In 1991, the Guinness Book of Records conducted an evaluation and recorded the golden buddha at Wat Trimit as "the sacred object with the highest intrinsic value" worth 21.1 million Pound.

History of the buddha image

There has so far no evidence as to when and where the buddha image was built. But based on the features of the image which belongs to the buddha image in Sukhothai era( 13th century) in the peak prosperity period of the kingdom.

Supposedly, the golden buddha had later been plastered over and made it appear no different from any others, possibly to conceal it from the enemies notice
In early Bangkok era, Kings had to revived the country as well as the religion. Numerous temples in Bangkok were built while thousands of abandoned ancient buddha in northern cities were transported to be enshrined at temples in Bangkok. And this plastered over golden buddha was moved to Wat Prayakrai in southern Bangkok at first
In the reign of King Rama IV, Wat Prayakrai became abandoned and was in a state of dilapidation. The Lord Abbot ordered to move the big buddha to stored at Wat trimit which was under his auspices in 1935 and then found the truth later

Trip sugestion
Besides the golden buddha that is a hightlight of Wat Trimit temple, the underneath of the buddha hall has two nice exhibition that worth to see, the golden buddha exhibition and the Chinatown, Yaowarat, Heritage Center

The Chinatown Heritage Center (Chinese community museum) was also built in the temple to commemorated the three Chinese who established the temple. It's also the place to learn about oversea Chinese's life in Thailand

Links