Wat Laht Phrao (วัดลาดพร้าว)

Thai. Name of a Buddhist temple in Bangkok's Chokchai 4 area, located on Laht Phrao Wang Hin Road, hence the name. It was initially established in 1870 AD on a location nearby, but was in 1874 AD moved about 100 meters to its present location, allowing for better access to water. The temple's wihaan houses images of Luang Pho Phra Phutta Sothon and Phra Saksit, a copy of the sacred Luang Po Sothon image, i.e. the kuh bahn kuh meuang of Wat Sothon Wararam Woriwihaan in Chachengsao (fig.), and of the monk of the same name, a so-called Phra Saksit who forecast the exact time of his own death. In front of the wihaan is an elevated balcony, that has several large Buddha images in different poses, as well as a number of smaller images of the Buddha and of some other characters from Buddhism, including of the travelling monk Phra Siwalih (fig.). The large free standing Buddha image on the left side is in the pahng peut lohk pose (fig.), representing the Buddha disclosing Trailohk, showing the three worlds of heaven, earth and hell, simultaneously, an event that took place after the Buddha had returned from the Tavatimsa heaven, where he had spent three months observing pansa during the rainy season; the one in the middle is in the pahng leelah pose (fig.), i.e. of a walking Buddha, which refers to the Buddha returning from heaven; whereas the image on the right is in the pahng kho fon pose (fig.), i.e. the gesture that represents the Buddha asking for rain, an event that took place at the very beginning of the rainy season, prior to the start of the monsoon. Hence, the three images displayed together cover the entire episode of pansa. Also spelled Wat Lat Phrao, Wat Lad Phrao, Wat Lahd Phrao, Wat Lat Phraw, or similar. See MAP. 回