Thailand Venerated Buddhas

Bangkok’s Wat Phra Kaew houses the famous Emerald Buddha, Thailand’s most sacred Buddha figure, while nearby Wat Pho has the largest reclining Buddha in Thailand. In Ayutthaya, Wat Mahathat holds one of the most photographed and evocative Buddha figures in the country: a tree branch-encased Buddha face. A trip to Sukhothai will bring you to Wat Sri Chum and King Ramkhamhaeng’s famous “talking Buddha.” Glass paintings and wooden Burmese dolls adorn the inside of Wat Chong Klang in Mae Hong Son . The spectacular views of Wat Tha Ton form a gorgeous backdrop to the golden dragon-headed Buddha. In Thai history, it has been common for a bolt of lightning, a wat- sacking, or an accident to destroy a Buddha, only to reveal a more valuable one underneath—as happened with the Emerald Buddha. Most recently, in 1955, an 800-year-old stucco Buddha was dropped, cracking the stucco shell to reveal a stunning, 5-ton gold Buddha in Bangkok’s Wat Traimit . It is illegal to remove Buddha images from the country without the permission of the Fine Arts Department. Souvenir Buddhas, however, are not subject to these regulations.

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