WAT PHRASIMAHATHAT WORAMAHAWIHAN

During the time when F.M. Plaek Pibulsongkram was Prime Minister, the government decided to build a temple which was to be called, "Wat Prachathippatai," literally "Democracy Temple" to commemorate the introduction of the democratic system into Thailand. The chosen site was near the Constitutional Defence Monument. While the temple was being built, Thai envoys to India requested the Indian government for some relics of the Lord Buddha, shoots from the sacred Pho tree and soil from the holy places to be brought back to the temple. As a result, the temple's name was changed to Phrasimahathat.

Pho Tree: Standing on the Circular Island in front of the chedi. At the foot of the tree is a Buddha image in the Meditation posture.

Chedi Simahathat: A double-layer chedi, the outer layer enclosing a smaller one. Between the two is corridor with four entrances. The relics of the Lord Buddha and the holy soil were placed in the middle of the chedi. Inside the bigger chedi are 112 apertures for urns containing the bones and ashes of important dignitaries approved by Parliament as having "contributed greatly to the nation”.