Phutthamonthon

Phutthamonthon is a 2,500-rai Buddhist park in Nakhon Pathom province, built to mark 2,500 years of Buddhism (1957 CE) and centred on a 15.87-metre walking Buddha statue — among the tallest free-standing Buddha statues in the world. Entry is free, and the park is open daily from 05:00 to 19:00.

The statue, Phra Sri Sakyathotsaphonyan, stands in the Leelah (walking) posture and was designed by Corrado Feroci — the Italian-born sculptor naturalised as a Thai citizen and known locally as Silpa Bhirasri, considered the founder of Thailand’s modern art scene. Its height of 15.87 metres was deliberately set to equal 2,500 krabiad, an old Thai unit of measurement, tying the statue’s dimensions directly to the anniversary the park was built to mark. Around the base, marble reliefs depict episodes from the Buddha’s life, and paths wind out from the statue through lawns, ponds, and shaded tree cover across the wider grounds.

This is a working religious site as much as a park — monks and lay Buddhists use it for meditation and merit-making year-round, and it gets considerably busier on Wan Phra (Buddhist holy days) and major festivals like Visakha Bucha, when crowds gather for candlelit evening processions around the statue. Outside those dates, early mornings are the quietest and coolest time to visit before the heat builds.

Insider Tip: Go in the late afternoon rather than midday — the park stays open until 19:00, the light on the statue is better for photos as the sun lowers, and the worst of the heat has passed.

Watch out: There’s no BTS or MRT station directly at Phutthamonthon. The closest MRT Blue Line access still requires a bus or taxi transfer — buses 101, 509, and 79 serve the Phutthamonthon Sai 2 area, but a taxi or ride-hail from central Bangkok is simpler for most visitors.

Dress modestly — covered shoulders and knees — as at any active religious site in Thailand. Bring water and comfortable shoes; the grounds are large enough that seeing the statue, gardens, and surrounding monuments properly takes a couple of hours on foot.