Two weeks ago, I was driving towards Phrompthep Cape, when I saw a Buddha like statue on top of a mountain. The sight made me curious and I asked around and came to know that a project is underway to build the world's largest meditating Buddha statue in Phuket on top of the Nak-Kued Mountain. It is accessible by road and I decided to make a visit to the site.
The Phuket Big Buddha project is undertaked by Thailand's Department of Forestry, Kata's Kitisangkaraam Temple and Phrabuddha Mingmonkol Sattha 45 Foundation and is endorsed by the Thai Royal Emblem. The project covers over 6 hectares of forest land on the top of the mountain and includes the building of 2 Pangmarnvichai Buddha images. The bigger Buddha image is built with cement and will be 25.5 meter wide, 45 meter high and 1000 tons when complete. It is touted to be the largest meditating Buddha image in the world and is being built as a 80th birthday present to his Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the Monarch of Thailand. The smaller one is a gold-alloy Buddha image which is 5.5 meter wide, 12.5 meter high and weighs 22 tons (now completed and on display for public), which is dedicated to Her Majesty Queen Sirikit.
This is at the foot of the mountain, some 6km away from the top, where the Buddha statue is being built.
At the top of the mountain, base of the Buddha statue. Work in progress.
The Royal Emblem is in place.
The vision of the project.
The finished Buddha statue will look like this. See the 2 nagas by the side of Buddha.
The finished smaller Buddha statue made of Gold
Another smaller Buddha statue in the vicinity
A Buddha shrine at the vicinity
The mountain is located between Chalong and Kata, which provides a magnificient view of Chalong Bay on one side and the other direction is the Andaman Sea. You can see the whole of Phuket and nearby island from atop the mountain. In simpler words, the mountain top is priceless and magnificient, the best view point to enjoy the beauty of the Andaman coast !
More information on the Big Buddha project can be found at the following links :
www.phuketbigbuddha.com
www.phuket.com/magazine/big-buddha.htm
