkhla Buri and the Mon Villages which surround Wat Wang Wiwekaram. In 2505 B.E. the temple was given legal status and was renamed Wat Wang Wiwekaram by LP Uttama and he duly took his place as the first Abbot.