Sukhothai's gigantic seated Buddha at Wat Si Chum, Sukhothai
- Thai sculptors of the past concentrated almost exclusively on Buddha images, producing works that rank amonk the world's greatest expressions
of Buddhist art. These have ranged in size from Sukhothai's gigantic seated Buddha at Wat Si Chum,
which measures 11 meters from knee to knee, to tiny, fingernail-sized Buddhas won as amulets. Their greatest achievements were during the
Sukhothai period, when the smoothness and sheen of cast metals
perfectly matched the graceful elongated simplicity of the basic form. To emphazise the spiritual qualities of Buddhism, Thai sculptors eschewed anatomical details
such as muscles and bone structure, realizing that these would only distract from the enigmatic serenity that was their goal.
- Sculpture in Thailand was confined in the past to casting Buddha images. She carried this art to perfection both in technique and artistic expression. Some ancient specimen of this art can be compared favourably with other nation's classical arts.
At both sides of stairways there are two marble singhas,
Wat Benchamabophit Dusitwanaram, Bangkok