Backhoe Unearths Ancient Buddha Image at Notorious Lamphun Curve
A road construction crew in Lamphun province discovered an ancient Buddha image wrapped in robes and inscribed with old scripts at a curve notorious for fatal accidents. Locals attribute the crashes to resident spirits and believe the statue was placed there by victims' families for spiritual protection. The artifact is now housed at Wat Huay Tok.
In Lamphun, a backhoe excavating land for the Ban Hong-Li road project at the notorious "Farang Curve" in Ban Huay Tok, Pa Phlu subdistrict, Ban Hong district, unearthed a Buddha image. The discovery coincided with local resident Lung Tham passing by on his tractor; he recognized it as a sacred Phra Khantharaj image in the gift-bestowing posture, roughly 5-7 inches wide, wrapped in monk's robes and bearing ancient inscriptions. The statue was subsequently taken to Wat Huay Tok for preservation.
Locals call the bend "Farang Curve" because over ten years ago a passenger van filled with foreign tourists crashed there, resulting in deaths and injuries. Since then, frequent accidents have occurred due to the steep banking, loose gravel, and a large tree once believed to house wandering spirits. Villagers suspect the Buddha image may have been placed there by relatives of accident victims as a merit-making ritual to appease the spirits.
