Two groups have called for the relocation of a statue of Khru Kai Kaeo from a hotel near the Ratchada-Lat Phrao intersection in Bangkok.
The Artists Council for the Promotion of Buddhism of Thailand plan to submit a letter today to The Bazaar Hotel Bangkok, saying the statue is causing fear among some people.
The giant statue has been in the news since photos went viral online after it got stuck beneath an overpass while being transported to the hotel.
Installing the statue for people to worship or seek blessings went against Buddhist teachings, the group says.
The Rassadorn Thai Haeng Chart group, meanwhile, has submitted a letter to Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt, asking him to order the relocation of the statue.
People living in nearby communities were scared of the statue, the group said.
Others have flocked to the sculpture to ask for blessings, leaving behind items including flowers and wallets. Some worshipers have gone as far as asking for kittens or puppies online to use for sacrifices, according to social media.
According to some believers, Khru Kai Kaeo was the teacher of a former king of the Khmer Empire.
But one history scholar said he has never heard of this teacher.
