The standing Buddha
About 32 metres of gold.
Christophe95 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Christophe95 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Don Christie — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Don Christie — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Paul Cornelis — CC BY-SA 4.0
A quiet temple north of the old city, known for a giant standing Buddha called Luang Pho To, about thirty-two metres tall, one of the tallest standing images in Bangkok. Work began under King Mongkut in the mid-nineteenth century and took some sixty years, finishing in the 1920s. The statue is covered in gold glass mosaic that shines in the sun and holds an alms bowl, with a Buddhist relic from Sri Lanka in the top of its head. Around it lies the temple compound with traditional halls and big trees; Thais come to pray and offer flowers, and it is far less crowded than the temples of Rattanakosin island. Entry is free and donations are welcome. Modest dress is expected: shoulders and knees covered, and shoes off inside the halls. Beware of men offering visitors cheap tuk-tuk rides to jewellery shops near this temple, a well-known scam. Half an hour is enough, and it pairs with Khaosan Road and the Golden Mount, or with a boat trip, as Thewet pier on the Chao Phraya is close.
About 32 metres of gold.
Finished in the 1920s.
Away from Rattanakosin's crowds.
Wisut Kasat Road, Bang Khun Phrom, north of the old city, Bangkok
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