The Buddha Mountain or Khao Chi Chan (Thai: เขาชีจรรย์) is a limestone hill in Na Chom Thian that has become a Pattaya landmark due to its large 109 m (358 ft) by 70 m (230 ft) golden Buddha laser engraving.
It was created in 1996 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the coronation of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, and for Thai people and Buddhists for spiritual practice.
The Khao Chi Chan Buddha image is the largest carved Buddha image in the world.
In 1995, Somdet Phra Yanasangworn moved to prevent further mineral extraction from destroying a mountain – the Buddha Mountain or Khao Chi Chan.
Stone from the mountain had been used to build the runways for the Royal Thai Air Force – United States Air Force military base, U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield during the Vietnam War.
King Bhumibol ordered the drawing of an outline of the Buddha with advanced equipment, and the completion of the project under the supervision of Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn.
After the face of the mountain was flattened, teams from the Phra Chomklao Technology Institute in Thonburi used laser technology in January 1996 to penetrate the limestone. They cut the outline of a Buddha image, that would become the largest line-edged Buddha image in the world and a permanent religious representation of Thailand.
The Buddha image was later inlaid with gold leaf, blessing the mountain with permanent status as a sacred site.
The guided laser technology used was the first of its kind, introduced to carve the image of Lord Buddha.
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