However, when his father, the king of Laos, passed away, King Chaichettha wanted to go back to his own country, so in 1552 he returned to Luang Prabang, the then capital of Laos, taking the Emerald Buddha with him, and promised the ministers of Chiengmai to come back. He never returned nor did he send back the Emerald Buddha, so the image remained at Luang Prabang for twelve years.