During a rainstorm, a big tree branch landed just centimetres away from the famous Buddha head. Visitors to the Wat Mahathat were shocked to find that the fallen branch, which was more than four metres long, almost hit the sculpture.

Ayutthaya district chief Somsak Charoenpaitoon rushed to the temple to check the precious sculpted head after hearing about the near miss.

Officials have already removed the branch and cleaned the Buddha head. It is surrounded by the roots of a Bodhi tree that is believed to be several centuries old.