- akakd
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Editor Pick
Wat Traimit
- September 5, 2007
- Rated 4 of 5 by
LenR from Townsville, Australia
Located at the end of Chinatown's Yaowarat Road, near Hualampong Railway Station, Wat Traimit houses the world's largest golden seated Buddha measuring nearly five meters in height and weighing five and a half tons. The image is supposedly worth in the neighborhood of US$14 million. It is very impressive but the story about how it was discovered is just as interesting.
The Golden Buddha was cast sometime in the 13th century and is an excellent example of the gracious Sukhothai style that is still very much in favour to this day. At some point, it was covered in plaster, most likely in an attempt to hide the valuable icon from thieves or looters.
The disguise was so good that everyone apparently forgot about what was hidden beneath. King Rama III had the statue moved to Bangkok and installed in a temple near where the Oriental Hotel is today. That temple fell into disuse and was completely abandoned around 1931.
The true nature of the Golden Buddha wasn't discovered until it was being moved to its present location at Wat Traimit in 1955. When the image was being prepared for its move, some of the plaster was chipped off, revealing the gold underneath. Bits of the plaster can be seen in a case to the left of the statue. There is also a photograph of the statue covered in plaster with a rope around its neck.
The statue sits in a plain building just barely big enough to hold it within the temple compound. You can also see the proposed grand building that is planned for the future. The image is really the only thing of much interest to foreign visitors so you can see it all in 20 minutes. Entrance to see the Golden Buddha is 20 Baht, payable at a booth near the wiharn housing the image. There is also a currency exchange in the same kiosk.
Outside Wat Traimit, there are fortune-telling machines on the terraces for those into that. Inserting a coin instigates a sequence of flashing lights, and eventually the machine drops your fortune in a marked box below. Forecasts are printed in English as well as Thai and Chinese!
Wat Traimit is open daily from 9am to 5pm. Late in the afternoon can be the best time to visit after the tourists in their buses have all departed.
From journal The Wats of Bangkok
Wat Traimit
- July 9, 2006
- Rated 4 of 5 by
mightywease from Carshalton, United Kingdom
In the middle of a bustling neighbourhood stands Wat Traimit, a small complex of fairly plain, unadorned buildings dominated by one thing—a 3 metre tall, 5 or 6 tonne image of the Buddha made from solid gold.
The Buddha, made in the Sukhothai period (mid 13th to mid 14th century), was later covered in plaster to protect it from Burmese invaders. It remained in this state for a couple of centuries until in the mid 1950s when, upon moving the statue, the plaster started to crack and the its true nature literally shone though.
It’s a very impressive image—the gleaming colour of the statute surrounded by candles and offerings—although it somehow seems a little constricted by the small pavilion it is placed on. But then I suppose 5 tonnes of gold is going to overwhelm most things!
From journal Bangkok - Flying Angels, Fallen Angels
Editor Pick
Wat Traimit's Golden Buddha
- February 22, 2001
- Rated 4 of 5 by
akakd from , Arizona
The story behind the famed Golden Buddha is a captivating one. During the 1950's, renovation work in a modest temple compound resulted in damage to a huge Buddha statue thought to be made of concrete. Through the crack, a gleam of gold was seen, & when the protective shell was chipped off, it revealed a SOLID GOLD Sukhothai-style statue, 10 feet tall, 5 tons in weight, dating back to the 13th century. A rare find indeed! The Golden Buddha had been completely covered in plaster to conceal it from an invading enemy. Today it is treasured for its historical, artistic, & cultural value. Parts of the plaster covering are on dislay inside the temple building.
From journal Bustling Bangkok