Buddha statue in Cambodia will be world’s 3rd tallest
The owner of the hotel group in Cambodia is taking on a big challenge. A big, tall challenge. The owner of the Sokha Hotel Group in Cambodia has pledged to build one of the world’s tallest Buddha statues. His scheme would see the construction of a 108-metre tall Buddha on Bokor Mountain.
While news coverage in the Phnom Penh Post, and Nation Thailand suggested it would be the world’s tallest, there are two taller Buddha statues currently in existence. The Laykyun Sekkya in Myanmar stands at 115.8 metres, while the Spring Temple Buddha in China is 128 metres tall, making it the second tallest statue in the world.
The tallest statue in the world dwarfs the Buddha sculptures: the Statue of Unity in India stands 182 metres tall. By comparison, the world-famous Statue of Liberty in New York is just 46 metres tall.
The Cambodian businessman plans to construct the statue that will overlook 500 rice fields. He is still working out the details for the massive Buddha statue and estimates it will cost about US$40 million to complete. They’re finalizing the design now and waiting for permits to begin building.
“We will continue working with the inter-ministerial committee to ensure the size and style of the statue represents Cambodian culture. Construction has not yet started, as we need to revise and redesign the statue and ask the committee for approval. We will accelerate this work as quickly as possible, and hope to begin construction soon,”
The hotel group owner feels that the giant statue will attract millions of local and international tourists, creating a new cultural hotspot in Cambodia, aside from being a gargantuan religious icon.
“It will serve as a shrine for all Cambodian people and we will pray for happiness, prosperity and lasting peace for the region and across the kingdom. The company is seeking permission from the Environment Ministry to build this statue. We are also working with the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts on architectural design to ensure the huge Buddha statue is properly constructed according to our Cambodian style.”
