Visiting the golden Buddha statue located at Wat Sahtirawatthanadit in Bang Phutra, Mueang District, Singburi Province, is a truly enriching experience. This ancient temple, originally known as "Wat Tha Krabue" or "Wat Tha Khwai," is perched on the eastern bank of the Chao Phraya River, near the mouth of the Lopburi River. It is believed to have been constructed during the Ayutthaya period when it was the capital of Thailand. The Buddha statue, a beautiful representation of Sukhothai art, is made of a bronze alloy mixed with gold. Its graceful features and radiant face epitomize the phrase often used to describe this style, “a face like a young maiden”—a reflection of the flourishing Buddhist faith and the stability and happiness of the common people in the Sukhothai kingdom. Before the Sukhothai Buddha was moved to the residence of Phra Kru Paisal Watthanathorn, the current abbot of Wat Sahtirawatthanadit, it had a history of being covered in plaster and housed as the principal Buddha image in an abandoned hall within the forest behind the temple (to the west) for over a century. This timeframe coincided with the era of Luang Por Choei, a revered monk contemporaneous with Luang Pu Suk of Wat Pakklong Makham Thao in Chai Nat Province, who served as the abbot during that time. He utilized this serene space for the consecration of various amulets due to its peaceful surroundings, free from disturbances.
Photo Credit: ชุมชนวัดเสฐียรวัฒนดิษฐ์ - วัดท่าควาย
Satian Watthanadit Temple
Province: Sing Buri