Built at a cost of B8.7 million – B7.5mn for the statue and B1.2mn for the base and surrounding area – the monument will be installed on the southeast corner of the grounds of Wichit Sangkharam Temple on Narisorn Rd, where the ceremony was held this morning.
The temple was chosen as the site as it was built by order of Phraya Wichit Songkhram at the time, some 170 years ago, when Phuket Town was first being developed under his guiding hand.
The statue will be of Phraya Wichit Songkhram in a seated position. Cast in bronze, the statue will be 2.55m tall and up to 1.99m across. The base for the statue will be 2.3m square and 1.8m high, and the area around the statue to be developed for the monument will cover 164 square metres, as announced by Phuket City Mayor Somjai Suwansupana earlier this month. (See story here.)
The ceremony this morning was led by Acting Abbot for Phuket Province, Phra Kru Metta Phirom.
The creation and installation of the statue of Phraya Wichit Songkhram was decided on by Phuket City Municipality and local residents wanting to honour the historic Phuket governor so that children and other people would learn about his achievements and to promote Phuket Town’s historical past as a form of tourism attraction, noted a government release marking today’s ceremony.
“It is also a good example of strengthening the love and unity of the Phuket people and showing gratitude to the ancestors who created pride in being Phuket people,” the release said.
The statue is being created by renowned Thai artist Sunti Pichetchaiyakul, who is best known for creating the sculpture of King Rama 9, Bhumibol Adulyadej, at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the United States, where King Bhumibol was born.
The statue is being created from a photo of Phraya Wichit Songkhram taken in 1849, and is scheduled to be unveiled on Feb 28 next year.