In March 2017, Bangkok’s Wat Paknam Bhasicharoen began building an impressive bronze Buddha image in honor of the Royal Family. Work is still underway but the progress is evident.
When finished, the bronze statue will be 69 m tall. The project is expected to be completed in early 2020.
Located south-east of the centre of Bangkok across the Chao Phraya River in Thonburi’s Phasi Charoe district, Wat Paknam Bhasicharoen covers an area of 7.9 acres. Deeply revered by local Buddhists, the temple is also known to be the origin of the Dhammakaya Movement.
Wat Paknam was founded in Middle Ayutthaya Period, between 1488 and 1629. The word Paknam means 'lock in canal', which refers to the position of the temple on an island surrounded by canals.
The sanctuary owes its fame to meditation master Luang Pu Sodh Candasaro (1884 – 1959), who was an abbot there in the first half of the twentieth century. After his death in 1959, the body of Luang Pu was put into a coffin, which is still a major attraction for the temple.
Another highlight of Wat Paknam is its 80-meter-high stupa topped with a beautiful emerald-glass pagoda.