The late Phra Kru Witsai Sophon ( Phra Archan Thim Dhamma Tharo ) was the former chief abbot of Wat Chang Hai or Ratburanaram, Tambon Khuan Nori, Khok Pho District, Pattani Province.

Thim Prompradu was his original name before he was ordain as a monk. He was born on 21st August 1912 at Baan Na Pradu and was a son of Inthong and Num Prompradu, they have six children and Phra Archan Thim Dhamma Tharo was the second son in the Prompradu’s family.

Phra Archan Thim Dhamma Tharo started his primary education at Na Pradu primary school when he was nine years old, due to family hardship, his father decides to took him to live under the guardianship of Phra Kru Pattarakhon Kowit the former chief abbot of Wat Na Pradu, he study at Na Pradu school until third grade before leaving school but still lived with Phra Kru Pattarakhon Kowit to further his Buddhist study.

He was ordained as a novice at the age of eighteen at Wat Na Pradu for a very short period and has to disrobe to help his family in farming. When he reaches the age of twenty, he re-entered into the Buddhist monastery again and ordained as a monk on 7th June 1933 under the preceptorship of Phra Kru Phiboon Samanawat of Wat Mutchalinthawapi Vihan ” Wat Tu Yong ” at Nong Chik district. He stayed at Wat Na Pradu and Wat Tu Yong in between during his monkhood to further his Phra Pariyattham study and was appointed as Phra Pariyat to teach at Wat Na Pradu.

In 1941, Phra Kru Pattarakhon Kowit chief abbot of Wat Na Pradu has assigned Phra Archan Thim Dhamma Tharo to station at Wat Chang Hai but he did not stay there permanently while he has to travels back and forth to give lessons at Wat Na Pradu to monks that came from near and afar. He has to move permanently to Wat Chang Hai upon his appointment as chief abbot of Wat Chang Hai and it was during this time, the Second World War broke-out and lives for the villagers are very harsh under the military administration.

Each day, several freight trains have to pass through Wat Chang Hai with war supplies to be transported to the southernmost province. Travellers or villagers who travels by foot between village at that time would always stop at Wat Chang Hai for a rest or stay overnight before continuing their onward journey, Phra Archan Thim Dhamma Tharo have never refuse traveller or villager any request and instead worked tirelessly to ensured that these travellers or villagers wellbeing are well taken care during their accommodation at Wat Chang Hai. Phra Archan Thim Dhamma Tharo loving kindness ( Metta ) has shown during the wartime and Buddhism has rooted in his body and soul. He has contributed a worthy cause throughout his life without asking for any favour in return and yet the teachings of Buddha has been answers to the lay people again.

Phra Archan Thim Dhamma Tharo is a very compassionate monk and is very sympathetic to those in needs of help, he would assist whatever he could without obligations for whatsoever in return. In 1952, he was considering building a sermon hall where resident monks can have a place to provide religious services to the laypeople and in 6th August 1952, he decided to lay the foundation stones with Buddhist rituals ceremony performed by several senior monks, thereafter the construction of the sermon hall start off. In the course of the construction, only certain part of the pillars and wall were erected and the project has to come to a stop due to limited funding resources. To resume and complete the project, Phra Archan Thim Dhamma Tharo pondered the ideas of fundraising by producing the commemorative amulet of Luang Pu Thuat.

He discussed this issues with Phra Kru Dhamma Kit Kosorn “ Phra Archan Nong “ and Chao Khun Phrarajpanyarangsri and all of them agrees on the matter, whereby they too seek the opinion of Khun Anan Kananurak view and he too agreed such an ideal. Khun Anan Kananurak was a financial supporter for Wat Chang Hai, therefore he was appointed the fundraising coordinator.

Meantime, Phra Kru Dhamma Kit Kosorn, Chao Khun Phrarajpanyarangsri and monks from Wat Na Pradu and Wat Sai Khao started to gather all the necessary ingredients in preparation for the Luang Pu Thuat amulets production, when all required items was in orders, Phra Archan Thin Dhamma Tharo started to blend the mixture and ingredients and thereafter pressed the element into the mold at 12.00 p.m. on 19th March 1954, with the target production of 84,000 pieces. Owing to time limitation, only 64,000 pieces of Luang Pu Thuat commemorative amulets were produced on 15th April 1954 as the auspicious date for incantation ceremony has been picked on Sunday, 18th April 1954. When the whole religious event was over in late afternoon, Phra Archan Thim Dhamma Tharo began to distribute the first batch of (B.E.2497) Luang Pu Thuat commemorative amulets to followers who participated and contributed to the sermon hall fundraising cause.

From that day onward, Phra Archan Thim Dhamma Tharo has produced many batches of Luang Pu Thuat commemorative amulets, where supply was not enough to meet the demand from collectors and followers from near and afar.