Local people are deeply delighted as Wat Arun Ratchawararam ceremoniously transfers the "Statue of King Taksin the Great" to be enshrined at Paknam (Bung Sar Phang) Temple in Ubon Ratchathani Province, Thailand.
On 29 April 2026, Phra Phromwatcharamedhi, a member of the Supreme Sangha Council, advisor to the 9th Regional Ecclesiastical Chief, and abbot of Wat Arun Ratchawararam, assigned the temple's secretariat, led by Phra Kru Vinai Thon Jeeradej Jiratecho, assistant abbot and assistant secretary of Wat Arun, to transfer the statue of King Taksin the Great to present to Phra Sri Wisutthamuni (Wiman Kantasilo), deputy provincial ecclesiastical chief of Ubon Ratchathani and abbot of Paknam (Bung Sar Phang) Temple, Kut Lat Subdistrict, Mueang District, Ubon Ratchathani Province.
The local residents of Paknam organized a procession to carry the statue of King Taksin the Great to Paknam Temple, with people waiting along the route to pour water and offer flowers as the procession passed.
Phra Sri Wisutthamuni (Wiman Kantasilo), deputy provincial ecclesiastical chief of Ubon Ratchathani and abbot of Paknam (Bung Sar Phang) Temple, said that Ubon Ratchathani is one of the provinces to receive one of twelve statues of King Taksin the Great, created to commemorate the 258th anniversary of his coronation and to honor his contributions to the founding of Ubon Ratchathani Sriwanalai.
When Ubon was established, Phra Wo-Phra Ta and Thao Kamphong, son of Phra Ta, led people from Nakhon Khueankhan Kha Bua Ban (now in Nong Bua Lamphu Province) to seek protection under King Taksin the Great of Thonburi. They dug moats and built fortifications to establish Ubon Ratchathani Sriwanalai at Don Mod Daeng on the banks of the Mun River, using the large forest as a defensive camp, later called Ban Dong Bang.
King Taksin ordered Somdej Chao Phraya Maha Kasat Suek to lead the army to assist, assigning the Ban Don Mod Daeng forces as royal volunteer soldiers to lead the army to attack Vientiane, achieving victory and bringing the Emerald Buddha to Thonburi.
The royal volunteer soldiers from Ubon Ratchathani Sriwanalai later settled together in a village called "Ban Phra Kaeo (or Ban Pha Kaeo)," where they built a stupa to commemorate the battle to bring the Emerald Buddha to Thonburi, known as "Phra That Phra Kaeo (or Phra That Pha Kaeo)." Elephant and cavalry troops led by Pu Kamhaeng, Pu Kamhan, Pu Kamluecha, Pu Thonglai, and Pu Chanwong established homes to maintain the troops in the Dong Phra Ganesh area of Pak Bung Sar Phang, called "Ban Ta Ganesh" or "Ban Bung Sar Phang," now known as Ban Paknam (Bung Sar Phang).
Paknam Temple houses the "Luang Pho Ngern 700 Years," an important Buddha image of Ubon Ratchathani Province. It is a victory Buddha image associated with the Phra Wo-Phra Ta army during Ubon Ratchathani Sriwanalai's establishment and also fought alongside Somdej Chao Phraya Maha Kasat Suek's army in the campaign to bring the Emerald Buddha to Thonburi, thus closely linked to King Taksin the Great.
Residents of Ubon Ratchathani who are interested in history recognize King Taksin the Great's contributions to the city. The installation of his statue at Paknam Temple aims to awaken younger generations to study the historical foundation of Ubon Ratchathani's establishment and to pay homage to his royal grace toward Ubon Ratchathani Sriwanalai.
On behalf of the people of Ubon Ratchathani Province, gratitude is expressed to Luang Pho Phra Phromwatcharamedhi, abbot of Wat Arun Ratchawararam, for his support to the province, and to Phra Wachirarattanaporn, secretary of Wat Arun, who coordinated the successful transfer of the statue of King Taksin the Great.
Paknam (Bung Sar Phang) Temple plans to construct a royal pavilion to appropriately enshrine the statue of King Taksin the Great in honor of his legacy.
