Phra Kaew Morakot Emerald Buddha (or official name Phra Phuttha Maha Mani Rattana Patimakon) is the palladium of the Kingdom of Thailand, afigurine of the sitting Buddha, made of green Nephrite (rather than emerald), clothed in gold,
and about 45 cm tall. It is kept in theTemple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew) on the grounds of the Grand Palace in Bangkok. Early in the Bangkok period, the Emerald Buddha used to be taken out of its temple and paraded in the streets to relieve the city and countryside of various calamities (such as plague and cholera). However, this practice was discontinued during Rama IV's reign as it was feared that the image could get damaged during the procession and also a practical line of thinking that Rama IV held "that diseases are caused by germs, not by evil spirits or the displeasure of the Buddha