The Big Buddha

Wat Pak Nam is an old royal temple. It was founded during the Ayutthaya period in 1610, and received generous support from the Thai monarchs after the capital's move to Thonburi. By the 20th century, however, the temple had fallen into ruin and was nearly forgotten before undergoing a massive renovation by a famous Thai abbot. The temple is now famous for its educational outreach and for its unique and impressive monuments. The great chedi was built several years ago, but the Big Buddha is one of Bangkok's newest landmarks.

The most spectacular new sight in Bangkok now is the Phra Buddha Dhammakāya Thepmongkhon, a towering 69 meter (226 ft) tall seated Buddha made of pure bronze - the first of its kind in the world! The statue was started in 2017, and is expected to be finished by the end of this year, when a holy Buddhist relic will be enshrined in the lotus bud atop the statue's head.