Wat Burapha Phiram

Wat Burapha Phiram in central Roi Et is home to Phra Phuttha Rattana Mongkhon Maha Muni — Luang Pho Yai to locals — Thailand’s tallest standing Buddha image in the blessing pose, at 59.2 metres. Entry is free, and the temple is open daily from 05:00 to 19:00.

What’s actually here

The statue, cast in reinforced concrete and completed in 1973, rises 67.85 metres including its base — visible from well outside the temple walls and one of the reasons Roi Et town has this Buddha as an informal skyline marker. Measured in traditional Thai cubits (sok), it stands 101 sok tall, deliberately matching the province’s name: Roi Et means “one hundred and one.” The base runs 135 sok in circumference. Beyond the statue, the ordination hall holds murals depicting Buddhist life stories and merit-making traditions, and the grounds — about 29 rai, roughly 4.6 hectares — hold a dharma study centre, a scripture school, and a shrine to the local guardian spirit rebuilt in concrete Thai style in 1968. The temple was founded in 1913 as Wat Hua Ro, a resting stop for travelling merchants, before an abbot expanded it and renamed it Wat Burapha (“eastern temple,” for its position on the town’s east side), later Wat Burapha Phiram. It carries royal temple status today.

Atmosphere and timing

As an active first-class royal monastery, the temple sees a steady flow of local merit-making throughout the day — candles, garlands, and quiet prayer rather than large tour groups. The scale of the standing Buddha means it reads differently depending on the light and the time of day, with the statue catching direct sun for much of the afternoon.

Insider Tip: Roi Et’s other central landmark, the lake and city pillar shrine at Bueng Phlan Chai, sits a short ride away in the same town — worth pairing with this visit if you’re spending a day in Roi Et rather than passing through.

Watch out: This is a working monastery — keep voices down around the ordination hall and ask before photographing monks.

Practical details

The temple sits at 559 Phadung Phanit Road in central Mueang Roi Et, an easy tuk-tuk or songthaew ride from anywhere in town. Dress modestly (shoulders and knees covered) and remove shoes before entering the ordination hall. No entry fee applies to the grounds or the statue.