Big Buddha, Update

[Wellington]

From Phuket Gazette today;

Big Buddha gets big bell

KARON: Work on the the enormous Buddha image in the Nakkerd Hills is now about 90% complete and a huge bronze bell was installed at the site to mark King Chulalakorn Memorial Day on Thursday.

The one-million baht bell, which weighs one metric ton, was a gift from the Rassada Cooperative Credit Union.

Work on the image, officially known as Phra Puttamingmongkol Akenakkiri, is now about 90% complete, according to the Mingmongkol Faith 45 committee that has funded the project though fund raising efforts.

Vice Governor Worapot Ratthasima attended the Buddhist ceremony at which gold leaf was applied to the bell and it was struck for the first time on Chulalakorn Day.

The entire Mingmongkol Buddha project, to include a landscaped park and museum, is expected to be complete by 2010, at a total cost in excess of 150 million baht.

Once completed, the 45-meter-high Buddha image is expected to become Phuket’s most popular man-made tourist attraction.

There has also been talk of installing a cable car from Patong to the site, which sits atop a 380-meter hilltop.

[LivinginKata]

There has also been talk of installing a cable car from Patong to the site, which sits atop a 380-meter hilltop.

Yes, and they have talked about the tunnel from Patong to Kathu for years. Either projects are just an opportunity for massive corruption.

[DrDave]

There has also been talk of installing a cable car from Patong to the site, which sits atop a 380-meter hilltop.

Yes, and they have talked about the tunnel from Patong to Kathu for years. Either projects are just an opportunity for massive corruption.

Is this the same cable car that was being proposed by a Malaysian businessman last year? It was supposedly to be financed through private funds, although I would expect that the granting of required permits and rights-of-way could be very profitable.

[Old Croc]

Here's a picture from the top.

[Wellington]

Here's a picture from the top.

Looking over Chalong Bay

[Zpete]

I see this from my hotel balcony, is it the buddha mentioned in previous posts?

[LivinginKata]

I see this from my hotel balcony, is it the buddha mentioned in previous posts?

Yes...

[BusyBee123]

uh oh it looks like it is hovering!!!

[greenwater]

october 28...