Traimitwithayaram Voraviharn is another big temple in the heart of Bangkok. It is also home to several important buddha images which many come here to worship.

The temple is classed as a royal temple, Voraviharn type. It is located on Charoen Krung road nearby Hualumpong train station.The temple once held a different name, one that paid tribute to the 3 chinaman who built the temple. But because no evidence supports such claim, the temple was renamed to the one we use today.

If you are planning of visiting the temple, we advise you to take a cab or the bus to get there. This is because the roads around the temple are not wide and rather old. The increase in cars and visitors over the years has made the area another hot spot for traffic. Although there are some parking spaces, its not easy getting in and out.

One of the highlights that you should visit is Phra Phuttha Thotsapolyan Buddha image. The image is made of lacquered and gilded stucco. It is said to be so beautiful that King Rama 5 came to visit to see if rumors where true. Upon inspection, King Rama 5 agreed that the temple was indeed amazing and so would spend his time here whenever he was free. The temple hall has a cruciform shape and a three-layered roof. The doors and window panes are painted in the style of Gilded Black Lacquer.

The second highlight of Traimit temple is the solid gold Buddha image. The Golden Buddha, officially titled Phra Phuttha Maha Suwan Patimakon, is an excellent example of Sukhothai style art. The statue is 3 meters (9.8 ft) tall and weighs 5.5 tons. It is the world’s biggest solid gold statue.

History tells that the statue is believed to have been first brought to Ayutthaya. When the Burmese were about to sack the city, it was covered in plaster to hide its value. People forgot about it over time, and it wasn’t until centuries later, in 1957, when the statue was being moved to its new home in Wat Traimit that the crane’s cable ripped, dropping the statue. The drop caused a fracture which the abbot spotted, revealing the gold underneath. The statue is now free from its plastered shell, and sits in the chapel on a four-story marble ziggurat. 

The second and third floors of the structure are a museum. The second floor exhibitions are about the history of the Chinese community in Bangkok. It is presented via 3D presentation and slice-of-life scenes of Chinese traders through the years. The third floor exhibitions are about the history of the Golden Buddha image itself. The video presentation tells how the image was made as well as the historical background of how it came to be at Wat Traimit. It also provides background information on Buddha images in general, as well as an explanation of the "subduing Mara" pose that the statue is in.

Wat Traimit, the Golden Buddha, and other Buddha images are beautiful examples of Thai architecture and art. We recommend that you visit this interactive temple and museum, if you are in the area.

Address : 661, Charoen Krung Rd., Samphanthawong District, Bangkok 10100

GPS : N13 44 15.72, E100 30 50.16

Contact no. : 02 623 3329-30 Fax : 02 623 1372-3

Website : www.wattraimitr-withayaram.com

Facebook : วัดไตรมิตรวิทยารามวรวิหาร

Operating Hours :
4th floor open 08.00 – 17.00 daily
2nd and 3rd floor open 08.00 – 17.00 Tues-Sun

Entrance Fee : Foreigners: 100 Baht per person for the museum/ 40 Baht to view the Golden Buddha.

Best Time : Anytime of the year

Highlight : The biggest golden Buddha image in the world; the exhibition about the Buddha image.

Activities : Worship/ sight-seeing

CAR:
From Charoen Krung Rd., head towards Odeon Roundabout. You will see Traimit temple on your left.

BUS:
1, 4, 5, 14, 25, 35, 40, 49, 53, 73, 75,

MRT Underground:
Get off at Hualumpong Station and walk towards Chinatown (Yaowarat), or take bus numbers 4 or 53 to get there.