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Meditation Island
Suan Yindee Talay @Sichon
The Beginning
Around June 2012, shortly after concluding a Dhamma retreat at Suan Yindee Dhamma in Surat Thani, Master Prasert Uthaichalerm set out in search of a quiet place for seclusion. After traveling extensively to teach and lead meditation retreats, he longed for solitude and peaceful surroundings.
He planned to spend the night in the forest of Khao Phlai Dam, a place he had heard was serene and still preserved in its natural state. However, upon arriving at the Khao Phlai Dam Wildlife Conservation Center, the officials informed him that he could not stay overnight without prior permission. With no other choice, he descended the mountain around 6 p.m. and began looking for a place to camp near the sea as night approached.
While driving past Krua Bang Por, a small roadside restaurant, the quiet and peaceful atmosphere caught his attention. He turned around and asked the restaurant owner if he could set up a tent and stay overnight. The owner agreed, and he pitched his tent under a large Indian almond tree by the beach—right where Baan Thai Rim Talay now stands.
Before leaving, he struck up a conversation with the owner and asked a simple question out of curiosity:
"What’s the status of the land around here?"
The owner replied, “It’s Nor Sor 3 Kor. This land is actually for sale—over 2 million baht per rai.”
The conversation ended there, and Ajarn Prasert went on his way. It was merely a passing exchange, with no plans or intentions at the time. Who would have thought that this very conversation would later become the seed that grew into what is now known as Suan Yindee Talay today.
As construction progressed, Khun Mae Yindee began to feel that the original 2.5 rai of land was too limited to accommodate all the necessary components, such as the residential quarters, the Dhamma Hall, and service areas. She then negotiated to purchase an adjacent plot of land, which belonged to the brother of the original landowner. The deal was successful, and approximately 1 additional rai was acquired.
This new section became the area that now includes the shared bathrooms, the curved-roof wooden cottages, the three two-story wooden houses, the boat-shaped house, and the two-story residence of Master Prasert Uthaichalerm.
At that time, the Dhamma Hall was also planned to be built on this second plot. However, it became clear that this would make the entire space feel cramped and congested. As a result, Mother Yindee decided to acquire yet another piece of land—the portion of beachfront property located at the far edge of the remaining coastal land.
This final acquisition was dedicated entirely to the construction of the Dhamma Hall, allowing it to stand independently and gracefully on the leftmost section of the land. The separation provided the hall with both visual prominence and peaceful seclusion.
With this addition, the total land area expanded to 5 rai.
As construction neared completion in late 2014 and early 2015
Mother Yindee made the decision to purchase an additional 3 rai of land located to the south of Suan Yindee Talay, adjacent to her home and the three-story building. This area was intended as a zone for seclusion, where a forest garden could be developed—an ideal environment for meditation. The land was acquired at a cost of 18 million baht, bringing the total area of Suan Yindee Talay to 8 rai (excluding the stretch from the land title’s edge to the sandy beach).
This is the origin of the establishment of this meditation center. Mother Yindee used part of the land as her residence and used most of the land to benefit people interested in practicing meditation. This place was built with a total investment of 85 million baht, with Mother Yindee and her family spending approximately 60 million baht, divided into 35 million baht for the land, 25 million baht for land development and utilities, and 25 million baht for the construction of the building. Donations from generous people helped build a Dharma Hall, a three-story building for meditation practitioners, complete with air conditioning, bedding, and electrical appliances, 3 Thai houses, a wooden boat-shaped house, shared bathrooms, an electrical system, trucks, and boats, totaling approximately 25 million baht.
This place came into being through the unwavering dedication, perseverance, and hands-on involvement of Mother Yindee, who supervised construction from the earliest days—enduring fierce monsoon storms in the Gulf of Thailand without ever retreating. Her goal was simple: to see this sanctuary completed and fully ready for others to benefit from.
And now, in this very moment as you read this, everything has been completed—creating a truly sappaya (supportive and peaceful) place for Buddhists to come and study, practice, and cultivate the mind.
Therefore, may your visit to this place bring the greatest benefit, fulfilling your deepest aspirations. May the pure intentions and generous contributions of Khun Mae Yindee and all benefactors who helped bring Suan Yindee Talay into existence become a powerful force—
a source of spiritual strength that leads you to wisdom, right view, and the realization of inner peace in the near future.
Recorded by Master Prasert Uthaichalerm
February 19, 2015