Wat Pho, one of the most important Buddhist sites in Thailand if not the world, is a temple dedicated to the “Reclining Buddha,” a retelling of the last moments of Siddhartha Gautama’s life before he entered nirvana. While this is not the largest standing or reclining buddha in the world, it is an important part of the Bangkok experience and a main tourist attraction, being next to the Grand Palace.
Above Left: Bowls used for “wishing coins” given to visitors line up along a side of the temple interior. Right: A gold-plated buddha. The gold flakes on the statue are left by the faithful – this is a very common practice in Thai Buddhism.
Notice the tophat on this statue. This statue as well as the one to the above right were given by the Chinese as gifts and placed here by the Thai monarchy.
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