Meditation in Southeast Asia - Insight Meditation Center

1.3 Wat Kow Tahm International Meditation Center
by Dieter Baltruschat, using a leaflet and the homepage; updated from Steve
Weissman July 2007
Address: P.O. Box 18, Koh Pahngan, Surat Thani 84280, Thailand
Internet: www.watkowtahm.org, E-mail: info@watkowtahm.org
Early registration recommended!! Arrival one day ahead of course
between 1 and 2 p.m.!!
Winter season 2009-2010: December 13-22 2009, January 09-18 2010, January
18-27 (special old students’ retreat), January 9-27 (special old students' 19 day
retreat), February 14-23 and March 13-22 2010
Summer 2010: June 13-22, July 13-22 (special old students’ retreat), August 17-26
Location: Wat Kow Tahm is beautifully situated on a wooded hill near the village of
Ban Khai on the well-known holiday island Koh Phangan. It is not too large, cosy,
and has lovely vistas of the island and the sea. Basically it consists of the meditation
hall, kitchen, and several small dorms for the participants, washing facilities and huts
for the monks and nuns.
How to get there: From Bangkok by train or plane to Surat Thani. The train ride
takes approx. 13 h. The 2 nd class sleeper is recommended (reserve!). From Surat
Thani or Phun Phin (train station) to the ferry pier and by ferry to Koh Phangan.
Purchase of a combined train/ferry ticket is recommended. It is faster to fly directly
from Bangkok to Ko Samui and take the ferry to Koh Phangan. There are two ferry
routes from Ko Samui to Ko Phangan: one from Nathon and a shorter from Big
Buddha Beach, the latter of which is much closer to the airport. From Thong Sala pier
take a taxi or motorbike taxi. Since some taxi drivers do not go up the bit from the
main road to the Wat, you may have to walk it, but it is fairly short.
Teacher: Rosemary and Steve Weissman have been teaching since 1988. The
atmosphere is pleasant and in three interviews meditators receive very helpful advice
for practice and everyday problems.
Course and duration of retreat: A course usually runs 10 days. The program
includes insight meditation (in all body positions), development of loving kindness,
reflections, stretching exercises in the morning, and quite interesting lectures. For
former students of Rosemary and Steve Weissman a 20-day course is held every
two years. Sometimes, after the 10 days, there is a possibility of staying on for a few
days in the monastery to end the course with a reduced program.
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