Bangkok’s tallest Buddha statue nears completion

A 20-story statue of the Buddha, the tallest in the capital of Bangkok, is nearing completion, according to monks at the 500-year-old temple that is its home. The golden Buddha image will add another sacred and dazzling landmark for worshippers and visitors who value culture and the arts in the Kingdom.

The temple that is home to the Buddha statue, the Royal Wat Paknam Phasi Charoen temple, was originally built in 1610 when Thailand was known as the Kingdom of Ayuthaya. The house of worship on the outskirts of Bangkok is situated on an island amid canals flowing along the Chao Phraya River.

Known as the Phra Buddha Dhammakaya Thepmongkhon statue, it was cast from copper and painted gold. It sits in a lotus posture of meditation.

Thailand is predominantly Buddhist, with over 94 percent of its people identifying as members of the Buddhist religion.  No city, town or village is complete without a temple, which often serves as the center of the community.

Every temple houses a family of Buddha statues and images. Some are regarded as works of fine art and are celebrated for their beauty and craftsmanship aside from their spiritual value. Many are centuries old.

The most famous Buddha image in the Kingdom is the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok. A 26-inch seated meditating Buddha made from semi-precious jasper, it was carved in the 15th century and is regarded as the most sacred Buddha image in the Kingdom.

But many others are also known worldwide, including the 150-foot long Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho temple built in 1824, and the 9.9-foot high and 5.5 ton Golden Buddha at Wat Traimit, both in Bangkok. Scholars believe the Golden Buddha was cast in the 13th or 14th centuries. Its body is 40 percent pure gold, its head 80 percent pure gold and its topknot 99 percent pure.

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