Fun things to do in Thailand

2 more images

Wat Pho temple lies in central Bangkok on the left bank of the Chao Phraya river, just a ferry ride from the Wat Arun temple across the river.
There are several buildings in the temple complex and one of these hosts the large Reclining Buddha gilded statue (Phra Buddhasaiyas) visible for a 100-Baht admission fee.
Length of the statue, per different sources, is indicated to be 43 or 46 meters (141 or 150 ft.).

Expect plenty of visitors and consider enough time to visit the other wonderful buildings in the complex.

The rivers and tributaries that flow down from Thailand's northern mountains, which are the southernmost outliers of the Tibetan Plateau, drain into the Gulf of Thailand via the Chao Phraya River. Throughout Thai history, this river has served as a major route for trade, commerce, and invading armies. Important historical cities such as Ayutthaya, and present-day cities such as Bangkok, grew up along the banks of the Chao Phraya River.

Nowadays, the river is still a busy artery for commerce, especially in and around Bangkok, as evidenced by the numerous water taxis, barges, ferries, express boats, and long-tailed boats that seem to cause traffic jams on the water. In addition, many important buildings, such as the wat pictured here, line the banks of the river.

The Chao Phraya River is the largest river situated entirely within the borders of Thailand. (The Mekong River is much larger, but it forms part of the border between Thailand and Laos before flowing into Cambodia). Its watershed drains an area of about 60,975 square miles (157,924 square kilmeters), which makes up about 35 percent of the country's land.

The river begins at the confluence of the Ping and Nan rivers at Nakhon Sawan, and flows south 231 miles (372 kilometers) from the central plains, through Bangkok, and empties into the Gulf of Thailand. In Chainat, north of Bangkok, the river splits into the main river channel and the Tha Chin River, which flows parallel to the main river and empties into the Gulf of Thailand about 22 miles (35 kilometers) west of Bangkok.

Officially called Phra Phuttha Maha Suwan Patimakon, the Golden Buddha is the centerpiece of Wat Trimit. At five tons (4,536 kilograms), it is the world's largest and heaviest solid gold object, and is worth hundreds of millions of dollars. The image's gold is 40 percent pure from the base up to the neck, 80 percent pure from the chin to the forehead, and the hair and topknot are 99 percent pure.

The Golden Buddha was probably forged sometime during the Sukhothai period between the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries in the Kingdom of Sukhothai. It was moved to the emerging Kingdom of Ayutthaya around 1403, and was later completely covered with a coating of plaster stucco to keep it from being stolen, and then it was painted. Ayutthaya was destroyed by the Burmese in 1767, but they failed to find the golden treasure hidden inside its stucco disguise.

In 1801, after King Rama I had established his capital at Bangkok, he ordered that various old Buddha images be brought to the new capital to be placed in the numerous new temples that had been constructed there. The Golden Buddha was therefore moved to Bangkok where it remained in obscurity for many decades. During the reign of King Rama III, the Golden Buddha was placed in Wat Chotanoram, but Wat Chotanoram eventully fell into disrepair and was closed. The Golden Buddha was then moved to Wat Trimit in 1935. However, the wat did not have a room big enough for the image, so it sat outdoors under a tin roof for 20 years.

Wat Trimit was renovated and expanded in 1955, and it finally had room for the large Buddha statue. When it was being placed in its new temple, the Golden Buddha was finally discovered. Because of its great weight, the sling being used to move the statue snapped, and it fell to the ground. The stucco cracked, revealing the golden image inside.

Wat Trimit, variously written in English as Wat Trimitr, Wat Traimit, and Wat Traimitr, among others, is a Buddhist wat located in Bangkok's Chinatown. It is often referred to as the Temple of the Golden Buddha because it houses the Golden Buddha, the world's largest solid gold object. (See my tip on the Golden Buddha for more information).

What is now Wat Trimit was built in 1939 and was originally called Wat Sam Chin, which means "Three Chinese Temple", because three Chinese men donated money and property toward the construction of the wat. The name was changed in 1956 when it became a royal temple.

If it were not for the Golden Buddha, it is unlikely that anyone but locals would visit Wat Trimit. Compared to the many magnificent wats in Bangkok, Wat Trimit is rather plain architecturally, and it is located on a small side street in an out-of-the-way section of the city. Away from the tourist crowds who come to see the Golden Buddha, the wat does offer an interesting glimpse into Thai Buddhist practices. Devotees light sticks of incense to carry prayers heavenward, and worshippers apply thin sheets of gold leaf to images of the Buddha to make merit.

Phra Maha Chedi Si Rajakarn is a set of four large intricately decorated chedis located on the grounds of Wat Pho. Built during the reign of King Rama I to house relics of the Buddha, they also honor the first three kings of the Chakri Dynasty (two are for King Rama III). Later, King Mongkut ordered the construction of a walled enclosure around the chedis to ensure that no others would be built in their vicinity.

Each of the chedis has 12 notches on its side (lesser chedis have less notches) and terminates in a 138-foot (42-meter) spire. They are decorated with colorful mosaics of glazed tiles and fragments of porcelain.

The chedis that make up Phra Maha Chedi Si Rajakarn are but four out of a total of 91 chedis on the grounds of Wat Pho. Seventy-one of the smaller chedis contain the ashes of members of the royal family, and 21 contain the purported ashes of the Buddha.

The Grand Palace Complex is the royal center of Bangkok and includes the largest collection of temples and palaces in Thailand. The 54-acre (22-hectare) temple complex is located on the east bank of the Chao Phraya River and is surrounded by four defensive walls that contain 12 gates and 17 forts. Rather than being a single building, the Grand Palace is made up of numerous buildings, some of which include Wat Phra Keo, the Royal Pantheon, the Royal Chapel, the Royal Collection of Weapons, and the Coin Pavilion, among many others.

The temples in the Grand Palace Complex are generally in the Rattanakosin (traditional Thai) style of architecture and are covered in gold leaf, tiles, and mosaics of porcelain which glimmer in the tropical sun. Architectural structures include chedis (tall spires) and prangs (obelisk-like towers). The large gold chedi visible in the background is the Phra Si Rattana Chedi, constructed to house a piece of the Buddha's breastbone.

The Grand Palace Complex is divided into quarters which include Wat Phra Keo, the Outer Court, the Middle Court, and the Inner Court.

Wat Phra Keo is also called the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. Thailand's most sacred object, the Emerald Buddha is a statue of the Buddha that is carved not from emerald, but from green jade. The quarter also contains other magnificent examples of Thai architecture including the Royal Pantheon, salawats (pavilions), statues, chedis, and prangs.

The Outer Court contains public buildings that are closed to the public, such as the office of the king's private secretary and offices and departments of the Royal Household. Of interest to tourists is the Pavilion of Regalia, Royal Decorations, and Coins.

The Middle Court contains the most important residential and state buildings, and is considered the heart of the Grand Palace Complex. Its most important building is the Great Chakri Palace, once the residence of the Thai kings, but which now serves as the royal throne hall. The quarter also contains numerous temples and pavilions.

The Inner Court was once reserved exclusively for use by the king, and in ancient times, his harem of queens and consorts. This quarter also contains the extensive Siwalai gardens.

The Great Chakri Palace serves as the ceremonial throne hall for Thai kings. The palace is closed to the public and is only used by the king for ceremonial occasions, such as Coronation Day and state visits by foreign dignitaries. It was a royal residence until 1946, when King Rama IX moved to the Chitralada Palace a few miles away.

After a trip to Singapore and Java in 1875, King Rama V brought back English architect John Clunich and his assistant Henry Rose to design and build the throne hall. The king wanted the building to be completely European in style, but at the insistence of his Chief Minister, decided to add Rattanakosin-style roofs and spires. Therefore, the Great Chakri Palace is now an odd mixture of Rattanakosin (traditional Thai), Renaissance, and Italianate styles. The lower part of the building is in the European styles and the upper part is in the Rattanakosin style, with green-and-orange glazed tile roofs and golden spires.

The interior of the three-story building is dominated by the throne hall, or the Chakri Maha Prasat. It runs along the front of the entire building. The throne itself is in the center of the Chakri Maha Prasat, and is a golden chair on a raised dais, the base of which is adorned with golden garudas. The throne is flanked by two seven-tiered umbrellas and is topped by the Royal Nine-Tiered Umbrella.

The upper floors of the palace consists of various state rooms and include reception rooms, lesser throne rooms, galleries with royal religious images, and libraries.

At 20 acres (eight hectares), the Wat Pho Complex is the largest complex of wats in Bangkok. It is also the oldest, having been established about 200 years before Bangkok became the capital of Thailand. The complex consists of two walled compounds separated by Soi Chetuphon, an east-west street. The southern compound, called Tukgawee, is closed to the public and is a working Buddhist monastery with living quarters for the monks and a school. The northern compound is popular with tourists and contains Wat Pho and a school for traditional Thai massage.

Known mostly for the Reclining Buddha, one of the world's largest images of the Buddha, the Wat Pho Complex also has more Buddha images than any wat in the country, with more than 1,000. Most of these were moved here from Thailand's ruined former capitals of Ayutthaya and Sukhothai.

The grounds of the complex contain a total of 91 chedis, including four large chedis honoring the first three kings of the Chakri Dynasty (two are for King Rama III). There are also four viharas (halls), a bot (central shrine), chapels, rock gardens, and numerous statues.

The wall around the compound has 16 gates guarded by Chinese giants carved from rock. They had been used as ballast on ships that were used for trade with China. The outer cloister contains images of 400 Buddhas out of 1,200 that were brought to Bangkok by King Rama I.

Wat Pho, the main temple, is built atop a raised marble platform punctuated by mythological lions at the gateways. The exterior ballustrade of the wat contains 150 depictions from the epic Ramakien, the Thai national epic derived from the Hindu epic, Ramayama.