A Huge Gargoyle-like Statue Triggers Controversy in Bangkok

Bangkok – The appearance of a huge black statue of an emaciated, winged figure with golden fangs and scarlet talons glares down on a busy Bangkok street, it's sudden triggering controversy and calls for its removal. 

Bangkok authorities have ordered an investigation after the five-metre-tall Kru Kai Kaew statue - a bald, gargoyle-like man sitting cross-legged - was installed earlier this month outside the four-star Bazaar Hotel.

The photo and video went viral, even in another countries through social media. 

Thailand is known to has countless temples for offerings to spirits and gods, large and small, and many pray and leave offerings in the belief that they will intervene and bring lucky. 

However, this new deity, considered by some to be a "god of wealth" but by others to be alien to Buddhism and even disrespectful, has caused controversy.

There have been calls for the statue, which was installed on August 9 and unveiled with a prayer ceremony, to be immediately removed or discarded due to its creepy shape and is widely considered a "perverted" deity. 

"When you worship something, it should come from the Buddhist faith," said the Artists Council for the Promotion of Thai Buddhism, one of the parties calling on the hotel to remove the statue.

"They can't even answer what the statue means! You can't just make something and worship it. It's not in the Buddhist scriptures,"

Bangkok Governor, Chadchart Sittipunt ordered an investigation into the statue. However, as the statue was on the hotel's private land, there was not much the authorities could do. But a city official said that they had suggested the hotel might try to cover the statue with something so as not to scare people. 

The Nation, a local newspaper, reported claims from conservative groups that a group of devotees were planning "unusual" rituals at the statue and even animal sacrifices.

However, Bazaar Hotel, where the statue was installed, said that they did not install the statue, and that someone else rented the land and installed it. The statue was built by a factory in Nakhon Pathom, west of Bangkok and went viral when it got stuck under a bridge on its way to Bangkok.

Despite the controversy across the country, some people claim to have won the lottery after making offerings, although devotees voice doubts.

Kru Kai Kaew's origins are somewhat unclear, Buddhist expert Sinchai Chaojaroenrat said. "This statue is a folklore belief. Some people think the statue is a shaman, some people believe it is the teacher of a former king in Khmer (Cambodia)," Sinchai said.

While the statue's divine intervention may be in doubt, one party has definitely benefited from its appearance, "Our business wasn't doing well until the tenant decided to install the statue," said Bazaar Hotel Charlie representative Noppawong Na Ayuddhaya.

"Since then, our bookings have increased to 90 percent of capacity until the end of the year." 

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