Phra Chai is an auspicious name that means victory, since ancient times that considered as a significant Buddha statue in a parish position, according to Buddhist history in the episode of the prophet Buddha defeated the Wasawadti devil army and as mentioned in the royal chronicles, in the reign of King Naresuan of Ayudhya period. This Buddha image would also be invited into the battlefield along with the troops, to create morale and encourage army in winning the battle. Apart from that, this Buddha image was invited to several royal ceremonies.

         Phra Chai of Nakhon Ratchasima, a parish positioned Buddha image during Ayudhaya period, around 19th - 20th B.E... The Buddha was made of bronze, with size of 15.3 cm. width and 22.2 cm. high, sit  pondering on a low base platform, with right leg folded above the left leg, wearing a cross breast robe clad dipped below the belt.  The Buddha image is a square face with eyes wide open, two hairlines over the neck which arranged in small curls. There is an emitting radius look like a cauldron style, called Buddha U-Thong 2. There are Khmer inscriptions of the Pali language (22th - 23th century characters) surrounded by the talisman and the spells. There are inscriptions of character "Jo" in front of the left beak shoulder, on the forehead in scripted character “Po", on the neck in scripted character "Ko", and on the right side of beak shoulder in scripted character "So".  For the meaning of these characters; “Ja Pa Ka Sa” is the ancient spell called Katha kaslak, from the Wachira-Saratha-Sangkha scripture, written by  Rattana Thera Buddhist monk  which means that “the arise from the great of 38 sacred Buddha Dharma”.

         The derivation of Phra Chai of Nakhon Ratchasima Buddha image begun when his Royal Prince Phraya Damrong Rajanubhab came for an official visit at Nakhon Ratchasima province in 1889 or 1929 (not clear evidence), the governor of Nakhon Ratchasima had presented Buddha image to His Royal Prince. At that time, the Buddha was located in the middle room of City Hall, Ministry of Interior. Later, Ministry of Interior bestowed ownership to the Fine Arts Department. Currently the statue is preserved at Ayutthaya Art Gallery, Prapas Pipitthapan building, the Bangkok National Museum (Registration number A.Y. 25)

         Consequently, Mr. Thongchai Lue-Adul, The governor of Nakhon Ratchasima at that time, together with Government officials, merchants and people of Nakhon Ratchasima province, built the model of Phra Chai of Nakhon Ratchasima Buddha statue located at Phra Chai tower in the area of Nakhon Ratchasima city hall in 2015. The objectives of building this Buddha image was for the sake of Nakhon Ratchasima people, to be worshipped as the Buddha image of Nakhon Ratchasima, and to be the unity statue staying with Nakhon Ratchasima province forever and ever.

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Reference :
Fine Arts Department. Buddha image at Wang Nha, Buddha statue of Thailand.  Suphawan krabkran Buddhapusha Wassawanon 2016, Nonthaburi: Taiphum Publishing. 2016

Credit by :
Shinathon Ghai-Santia
Chairman of the youth museum guides and
Chairman of Mahaveerawongse national museum youth