The Great Temples of Bangkok

Before our recent trip to Bangkok, I asked my sister and cousin Kevin about all the must-visit spots for our short stay in that Thai capital. Christine used to visit Bangkok frequently for work, and Kevin had lived there with his family for the past decade. I was stunned when they both told me the best way to experience the city was to spend a day in one of the mega malls. Shopping malls are my least favorite place in the world, and I have always avoided them like the plague. That said, I knew I had to be open-minded. Perhaps these malls are as magnificent and fun as everyone claims to be?

After conducting extensive research, we decided to spend an afternoon at ICONSIAM, the second-largest shopping mall in Bangkok. It is supposed to be one of the best, offering everything one would want under the sun. After two and three hours, we had had enough of it. Yes, this is a large mall with plenty of shops and eateries, but I couldn't fathom that it is a major tourist destination. Having worked in Manhattan for over fourteen years, I was neither impressed nor interested in the hundreds of high-end shops there. How are modern shopping malls more appealing than traditional Thai temples?

In the end, I am glad that I enjoyed the cultural sites of Bangkok a whole lot more than the malls. Bangkok is a city of eighteen million with more than four hundred Buddhist temples. Picking out a few temples among them on a short visit was not an easy task. After extensive research, we picked out Wat Pho and Wat Phra Kaew, two of the three most iconic temples in Bangkok. It also just happened that they are a stone’s throw away from one another. Together, the pagodas of these three temples create Bangkok’s iconic skyline.

Wat Pho

For first-time visitors to Bangkok, the chance is that they would make their way to Wat Pho in the historic center. Officially named Wat Phra Chetuphon Wimon Mangkhalaram Rajwaramahawihan, Wat Pho is better known internationally as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha. It is one of the six “royal temples” in the country, and is closely associated with King Rama I, the founder of the reigning Chakri dynasty. Although it may not be the city’s oldest temple, it boasts the largest collection of Buddhist imagery in Thailand. Many of them were relocated here from elsewhere, including the old capital Ayutthaya. Over two centuries, it gradually expanded into one of the largest temples in the country.

On our first full day in Bangkok, we made a beeline for Wat Pho. The weather in the early morning was perfect, and it was a quick walk from Sanam Chai MRT station. The temple is free to visit for Thai nationals and costs 300 Baht for foreigners. Thankfully, there were no unscrupulous scammers and touts outside the entrance. Vistiros are immediately greeted by great numbers of stupas and pagodas of various styles and sizes. Without a professional guide, it was honestly difficult to figure out how to spend our time wisely. Luckily, there were plenty of tour groups roaming around, so we could get a sense of the highlights.

I quite like the patina on golden Buddhas.

The temple complex is dominated by Phara Usbosot, the massive ordination hall within a double cloister. Visitors had to queue up for quite a while to get a glimpse of the golden statue of Phra Buddha Theva Patimakorn. Hung above the statue is a nine-tiered umbrella, which is a royal symbol of Thailand reserved for the reigning monarch. King Rama XI buried the partial ashes of Rama I beneath the Buddha here on the massive golden pedestal. Visitors are welcome to sit down on the floor and appreciate the sublime beauty of the fresh flowers and splendid murals. It was a moment of calm from the bustling crowds outside.

Just about every statue here are gilded.

Needless to say, the main attraction for visitors is the enormous reclining golden Buddha, which is actually located at the periphery of the temple complex. Measuring 50 feet tall and 150 feet long, the colossal statue may not be the largest in Thailand, but it is probably the most famous image of Bangkok for tourists. Commissioned by Rama III in 1832, it depicts Buddha’s ascension into Nirvana and the end of reincarnations. Carrying a Mona Lisa-like smile, the Buddha could be both calming and somewhat unnerving. Having grown up going to many Buddhist temples, the half-smile in the Buddhist figures reminds me of psychedelic effects. I readily admit this is a sacrilegious statement.

The massive Reclining Buddha is Wat Pho's star attraction.

The statue is constructed of a brick core and sculpted in plaster and gold foils. The one obvious question for me is which one came first, the statue or the building. The most interesting part of the statue is the feet of the Buddha, which have elaborate patterns inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The soles bear 108 arranged panels with various Buddhist symbols that are associated with Buddha’s attainment of Nirvana. The most elaborate feature is a circular pattern at the center of each foot representing a chakra, the nodal point of energy through the body according to Hindu and Buddhist traditions. I expect some visitors would be eager to lean over the railings to touch them.

Although the Reclining Buddha does not hold elevated religious significance, it nevertheless becomes a place of pilgrimage of sorts and the primary reason for visiting Wat Pho. As impressive as the golden statue is, Brian and I were even more in awe of the beautiful murals decorating the hall. We actually prefer these Thai murals to most of their European counterparts. Officially known as the “Formost Woman Disciples of the Buddha,” these murals showcase some of the lesser-known stories of Buddha’s life. Compared to Western murals, Thai murals have a better visual flow between scenes. The temple should consider licensing out the design for wallpaper production.

One of the most unique rituals in this hall is a row of 108 bronze bowls located along the southern wall. Each bowl is said to represent a particular virtue of Buddha. Worshippers will drop a coin in each bowl, which is believed to bring good luck. The sounds of coins ringing filled the grand hall and provided a wonderful soundtrack to the visit. Since no visitor carries 108 coins, a staff member offers to exchange money for small coins. Based on my casual observation, this practice seemed particularly popular with foreign tourists, particularly kids.

Bathing of a Buddha statue is the foremost ritual of Songkran.

Our visit coincides with Songkran, the Thai New Year, and the most important national holiday. It just happened that Wat Pho has its biggest annual festival at the same time. The temple grounds were teeming with monks, worshippers, and vendors selling various crafts and foods. Brian even got to try out a private reading in Thai astrology. Aside from the special dance performances, we were blessed to witness various traditional Songkran traditions up close, including blessings by monks and pouring water on Buddha statues. Both acts represent spiritual purifications against bad luck and evil spirits. These serine ceremonies are a far cry from the rowdy Songkran water fight outside the temple walls.

My personal favorite Songkran tradition would be the construction of sand pagodas. The practice could trace its origin to Northern Thailand and Myanmar, where the faithful would bring sand to local temples as tribute to temple construction. Nowadays, the offering has been substituted with cash, but the tradition of building a sand pagoda continues. While this tradition is most celebrated in the country’s north, the creations here are still quite impressive. One needs to be an expert to partake. Most of the sand pagadas here were located around the base of Phra Maha Chedi Si Rajakarn, a group of four massive stupas housing ashes of the first floor king of the incumbent Chakri dynasty. They may be the most handsome stupas we have seen thus far.

Religious and royal importance aside, Wat Pho holds historical significance as Thailand’s first institution of public learning and public university. Over the centuries, the temple accumulated over thirteen hundred historic inscriptions on marble. The subjects were wide-ranging, covering topics such as medicine, Buddhist philosophy, literature, and politics. Much of this traditional knowledge was brought together under the direction of King Rama III to make Wat Pho a place of knowledge. This collection of marble inscriptions was listed on UNESCO’s Memory of the World Program in 2008. I honestly don’t know whether the temple still retains its status as a university. If so, I imagine all the tourists must be a massive distraction for its students.

Am I along to think this was a Pilgrim doing yoga?

Among all the knowledge deposited here, the most notable subject is the traditional Thai message. Wat Pho is often regarded as the birthplace of the Thai massage. In addition to the long history of developing massage techniques, the monks at Wat Pho are also known for taking a holistic approach to healing. Littered around the temple ground are numerous statues of figures in mass poses. Many students from far and wide still come to Wat Pho to learn the art of Thai massage from the source. If it were not for the heat and humidity, we definitely would have gotten a massage here.

The Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaew

For anyone with limited time in Bangkok, an obvious sightseeing choice would likely be the Grand Palace, the official seat and residence of the Thai monarchy. The enormous complex is heavily fortified due to its significant religious and political importance. Many streets surrounding the palace were cordoned off. As we were dropped off at the entrance by Sanam Luang, a man standing by the guarded entrance greeted us and instructed us that only those with an advanced reservation could be allowed in. Those of us without reservation would have to come back at 3 pm. He then proceeded to introduce other attractions we could visit nearby.

I had done enough traveling to be suspicious. It seemed like he was trying to funnel unsuspecting tourists to nearby attractions and earn a commission from the nearby cab drivers. I hesitated to call his bluff only because a uniformed police officer was standing next to him. Of course, the first thing I did was visit the official website to book tickets. However, the payment could not be processed because of foreign credit cards. After spending fifteen minutes struggling to make online reservations by the side of the road, the same police officer walked by and told us to go inside and get the ticket there. I am not sure I was more surprised by how brazen the illegal tout was or how the police were able to overlook it for so long.

Admission to the palace costs 500 baht for foreigners and is free for Thai nationals. The palace was jammed with visitors, including numerous tour groups. The overall atmosphere of the place was hectic and not particularly dignified. While this is the official residence of the royal families, it is widely known that the king rarely spends time here or even in Bangkok. The current king is said to spend the majority of his time at an alpine resort in Germany, much to the consternation of many Thais. But the country’s lèse-majesté certainly kept any public grumbling at bay.

The first section of the palace is anchored by Wat Phra Kaew, better known as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. This is often regarded as the most important Buddhist shrine in the country and is closely associated with the Thai monarchy. Made out of semi-precious stone and measuring just 26 inches by 19 inches, the Emerald Buddha is believed to be Sinhalese in origin and has had a tumultuous history of moving from temple to temple through Southeast Asia. When “rediscovered” by a monastery abbot in 1434, the Emerald became an object of desire for the local monarch. Within Thailand, it continued to move around, including Chiang Mai’s famous Wat Chedi Luang.

As a flashback, we visited Wat Chedi Luang five years ago in Chiang Mai.

For various reasons, the Emerald Buddha is regarded as the palladium of Thailand. It would be paraded through the streets to cleanse the city of the plague. Only the reigning Thai monarch, or a senior member of the royal family designated by the king, is permitted to touch the statue. The statue is adorned with one of the three golden costumes, one for each season of Thailand. The seasonal ceremony centered around the Emerald Buddha’s changing costumes marks the beginning of the seasons. Given the national significance of the Emerald Buddha, we were all disappointed by how small and far the statue is from visitors. It was not too different from seeing Mona Lisa at the Louvre. The grand hall also functions as a ceremonial throne hall, decorated with elaborate murals, chandeliers, and statues.

Since its founding more than two centuries ago, the temple has gone through continuous addition and renewal. The array of religious monuments and statues around here is dizzying. Without a professional tour guide, it was somewhat challenging to focus and prioritize. Naturally, our attentions were drawn to the massive gilded structures at the center of the complex. The most splendid among them is Phra Si Rattana Chedi, a giant stupa housing the Buddha’s holy relic. Built in the Shinghalese style, the stupa is clad in the shining gold tiles imported from Italy. Unfortunately, the central chamber containing the reliquary was not open to the public.

Immediately east of the stupa is another impressive golden structure: Phra Mondop, a depository of the royal Buddhist manuscripts. Supported by a series of elaborate columns is a distinctive, mondop-style pyramid roof that resembles a ceremonial crown. The walls and columns are covered extensively with inlaid precious gems, mother-of-pearl, and colorful glass. It may very well be the gaudiest building I have ever come across. The workmanship was undoubtedly impressive, but the visual complexity is disorienting. I would not be surprised if President Donald Trump might take inspiration from here for his grand plan for the new White House ballroom.

A scaled model of Angkor Wat underlined the simmering tension between Thailand and Cambodia over the centuries.

Curiously, the only structure not covered in gold is a miniature replica of Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world and the national icon of Cambodia. The story behind this model was incredible and is quite pertinent to the current event. The relationship between Cambodia and Thailand was long and complicated. When the Kashmir Empire went into decline in the late 15th century, a significant portion of its territories were absorbed into the territories of Vietnam and Thailand. The Thai royal families were eager to claim the past glory of Kamir as their own.

In 1860, King Mongkut of Siam (Rama IV) ordered the entire Angkor Wat to be dismantled, transported, and reconstructed in Bangkok. After two expedition trips to evaluate the logistics, the court engineers had the unfortunate task of breaking the news to the king: the project can’t be done without bankrupting Siam. Instead, the king ordered a model of Angkor Wat built in the vicinity of Wat Phra Kaew. It is a manifestation of Thai cultural aggression toward Cambodia. Given the border conflict between the two countries a few months ago, I can’t help but wonder if the relocation of this model from the palace grounds could be a gracious gesture of reconciliation.

The depiction of the lying demon at Ramakien Gallery is just fabulous.

Personally, my favorite part of the entire temple complex is the impressive collection of murals around the temple’s loggia. Known as Ramakien Gallery, the murals cover the whole perimeter of the cloisters. They depict the story of the Ramakien, the national epic of Thailand of Indian origin. The story was translated into Thai under the patronage of King Rama I in 1797. The main narratives of the epic are those of righteous kingship sanctioned by divinity and good triumphing over evil. It is not difficult to see why the royal families would sponsor the painting of these murals.

Composed of 178 scenes, Ramakien Gallery is among the most splendid examples of Thai murals. The figures are vividly painted with graceful curves and a dynamic silhouette. The compressed perspective is reminiscent of the artworks in Gothic and Byzantine traditions. For American audiences, the painting style here is eerily familiar because of the theme song of Season 3 of the popular HBO anthology The White Lotus. Like Ramakien Gallery, the intro of The White Lotus also focuses on the struggle between light and darkness. Sadly, the real murals behind in the opening sequence come from other temples in Bangkok.

Because of Bangkok’s heat and humidity, these murals are in a constant state of decay and restoration. Measuring about two kilometers in length, the murals require a team of artists and conservation efforts working throughout the year. It was truly amazing to enjoy these artworks in situ. I was really surprised by just how few physical barriers there were behind the visitors and these priceless artworks. The closest artistic reference I had was probably The Garden of Earthly Delights by the great Hieronymus Bosch. There is something sublime and disconcerting about many of the scenes. For any visitors who wish to appreciate the cultural meanings further, the Thai government commissioned an animated film in 2019 to tell the story of Ramakien based on these murals.

Leaving behind the splendid glory of Wat Phra Kaew, we entered the second section of the palace, the Middle Court. This is considered the heart of the Thai court. We felt immediate relief from the claustrophobia and overstimulation from the temple quarters. This section of the palace is regarded as the “official” residential quarters for the royal family. The most culturally significant is Phra Thinang Amarin Winitchai, the throne hall. This is where the Thai kings would receive ambassadors and where the coronation ceremonies take place. The most recent ceremony took place in 2019, and it was the first such occasion in six decades. Behind the building is a series of structures, including the King’s royal apartment.

Unfortunately, these buildings were strictly off-limits to the public. Among the close-knit families of modern monarchies, the Thai royal families are surprisingly low-profile in the international press in the West. Given the turbulent history of Thailand’s modern politics, it was surprising how the monarchy remains largely above the fray and remains broadly popular with the public. However, the call for reform has increased over the years, partly due to the King’s lavish, unconventional personal life and his intervention into politics. In 2018, he issued a decree to transfer all properties of the royal household under his personal ownership. It eventually led to the mass protest in 2019, a rare display of anti-monarchist sentiment.

For most visitors, the most memorable structure in the Middle is Phra Thinang Chakri Maha Prasad, a massive structure completed in time for the centenary of Bangkok’s founding. The building is unique in terms of architecture, blending European neoclassical style with the traditional Thai-style pagoda; it is a beautiful manifestation of eclecticism. It was unlike any other building I had seen in Thailand. The king reportedly commissioned the palace after a visit to Singapore and Java. Aside from reception halls and picture galleries, the building is home to numerous crematory relics of Thai kings and queens on the top floor. The ground level houses the headquarters of the King's Guard, the ceremonial unit of the Thai military. They are famous for sporting British-style bearskin uniforms.

The ground floor of Phra Thinang Chakri Maha Prasad is home to the headquarters of the King’s Guard.

The building immediately to the west is the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall. The silhouette of this cruciform building is said to represent Mount Meru, the sacred mountain of the Buddhist cosmology. Since its inception, the hall has been a place where the deceased members of the royal families would lie in state. In Thai tradition, the most senior members of the families would lie in state for a hundred days before cremation. One could only hope the building now has a state-of-the-art refrigeration system to deal with Bangkok’s oppressive heat and humidity.

For me, the most beautiful structure in the entire palace is a little pavilion just east of the Dusit Hall. Abhorn Bimok Pavilion is an ideal grand palace in miniature. Resembling an elaborate dollhouse, the pavilion functioned as a place to dismount from a palanquin. This adorable little building distills the essence of Thai architecture. A more miniature replica was exhibited at the Brussels World Fair in 1958. It may be richly adorned with sculpture; the architectural proportion was something to behold. It is almost a shame that such an architectural masterpiece does not get a better showcase within the larger palace ensemble.

Although we thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the Grand Palace, the entire experience was quite exhausting. Since very few building interiors were open to visitors, the crowd and the humidity could be overwhelming. We were thoroughly exhausted by this point. When we saw a little cafe right after exiting the Middle Court, we were half melted. However, our excitement quickly turned into disappointment. The interior was only “lightly” air-conditioned and overcrowded. We Americans were certainly spoiled by the creature comforts, and Southeast Asia really does not agree with us.

The last section of the palace open to visit is relatively underwhelming, at least architecturally. The relatively utilitarian buildings house two major museums. The first was the Museum of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, which is the survey museum for the entire palace, with the marquee exhibits on the original golden costumes made for the Emerald Buddha. However, the museum was closed for renovation, and there was no word as to when it might reopen. Honestly, most visitors probably overlooked the museums due to sheer exhaustion. It would have been preferable if the two museums could be visited separately from the palace visit.

Those who have been to the Jim Thompson House might want to pay a visit to the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles. The museum was a brainchild of Queen Sirkit, the mother of the current monarch. Along with Jim Thompson, the queen plays a pivotal role in reviving Thailand’s silk industry. In 1976, she set up the SUPPORT Foundation to encourage women in rural areas to supplement their family income with traditional crafts. She personally worked with designers and these female artisans to develop a unique blend of Thai and Western fashions. Sporting these distinctive outfits on royal visits abroad, the Thai silks became objects of desire. The museum’s gift shop is probably one of the best places to pick up authentic Thai souvenirs in Bangkok.

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Wat Pho

The Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaew

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