Wat Traimit: the solid gold Buddha of Chinatown

Updated on October 1, 2026

Wat Traimit, at the edge of Chinatown near the old Hua Lamphong railway station, houses the Phra Sukhothai Traimit, a seated Buddha 3 metres tall made of about 5.5 tonnes of solid gold. The statue, in the Sukhothai style, remained hidden under a layer of stucco for about two centuries, until 1955. Since 2010 it has sat on the top floor of the Phra Maha Mondop, a white marble building crowned with a golden spire. The temple is open daily from 8am to 5pm. Allow an hour to see the Buddha and the two exhibition floors, then carry on into the lanes of Yaowarat, Chinatown's main street, close by.

Highlights

The Golden Buddha

On the fourth floor of the Phra Maha Mondop, the statue sits in the posture of calling the earth to witness, its right hand resting on its knee. Its egg-shaped head is typical of Sukhothai art, dated to the 13th-14th centuries. The ticket costs 40 baht.

The Phra Maha Mondop

Inaugurated on 14 February 2010, this four-level white marble building was built to house the statue and the exhibitions. From its outdoor galleries, the view takes in the temple's other buildings.

The Yaowarat Chinatown Heritage Centre

On the second floor, models, dioramas and videos tell the story of the Chinese immigrants' arrival, life in the shophouses and the growth of the Yaowarat district.

The Golden Buddha exhibition

On the third floor, an exhibition traces the history of the statue: its lost-wax casting, its probable move to Ayutthaya, its arrival at Wat Traimit in 1935, then the fall of 25 May 1955 that cracked the stucco and revealed the gold.

Infos pratiques

Tips

The ticket for the Golden Buddha costs 40 baht; entry to the exhibitions on the second and third floors costs an extra 100 baht (prices checked in October 2026). The exhibitions are closed on Mondays, while the Buddha can be seen every day. The courtyard and the temple's other buildings are free to enter. Wat Traimit is a place of worship: cover your shoulders and knees, and keep quiet near worshippers at prayer.

How to get there

661 Charoen Krung Road, Talat Noi, Samphanthawong, Bangkok. MRT Blue Line, Hua Lamphong station, exit 1, then under 10 minutes' walk west. The temple stands near Odeon Circle and its Chinese gate, where Yaowarat Road begins.