Thailand has some of the most impressive dragon statues in the world. These statues are either part of a thematic park, museum, or temple. Arguably, one of the most famous impressive dragon statues in Thailand is the Wat Samphran in Nakhon Pathom. This cylindrical Buddhist temple has a spiraling dragon surrounding it from the bottom to the top stories. The temple has 17 stories and is 80 meters tall which is a special number in Buddhism since they believe that Buddha died at 80. In addition, the 17 stories symbolize the 17 levels a person can reach in the afterlife according to their karma in Buddhism as well.
Although being one of the most impressive dragon statues, the Wat Samphran does not have a lot of popularity. Even the official construction date of the temple is not clear although it was registered in 1985. The locals say that the founder of the temple had the idea of the dragon and the temple after a 7-day fast and meditation. The construction of the temple lasted for five years but it was never completely finished. Despite being a Buddhist temple, the story of the dragon goes back to a Thai legend. According to the legend, a serpent wanted Buddha to bless it but he did not. Therefore, he took on a human form after which Buddha accepted him. The spiraling dragon represents the ascent from hell to heaven.
The reason why Thailand has so many impressive dragon statues is because the dragon holds a very special place in Thai culture. The Thai people believe that dragons protect their temples and hold great wisdom and strength.
Although technically not a dragon, this Thai temple is similar to them in many ways. Like the dragon, the Anondha fish is another figure in Thai mythology and it is revered by many. This giant fish protects the Sumeru Temple in Ancient City which is also the largest open-air museum in the world. Near this temple in the Ancient City, there are statues of a dragon-like creature on a fountain as well.
