The temple insists the broken statue was not an official replica. The drama surrounding the water pouring of the Don Tao Emerald Buddha, a symbol of Lampang city, arose after the statue in the procession fell and broke following the ritual. This was linked to beliefs about "Phaya Wan" (a traditional auspicious day). The temple revealed plans to build a new replica, educate the local community, and adjust the water pouring ceremony format to prevent severe damage to the original statue.
After Songkran, a social media rumor caused alarm when a clip was shared showing the water pouring procession of the Don Tao Emerald Buddha at Wat Phra That Lampang Luang, Lampang province. During the transport of this city’s revered Buddha image, the statue was accidentally dropped. Some claimed it was an old replica of the Don Tao Emerald Buddha, while many speculated it was a bad omen, connecting the incident to the falling of a large rubber tree at Wat Chedi Luang, Chiang Mai, which also toppled on the "Phaya Wan" day, near the same time as the statue fell and broke.
Thairath Online’s special reporting team consulted Thawatchai Thumthong, a lecturer in Tourism Innovation and Service Business at the Faculty of Management Science, Lampang Rajabhat University, and advisor to Wat Phra That Lampang Luang. He clarified that the Buddha image that slipped during the Songkran water pouring was not made as an official replica by the temple. Instead, it was recently created by an external group of devotees as a devotional offering to the abbot. The statue was crafted by artisans from Chiang Saen and later brought to the temple to be gilded instead of the original. The rumor that it was an official replica is false.
The incident in question occurred on 16 Apr 2024 GMT+7 during the annual water pouring ceremony. The actual Don Tao Emerald Buddha and its attendant statues are brought out to be washed on a platform. Participants pour water over the statues using a spouted vessel. After the ritual, the statues are carried back to their pedestals in the pavilion. The statue fell and broke while being carried back to the pedestal for locals to apply gold leaf.
In the procession video, three people carry the statues back to the pavilion. The lead carrier holds the original Don Tao Emerald Buddha. The middle carrier carries the attendant statue, called the "guardian Buddha," a golden bronze statue with a silver base, an antique placed behind the Don Tao Emerald Buddha. The third person carries the statue that fell and broke—this statue was also used for water pouring to allow the public to apply gold leaf, protecting the original from damage. The original statue is displayed as the main figure but is not open to public gilding; only the newly made statue is gilded by the public.
The cause of the statue slipping and breaking was that the wooden base, designed with a recess to hold the statue, was fixed to the base using silicone glue. However, during the water pouring, the wooden base expanded and contracted, causing the statue to separate from the base and fall, resulting in the damage.
The broken statue was commissioned to resemble the original Don Tao Emerald Buddha, but it is larger, with a lap width of about 9 to 10 inches. In terms of Buddhist art craftsmanship, it does not completely match the original statue.
The broken statue is planned to be repaired and is currently kept safely. Following the incident, the temple plans to build an official replica for use in important future ceremonies, concerned about safety, especially during Songkran. Soon, the temple will consult Lampang authorities to prevent future damage by either changing the water pouring procession method or officially creating a new replica accepted by the community.
Asked about the links to bad omens, Thawatchai said perceptions vary. Some connected it to the falling of the large rubber tree at Wat Chedi Luang, Chiang Mai, on the "Phaya Wan" day, close in time to the statue breaking. Personally, he views these as unrelated events.
He urged devotees of the Don Tao Emerald Buddha not to be alarmed. Although the broken statue was a newly made one offered by devotees, the accident was unexpected, and no one wanted it to happen. He advised against panic or spreading superstitions linked to the incident.
Previously, the temple considered using an official Don Tao Emerald Buddha replica for water pouring instead of the original. However, at that time, people were less aware of the impact on ancient artifacts, and there was resistance, so the original has been used annually. If the temple officially creates a replica this time, it will communicate the reasons clearly to devotees.
Professor Emeritus Suraphol Damrikhun, former lecturer at the Thai Art Department, Faculty of Fine Arts, Chiang Mai University, posted to clarify the case of the Don Tao Emerald Buddha breaking during the Songkran festival or "Pak Pi" day. He aimed to provide clear knowledge amid various inaccurate rumors circulating online.
According to the Don Tao Emerald Buddha legend, Lady Suchada found an emerald inside a watermelon (matiao) and offered it to the abbot of Wat Phra Kaew, where it was carved into a Buddha image commonly called Phra Chao Kaew or Don Tao Emerald Buddha. Academically, this legend is believed to have been created in early Rattanakosin period after Chiang Saen residents migrated to Lampang.
Today it is believed the statue was once housed on Don Tan Island, Chiang Saen. After Chiang Saen fell, some residents migrated to Lampang and brought the statue with them, where it has remained.
The Don Tao Emerald Buddha has been enshrined at Wat Phra That Lampang Luang for a long time, housed in the Phra Kaew residence. Traditionally, it is placed alongside a smaller attendant Buddha statue at its back, called the guardian Buddha, which is made of bronze.
On the Songkran or "Pak Pi" day this year, the temple brought out important Buddha images for devotees to perform water pouring according to tradition. The Don Tao Emerald Buddha was the main statue, with a new green stone statue placed in front for the public to apply gold leaf instead of the original.
During the procession carrying the new green stone statue, an accident occurred causing it to fall and break into three pieces.
Therefore, the broken statue was the new green stone Buddha, not the original Don Tao Emerald Buddha, nor the guardian bronze Buddha, nor the resin replica. The original Don Tao Emerald Buddha and the guardian Buddha were unharmed.