Biggest Buddha: Asia's largest gilded Buddha statue can be found at the Bai Dinh Pagoda in Ninh Binh Province, according to the Asia Book of Records. — File Photo

HCM CITY — Viet Nam has become the proud owner of 10 more Asian records, and will receive certificates for them from the Asia Book of Records in HCM City tomorrow.

Among them are the largest historical prison – in Con Dao – and the longest corridor and largest Buddha statue, both at the Bai Dinh Pagoda in Ninh Binh Province.

Built in 1862 by French colonialists, the Con Dao jail was notorious for American "tiger cages" during the Viet Nam war. The jail held more than 1,000 prisoners at a time.

Bai Dinh Pagoda has two corridors of 1.7km each with 500 statues, all monolithic and measuring 1-2.5m in height and weighing 1-2.5 tonnes.

Its gilded, 100-tonne Buddha is made of bronze and 10m tall.

Le Tran Truong An, general director of the Viet Nam Book of Records (Vietbooks), which is organising the event, said all the information would be published in the Asia Book of Records's website, books, and television.

Last year the Asia Book of Records awarded the first certificate to Viet Nam for the largest gem statue owned by an individual in HCM City.

At this week's event Vietbooks will give away certificates and trophies to 33 individuals and organisations who created national records this year.

They include brothers and circus performers Giang Quoc Co and Giang Quoc Nghiep, who have won the largest number of international prizes for their Power of Arms performance, and Nguyen Cong Bang, who can throw a needle through 3mm-thick glass.

Vietbooks, the Laos Records Book Centre, and the Cambodia Records Book Centre will sign a memorandum for establishing the Indochina Records Book Centre. — VNS