Thailand's Only 1,000-Year-Old Reclining Buddha Draws Pilgrims to Trang
Pilgrims flock to Phu Khao Thong Temple in Trang province to venerate the Reclining Buddha Sai Manorah, Thailand's only 1,000-year-old Buddha statue built during the Srivijaya period. The 9-meter-long wooden figure, restored with brass and
People visit Phu Khao Thong Temple in Trang province to pay respects to the Reclining Buddha Sai Manorah, a unique 1,000-year-old Buddha image found only in Thailand. The statue, built during the Srivijaya period, measures 9 meters long and over 2 meters wide and is registered as one of 20 historical monuments in Trang province by the Fine Arts Department.
According to legend, the statue was built between 1200–1300 CE during the reign of Chao Noi and Princess Lueut Khao of Phatthalung. Princess Lueut Khao had collected treasure to donate for restoration of the Chao Noi and Lueut Khao stupa in Nakhon Si Thammarat, but upon arriving at Khao Chum Thong—present-day Phu Khao Thong—she learned the stupa was already complete. She then deposited the wealth in a cave and, claiming Manorah descent, commissioned the wooden Reclining Buddha to seal the cave entrance, entrusting locals with its care.
Over time, the wooden statue deteriorated. The Fine Arts Department restored it with a brass coating and internal steel framework. Devotees gather especially on Songkran (Thai New Year) to perform the Manorah dance in worship and seek blessings for luck, work, health, and prosperity. The temple also displays ancient stalactite formations resembling Guan Yin and fossilized human remains estimated at over 3,000 years old, drawing both Thai and international visitors year-round.
