Wat Trai Mit 

Wat Trai Mit is  located at the end of Chinatown’s Yaowarat Road near the Bangkok Railway Station (Hua Lam Phong). This temple is known for its famous Golden Buddha, constructed during the Sukhothai period. The beautiful image of pure gold is three meters high and weighs five and a half tons. Wat Trai Mit houses the world's biggest gold Buddha image, persumably 700 to 800 years old. It is a valuable treasure of Thailand and of Buddhism. Local worshipers worship here and rub gold leaf on the wat's other smaller Buddha images to make merit.

The Golden Buddha was discovered by accident as an outer Buddha image broke when it was moved and the inner Golden Buddha was revealed. The golden image was probably covered with plaster to conceal it from Burmese armies threatening Ayutthaya. 

This Golden Buddha Image in the Mara conquering attitude, the typical artistic style of the days when Sukhothai was the capital of Thailand. It is made of pure gold. Originally, this golden Buddha Image was completely covered with plaster to conceal it from the enemy then invading Thailand and was installed as the principal Buddha image in the main temple building of Choti-naram Temple or Wat Phrayakrai, Yannawa District, Bangkok in the third reign of the Chakri Dynasty in the Ratanakosin era. When Chotanararn Temple was deserted in about 1931, the East Asiatic Company, with official permission, extended its operations into the land area of the deserted temple. The Ecclesiastical Commission then moved this golden Buddha image to the Trai Mit Witthayaram Temple where it now remains, discovering in 1955 that it was made of pure gold. Reverend Phra Visutha-thibordee, the late abbot whose image is in the sitting position in front of this temple, joined in the construction of the temple building for the golden Buddha image to be enshrined. When the building was completed and while preparations were being made to move this Golden Buddha image to the building, the covering plaster was partly broken. Only then did the people realize that it was a golden Buddha image. Thus, it has been treasured for its historical, artistic and cultural values to this day. Part of the covering plaster is also on display inside the temple building. 

The temple is open everyday from 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. Admission is 10 Baht.

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