Wat Traimit Witthayaram (The Golden Buddha Temple)

History & Significance

Wat Traimit Witthayaram is a second-class royal temple originally known as "Wat Sam Chin" (Three Chinese Friends Temple), as it is believed to have been built through the joint efforts of three Chinese friends. In 1934, Phra Maha Kim Suwannachat initiated renovations, which were approved by the Sangha Supreme Council in 1937. By 1939, local merchants, teachers, and students collaborated on a major restoration and renamed the temple "Wat Traimit Witthayaram" to honor its founders and its role as an educational site housing a Dhamma school and the government-run Traimit Wittaya School.

The temple is historically significant as the residence of high-ranking monks, including Somdej Phra Phutthachan (Sanit Chuanapanyo), the Abbot and Ecclesiastical Governor of the East, and Somdej Phra Maha Ratchamongkhonmuni (Thongchai Dhammathacho), the Assistant Abbot and Ecclesiastical Governor of the Central Region.

Highlights & What to See

The main highlight of the temple is the Phra Sukhothai Traimit (Phra Phuttha Maha Suwan Patimakon), also known as the Golden Buddha. Certified by the Guinness World Records as the largest solid gold Buddha statue in the world, it measures 3.01 meters wide at the lap and 3.91 meters in height. The statue can be disassembled into nine parts. It features a gold purity of 40% from the base up, 80% on the face, and 99.99% on the ushnisha (hair spike), which alone weighs 45 kilograms.

Dating back to the Sukhothai period, the statue was originally housed at Wat Mahathat in Sukhothai. During the reign of King Rama I, it was brought down to Bangkok. To protect it from invaders, it was covered in plaster to disguise its value. It was kept at the abandoned Wat Phraya Krai under a simple zinc shelter for nearly 20 years. On May 25, 1955, while being relocated to the newly completed pavilion at Wat Traimit, the plaster accidentally cracked, revealing the magnificent solid gold underneath.

Another key attraction is the Phra Ubosot (Ordination Hall), which houses Phra Phuttha Thotsaphonlayan (locally known as Luang Pho To or Luang Pho Wat Sam Chin). This beautiful plaster Buddha image in the Mara Vijaya posture is covered in black lacquer and gold leaf. King Rama V once visited to pay respects and highly praised its exquisite craftsmanship.

Visitors can also explore the Yaowarat Chinatown Heritage Center, which features an exhibition titled "Prosperity on the Golden Road." The exhibition is divided into six zones: 1) Growing Up Under Royal Grace, 2) Birth of the Rattanakosin Chinese Community (1782–1851), 3) Path to the Golden Age (1851–1957), 4) Life Legends, 5) Royal Benevolence, and 6) Yaowarat Today.

Visitor Information

The temple and the Golden Buddha are open daily from 08:00 to 17:00. Admission to the Phra Maha Mondop (Golden Buddha) is free for Thai nationals and 40 THB for foreign visitors.

The Yaowarat Chinatown Heritage Center is open Tuesday through Sunday (closed on Mondays) from 08:00 to 17:00. Admission is free for Thai nationals and 100 THB for foreign visitors.

How to Get There

Wat Traimit Witthayaram is located on Traimit Road, Talat Noi Subdistrict, Samphanthawong District, Bangkok. It is situated near Charoen Krung Road, close to the Hua Lamphong railway station and the entrance to Yaowarat (Chinatown).