Wat Pikul Thong, Singburi Province
Wat Pikul Thong Phra Aram Luang has a giant Buddha statue which you pick up in the distance, thus rendering your google map no longer essential. The statue is inside a kind of courtyard which houses galleries of Buddha statues facing towards the main attraction. Behind all this is a lake, a Ganesh shrine and one of those rotund Buddha statues. Thus, did I learn that the tubby-jolly one isn’t actually Buddha but rather, a 10th century Chinese monk called Budai. The image signifies happiness, good luck, contentment and abundance. All around the base of the main big Buddha are friezes showing you what is in store for you in hell if you lead a less than saintly life. Pretty gory stuff – don’t take the kids!
