Travel | Wat Traimit Wittayaram or (Golden Buddha)
Bangkok has lots of temples and some costs a lot to enter and wander around so we went to this instead and it was a lot cheaper. This is the Wat Traimit Wittayaram or Golden Buddha for short. A big temple with lots of stairs and the elevator or lift is reserved only for the People With Disabilities (PWD).
Otherwise known as the Sukhothai Traimit Golden Buddha image, it portrays the artistic style of the days when Sukhothai was the capital of Thailand. its the larges Golden Buddha image in the world, measuring 12 feet and 5 inches in diameter and has a height of 15 feet 9 inches from its base to the crown and it weighs approximately 5.5 tons, and is over 700 years old till now. It has been unrivaled in beauty and has been a valuable treasure of Thailand and of Buddhism.
Originally this buddha was covered in plaster to conceal it from the enemy who tried to invade Thailand. Initially installed as the principal Buddha image in the main temple building of Choti-naram Temple or Wat Phrayakrai, Yannawa District during the time of the Chakkri Dynasty in the Ratanakosin era. The Buddha was moved to where it is now, when it was later discovered to made of pure gold in 1955.
If you are fan of detailed ornaments and grandioso in scale of the structures, then this place is great for you. Check out the gold on this place. There are some religious items on sale here so you can purchase them as souvenirs if you are not a buddhist. It can be a bit pricey. On the second floor going down, there is a souvenir shop that's much cheaper so we suggest buy there instead.
Entrance fee is THB40 per person and being a religious place of worship, ladies must wear something decent going here. Scarves are available for the ladies, simply leave an ID so you can return them free of charge. Also leave your shoes outside and place them on the shoe racks provided.
To reach the place;
If you are near a BTS Skytrain station, you need to make a transfer at Sala Daeng/ Silom Station and take the MRT Subway going to Hua Lamphong Station. Then its just a 10 minutes walk to the temple. Just follow the tourists going there. Cross the bridge, then take a left on the second street. The temple should be on your right, you won't miss it. Its the only big temple in the area.