One of the largest solid gold in the world is in Thailand, a golden buddha weighing 5.5 tons which is worth almost $500 million dollars at its current spot price.
But If someone wasn’t incompetent at their job in #Thailand, the world wouldn’t know of the largest solid gold statue ever crafted.
Standing at an impressive 10 feet tall, 12 feet wide, and tipping the scales at 5.5 tons, Phra Phuttha Maha Suwan Patimakon—better known as the Golden Buddha—holds the title of the largest solid gold statue ever crafted.
Yet, it was lost to obscurity in its homeland of Thailand for nearly 200 years.
As war clouds gathered over Thailand, the solid gold statue became a prime target for looters. To protect it, the entire statue was encased in plaster, painted to look ordinary, and hidden away in an unremarkable temple. The Burmese-Siamese War soon followed, from 1765-67, during which Burmese forces ravaged the Ayutthaya kingdom but paid no attention to the now-disguised statue. The Thai people eventually reclaimed their city but forgot all about their hidden treasure.
The statue was later moved, its golden core now completely forgotten beneath layers of plaster. So why didn’t anyone just destroy it? Well, destroying Buddha statues was strictly forbidden.
No temple wanted the uninspiring statue, and it languished for years before finally finding a home at Wat Phraya Krai temple. Even there, it was relegated to the back, housed in a shabby shack with a tin roof and flimsy wooden walls.
Then came a fateful day during renovations at the temple. As the Buddha was being moved, a rope snapped, sending the statue crashing to the ground. The impact cracked the plaster, revealing a flash of gold beneath.
The temple monks were stunned—then overjoyed.
Today, the Golden Buddha resides in Wat Traimit Temple, where its true value is recognized. Weighing 5.5 tons of pure gold, it’s worth ALMOST $500 million by today’s market, but to the Thai people and their faith, it’s truly priceless.
