THailand Golden Buddha

I'm in Thailand on vacation trying to determine whether I'm a mad dog or an englishman (it is HOT in march). (Since I'm definitely not English...)

I used to think that the Catholic Church really had the market cornered on over the top religious ostentation.

But this is a picture of a 5.5 TON gold buddha. Assuming it was pure, which it isn't since you don't want to cast something that large with pure gold, it would be worth about $300M dollars just for the gold at the current spot price for gold.




It was believed to be made in the about the 13th century, but it's unknown. In period, it wasn't known, though it existed in Ayutthaya, because with the constant wars with Burma, it was covered in lacquer and plaster to hid it from a potential Burmese invasion. It wasn't rediscovered until the 1950s when it was being moved, and it was so heavy that it broke the ropes and cracked off enough plaster to reveal the golden statue inside.

more on this at: Golden Buddha Wikipedia Entry

On a positive note if you visit enough shrines this is good for your Karma and next time around you if you are very good you may be born English.

Personally I think being English is somewhat over rated and I rather fancy being Italian or a Cat if there is a next time round.

My own theory is that when the Germanic peoples decided that had enough of Bogs, Forests and unfriendly locals and the Goths headed for Spain, the Lombards for Italy etc the Fathers of the English were promised a Sun, Sea and a land Milk & Honey by a pair of sharp travel agents called Hengist & Horsa.

1500 years on a soggy Island feeling we should have gone to Tuscany or Provance explains a lot about the English.

National museum today was interesting.

Odd tidbits.

Ladies of the court wore specific colors on specific days of the week.

Thai peasants were required to give 3 or 4 months of work service to their feudal lords every year unless they could afford an exemption tax.

The Government's main source of income was state trade with China. A lot of chinese immigrants into Thailand, even in period. Slightly later than our period, they were given a preferential exemption tax from the labor requirement to encourage more immigration.

Just before our period, There was a thai ambassador in Louis's court. There were Jesuits in Thailand as well, but Louis was apparently intriguing in Thailand with colonial ambitions and managed to get the Papal envoy, the Jesuits, and the French all kicked out.

Found out why there was a falling out with the French.

In 1688, The capital was actually in Lopburi. The king's favorite was a greek who favored the catholics and the french, and rose very high in the king's service, but apparently broke the rules and used his power to enrich himself. His rise and his corruption earned him a lot of enemies.

That was added to the fact that the french ambassador was a bit of a prig. He got a lot of concessions out of the king on how he would be received but still wasn't satisfied so and forced the king to lean down to pick up the letter from king louis.

Apparently all these foreigners and their rude ways led to a palace revolt and the king was overthrown and replaced and the French and the Jesuits were out on their ears and the Greek favorite of the king got himself beheaded.

History is written by the victors, but the King that starts in 1700 in Ayutthaya is the king who beheaded the greek and led the rebellion against all the insults from foreigners in the Siamese court....