On August 8-9, 2026, the Tourism Authority of Thailand's Central Region office and Wat Huay Mongkol, in Thap Tai subdistrict, Hua Hin district, Prachuap Khiri Khan province, held the 13th annual robe-draping ceremony for the great Luang Phor Thuad statue (พิธีห่มผ้าหลวงปู่ทวดองค์ใหญ่). Devotees who registered for the event received a newly cast Luang Phor Thuad commemorative coin, consecrated on site by Somdej Phra Maha Ratchamongkolmuni — widely known by his popular title Chao Khun Thongchai (เจ้าคุณธงชัย) — deputy abbot of Bangkok's Wat Traimit and head of the Sangha administration for Thailand's central region.
Wat Huay Mongkol and the World's Largest Luang Phor Thuad Statue
Wat Huay Mongkol was founded in 1964 as a small forest monastery originally called Wat Huay Khot; it was later renamed by royal command. The temple is home to what is widely described as the world's largest image of Luang Phor Thuad (also romanized Luang Pu Thuat), the 16th-17th century monk revered across Thailand and Southeast Asia as one of the most powerful protective figures in Thai Buddhism. Cast in bronze alloy, the seated statue measures 9.9 meters across the lap and stands 11.5 meters tall on a three-tiered base whose lowest platform spans 70 by 70 meters. Queen Sirikit attended the casting ceremony on August 27, 2004. Every August since, the temple has re-draped the statue in fresh saffron cloth as its signature annual merit-making event, which the Tourism Authority now promotes as a faith-tourism draw for the traditionally quiet rainy-season travel period.
A New Coin Blessed by Chao Khun Thongchai
This year's ceremony centered on a fresh consecration, or Phutthaphisek (พุทธาภิเษก), performed by Chao Khun Thongchai, born Thongchai Iamsa-ard in 1953 in Chonburi province. Now one of the most prominent monks in Thailand, he serves as deputy abbot of Wat Traimit Withayaram, home of the famous Golden Buddha, and as head of the Sangha's Central Region administration. He is also known well beyond religious circles — most famously for consecrating the "invincible" yantra cloth presented to Leicester City Football Club, a piece widely credited by fans with the club's Premier League title run. Registered attendees at Wat Huay Mongkol could collect a Luang Phor Thuad coin blessed directly by his hand, distinct from the antique Luang Phor Thuad amulets that trade for enormous sums in the collector market.
What This Means for Amulet Collectors
Luang Phor Thuad is simultaneously one of the most venerated and most counterfeited figures in Thai amulet history. Original amulets from the 1954 Wat Chang Hai batch — as covered in our guide to Luang Phor Thuad: The Monk Who Turned Seawater Fresh — now command prices from the thousands to the millions of baht, and authentication is a real concern for overseas buyers. Temple-issued commemorative coins like the one distributed at this ceremony sit at the opposite end of that spectrum: freshly minted, openly registered, and consecrated in public by a named, currently active monk, which makes provenance straightforward to verify. For collectors building a Luang Phor Thuad collection for the first time, an event coin like this is a low-risk entry point into the lineage — see our broader overview in Luang Phor Thuad Amulets: Why Thailand's Most Beloved Monk Protects Millions. Readers assembling a wider protection-amulet collection can also cross-reference our Best Thai Amulets for Protection: 2026 Buyer's Guide to see where Luang Phor Thuad pieces fit alongside other protective masters.
Source: Dailynews
