Khruba Srivichai Monument at the Foothill Doi Suthep Chiang Mai: The Closure of the Legend of Miracles Surrounding The Monk’s Holy Proclamation

Abstract

Although the Kruba Srivichai Monument, located at the foothill Doi Suthep Chiang Mai, was constructed with funds from the Chiang Mai provincial budget, it was closely tied to the great faith and reverence of the Lanna people towards the holy monk who was called the “Saint of the Lanna Thai”. The study of the biography of Pra Kruba Srivichai, the great developer and most influential monk of the era, has revealed the immense faith and respect of the Lanna people towards him, which explains why all of his countless public construction and renovation works were easily completed without any hindrances. Additionally, the study of the history of the Kruba Srivichai monument construction, which took seven years to be completed, has enabled us to conclude that the Kruba Srivichai bronze statue was built during 1956-1958. Moreover, the Kruba Srivichai Monument was found to have been designed and the head of the statue sculpted by Professor Silpa Bhirasri whereas the body had been sculpted by Khien Yimsiri. Most importantly, documentary evidence has shown the important empirical evidence that could refute the myths of the miracles involving the monk’s holy proclamation that “As long as the River Ping does not flow back north, I shall not step on the land of Chiang Mai again”. The legend about the holy proclamation was somehow linked to the inauguration of Bhumibol Dam through the irrational claim involving the return of the Kruba to Chiang Mai and the official opening of the dam. Specifically, it was rumored that on May 17, 1964 which marked the state opening of Bhumibol dam, the River Ping had overflown the dam and flown up to the north as far as the Hod District of Chiang Mai, thus enabling the bronze statue to be successfully erected in Chiang Mai on the same day. According to the documentary evidence, however, the statue of Kruba Srivichai was established at the foothill Doi Suthep on June 8, 1963. This finding, therefore, is a fact that can be considered as the closure of the previously mentioned legend of the miracles surrounding the holy proclamation.