This image of a Buddha in a tree, also known as the Bodhi Tree in Thailand, is perhaps one of the more iconic images you will find being sold at nearly any shop selling photos in Thailand.  The Buddha is actually made out of sandstone & isn’t carved out of the tree as some suspect. If you travel to Ayutthaya one of these days, you should be sure to visit Wat Mahatat to get your own image so you don’t have to pay for one.

Ayutthaya is one of the old kingdoms of Thailand that was sacked by the Burmese. If you visit the main city of Ayutthaya,  which is an easy trip of about 1.5-2 hours outside of Bangkok, you will notice that nearly all the Buddha statues in the area had their heads cut off by the invading Burmese forces (kind of odd because both countries were then Buddhist, if I’m not mistaken).

Related articles

• Exploring Thailands former capital – Ayutthaya, Thailand (travelpod.com)
• Golden Buddha at Wat Tham Suea in Kanchanaburi, Thailand (damonbillian.com)