A Content Creator Falsely Claims About Prasat Phra Thep Bidon

As Cambodia and Thailand are in disagreement over the name of kicking boxing included in the upcoming SEA Game, a content creator claimed in his video circulating on social media last week that Preah Ko – the sculpture taken by Siam (Thailand now) from Cambodia hundred years ago – was locked in a temple in the country’s Grand Palace. The claimant added that the temple or Prasat is closed to the public for this reason. The claim has gone viral on social media. However, after running Google Reverse Image Search and reviewing the history of the temple, we found the claim is false.

Social Media Claim

A Khmer-speaking content creator said in his video circulating on social media last week that the sculpture of Preah Ko (Cow God) taken from Cambodia by Siam (Thailand now) hundred years ago is locked inside a temple in the Grand Palace. The claimant added the public is not allowed to visit the temple.

The video claim has gone viral on social media after it was circulated on social media last week. It has gotten a lot of shares and comments from Khmer-speaking social media users.

The about-6-minute video which was virally circulated on social media here available below.

Archived Link

Fact Check

Fact Crescendo Cambodia began an investigation into the claim mentioned above by running Google Reverse Image Search and reviewing reports related to a temple featuring the video claim. Then, we find out the facts below.

By running Google Reverse Image Search, we found the temple mentioned by the claimant in the video is called Prasat Phra Thep Bidon – the royal pantheon located in the same compound as Wat Phra Kaew or the temple of the Emerald Buddha in Thailand’s Grand Palace.

Below is an image of Prasat Phra Thep Bidon we found on Alamy – one of the world’s largest stock photography agencies.

Alamy | Archived

By reviewing reports and documents, we found an article published by SILPA last January, which provides brief information on Prasat Phra Thep Bidon. The article said the statues of the previous nine kings of the Chakri dynasty are installed inside the temple. The status of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej or Rama IX who died in 2016 is also installed inside the temple.

Below is an image showing the view inside Prasat Phra Thep Bidon – the enshrined temple of ancestors of the Chakri dynasty.

SILPA-MAG | Archived

The SILPA’s article said Prasat Phra Thep Bidon was constructed in 1855 in the reign of King Mongkut or Rama IV and called Phutthaprang Prasat (พุทธปรางค์ปราสาท). The original purpose of the construction of the temple was to move the Emerald Buddha into the newly built Prasat. However, it has never materialized. King Rama IV died before the completion of the temple.

The temple construction was completed in 1882 in the reign of King Chulalongkorn or Rama V, but the King reconsidered the temple as too small for organizing worship and religious ceremonies, according to SILPA’s article.

Then King ordered to convert the temple to enshrine the status of the founder of the Chakri dynasty and other Kings.

An image published by the Office of Thailand’s Royal House shows the presence of Thailand’s current King Maha Vajiralongkorn or Rama X and the Queen inside the temple. The image also shows the statuses of previous Kings of Thailand.

The image below shows King Maha Vajiralongkorn and the Queen lighting candles inside Prasat Phra Thep Bidon on April 07 last year.

Royal Office | Archived

Prasat Phra Thep Bidon Opened to Public on Special Occasions

Pattaya Mail said in its report in 2015 that Prasat Phra Thep Bidon was opened to the public only seven days in that year. During the schedules, Thai people were allowed to go inside the temple and pay worship to the previous Kings.

The media said that Coronation Day, Chakri Day, Songkran Day, and Chulalongkorn Day were among the days the Office of the Royal House allowed the public to go inside the temple. Read the full report here or the archived one here.

The Office of Thailand’s Royal House always announces the schedule for the public to visit and pay worship to the statuses of previous Kings inside the temple.

Below is the 9-day schedule set by the Office of the Royal House allowing the public to visit inside Prasat Phra Thep Bidon in 2021.

Royal Office | Archived

Below is a video report published by Thailand’s broadcasting Thai PBS News, saying the temple was opened to the public last year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33tQ4VtQBhM

Conclusion

Fact Crescendo Cambodia found the claim made by a content creator is false. The temple presented by the content creator is called Prasat Phra Thep Bidon where the statuses of previous Kings of Thailand’s Chakri Dynasty are enshrined. No official records detail the sculpture of Preah Ko locked inside the temple.