The principal Buddha image of the temple can speak.

The sacred Phra Phuttha-Ajana, the "Talking Buddha" of Sukhothai After the Loi Krathong festival, before entering the Sukhothai Loi Krathong festival, we had the opportunity to learn about the history of another place that we were all excited about, which was Wat Sri Chum, the Talking Buddha. After reading about its history and origins, we got goosebumps. Now that we've actually visited the place, we can't miss it. So let's read a brief history. Located in an area surrounded by a moat outside the old city of Sukhothai to the northwest, this temple is the strangest because its creator had profound and progressive ideas. If you look at it superficially from the outside, you will see a pavilion with a single Buddha image sitting in the middle. But in reality, this pavilion has very thick walls made of bricks, two layers, and steps leading up to the top of the pavilion. We often call it the Wat Sri Chum tunnel. There are entrances on both the left and right sides, but only the left side can reach the side vents and the vent behind the Buddha image's head. If you go out and hide through this vent and speak out loud, those in the temple might think that the Buddha image can talk. Inside the wall cavity, there are paintings from over 700 years ago, but unfortunately they are all faded. We don’t know what they are. In addition, the ceiling of the tunnel is decorated with slates, painted with Jataka tales about the lives of the Lord Buddha. There are 55 ancient Thai scripts inscribed on them. Currently, the government has closed the entrance to this tunnel because tourists like to write on the tunnel walls, which has damaged the ancient site. The highlight of the temple is Phra Achana, a large stucco Buddha statue in the Mara-Vijaya attitude. It is 11.3 meters wide at the lap. His legs are attached to both sides of the pavilion wall. It has a lap area of ​​only about 20 square meters. According to the first stone inscription, “…At the foot of Sukhothai, there is a market, Phra Achana, a castle, coconut groves, central betel nut groves, fields, rice fields, settlements, large and small houses…” It is assumed that the Phra Achana mentioned in the first stone inscription is the Phra Achana enshrined at Wat Si Chum, which is located in the north of Sukhothai. From the whole history, it would be longer. I have selected only the relevant history. Therefore, it is the reason why we want to pay homage once to continue our Thai lineage and let the culture continue to flourish. #Loy Krathong 2565 #Central Region Team #Thailand