Wat Bang Kung (วัดบางกุ้ง) is the name of an ancient Thai temple in Samut Songkhram, which dates from the Ayutthaya period and was once used as a military camp for Siamese navy troops during the 1765 war against the invading Burmese, of which the many historical statues, including warriors, soldiers practicing traditional Thai martial arts, such as muay thai, and canons, scattered around the temple's compound still witness today. There is also a royal statue of King Taksin seated on a throne and numerous statues of warriors, horses and elephants. The temple's ubosot is now overgrown by three, over 200 year old ton sai, i.e. ‘banyan trees’, that attached their root systems to the bot's outer walls, completely engulfing it. It houses a Buddha image known as Luang Pho Ninmanih (นิลมณี), which is in Sukhothai style and is seated in the maravijaya pose. Across the road from the main temple complex is a garden associated with the Royal Thai Navy, that has a number of memorials dedicated to King Taksin, a statue of King Rama VI and his beloved dog, and all kinds of decommissioned military equipment, such as jeeps and aircraft. Along the river bank and surrounding the temple's compound are a fort-like walls and watchtowers, and through the complex are sentinels dressed in red uniforms and wearing a traditional brimless navy hat with earflaps called muak hoo krataai (หมวกหูกระต่าย), which translates as 'rabbit-ears hat'. Also on the compound are a number of animals, including deer, horses, dogs, camels, pigs, water buffalos, sheep, chickens and roosters. There is also a corner that features statues of dinosaurs. 回