The Luang Phor Sothorn Buddha (sometime written LP Sothön)
is one of the most revered Buddha image of Thailand.
It is a classic image of the Buddha meditating, 1.65 meter large and 1.98 meter high.
This famous statue is the younger one of a group of 3 miraculous Buddha statues
that have been made by Holy men from India in the north of Thailand several century ago. Those statues are stylised images of the historical Buddha, the two others are named
Luang Phor Toh and Luang Phor Wat Barn Lem.
Over a 100 years ago, a miracle happened and those statues survived the destruction of Ayuthaya by Burmese, by floating on Ping River.
The statue of Luang Phor Toh descended to the gulf of Thailand and then floated
along the coast until the city of Samut Songkran, where it can still be seen.
During a ceremony 40 years ago, this statue performed another miracle :
The golden surface of this statue became hot and soft like the skin of a living human being,
it was possible to pinch it and see the skin go back in place like human skin.
The second statue floated to the Samrong canal up to Samut Prakhan
and is still there, in Wat Barn Lem.
The Luang Phor Sothorn statue was pulled by a small group of devotee,
using a single Sai Sin blessed coton string after building a special altar to welcome the statue.
Just before that, a group of a 100 people had tried hardto pull this statue
with some iron chains, in vain.
Later, a temple named Wat Hong was built there, and then it was under Royal patronage changed to Wat Luang Phor Sothorn Worawiharn.
The inside of the main temple at Wat Luang Phor Sothorn.
The statue of Luang Phor Sothorn is much revered in Thailand because
several miracles are attributed to it, including stopping a very bad epidemia.
Thai people believe that you can ask anything to Luang Phor Sothorn
and that your wishes will be granted.
The fact to have at home a genuine image of LP Sothorn, blessed at Wat Sothorn Worawiharn,
is said to be a great blessing and to attract success in life.
Exceptionnal Luang Phor Sothorn Thai amulet carved from jade,
blessed by Most Venerable LP Kassem Khémako !
An amulet of Luang Phor Sothorn made of resin and old Thai banknotes !
A nice Luang Phor Sothorn statue made of dark jade.
The floor of the main temple at Wat Luang Phor Sothorn is covered with images of fantastic aquatic beasts, as a remembrance of the "miracle of the river".
The amulets of Wat Luang Phor Sothorn are very famous and the temple alway
give a lot of informations about the detail of their composition and the blessings performed.
Sometime, some large quantiy of rare alchemical metal are used
to make the Luang Phor Sothorn amulets. Such material is so precious
that it is guarded day & night before the ceremony.
The new amulets of Wat Luang Phor Sothorn are so famous that people
wait for hours to pre-book them 3 month before they are issued !
Like in every major temple, there are many lottery tickets seller in Wat LP Sothorn.
In the secondary temple of Wat LP Sothorn, a replaice of the original statue is displayed along many other statues. People go there do do offering and practice some weird rituals.