The Secular World At The Thai Human Imagery Museum

After the parade of monks, the Thai Human Imagery Museum displays a mish mash of figures: some Thai royalty, some Thai cultural scenes, famous world leaders. It's possible for anyone to make an appearance.

Two Thai kings.

Everyday life, to the extreme. Reading a paper and staring. Intense.

Sir Winston Churchill. Brooding.

Wizard? Sage? Fashion icon? The coolest accordion player in the world.

Thai grab bag.

A slavery section, featuring both local Thais and slaves from the United States in chains. Painful.

Pinup star Mahatma Gandhi.

The Monks At The Thai Human Imagery Museum

There's a nice wax museum near Bangkok that specializes in displaying traditional Thai cultural figures with a sprinkling of the famous and inspiring thrown in. The Thai Human Imagery Museum, created by artist Duangkaew Phityakornsilp, opened in 1989. It took 10 years to perfect the figures, mainly trying to find a substitute for wax, which melts in the Thai heat. Fiberglass was the solution.

Half of the ground floor is devoted to famous monks. The detail is amazing and the lighting dramatic. Monks as heroes.

The holy grail - an audience with Buddha himself. Score!

Next up from the museum: the secular world.