Temples of  Thailand - a photographic journey

Bangkok Area      Provinces: Central    North    North-East   West   South  East

 

Temples in Bangkok and Thonburi

Bangkok (east and west of the River)

Wat Phra Kaeo

Wat Pho

Wat Traimitr Wittayaram Woraviharn

Phu Kao Thong

Wat Suthat

Wat Saket

Wat Benchamabopit

Wat Ratchanadta

Wat Mahathat

Wat Ratchabopit

Wat Arun

Wat Boworniwet

Wat Kalayanamit

Wat Indrawihan

Wat Pichaiyat

Wat Prayunwong

Wat Moliyaram

Wat Dhammamongkol

Wat Ratchapradit

Wat Prok

Wat Yan Nawa

Wat Pathumwanaram

Wat Buranasiri

Wat Mahannapharam

Wat Thepthidaram

Wat Chana Songkhram

Wat U-Thai Tharam

Wat Rakhangkhositaram

Wat Soi Thong

Wat Hua Lampong

Wat Sawettachat Worawihan

Wat Suwan

Wat Thong Nophakhun

Wat Bupparam

Wat Samien Nari

Wat Amarintharam

Wat Bang Khun Phrom

Wat Dusitharam Worawihan

Wat Suwanaram Rajaworawihan

Wat Hua Krabue

Wat Somanat Vihara

Wat Pho Nimit

Wat Intharam Worawihan

Wat Weru Rachin

Wat Makut Kasattriyaram

Wat Thewaraj Kunchorn Woraviharn

Wat Rajathiwas Rajaworavihara

Wat Parinayok

Wat Kharuehabodee

Wat Dit Hongsaram

Wat Hong Ratanaram

Wat Rajasittharam

Wat Pathum Khongkha

Wat Raja Singkorn

Wat Phai Ngnoen Chotanaram

Wat Nang Rajaworawihan

Wat Nang Nong

Wat Trai

Wat Thong Thammachart

Wat Anongkharam Worawihan

Wat Rajakrue

Wat Chantaram

Wat Krueawan Worawihan

Wat Nak Klang

Wat Chinoros

Klongs on the west side of the River

Wat Sankrachai

Wat Intharam

Wat Paknam

Wat Nang Chi

Wat Ratcha-O-Rot

Wat Kuhasawan

Wat Ratchada Thittham

Bangkok image

Temples are not typically the first thing which come to mind when talking about a trip to Bangkok. There is foremost thoughts of shopping and of course the entertainment areas with the sleazy bars and establishments. Within this huge city there are over 430 temples though, which are very worthwhile to be visited. Wat Phra Kaeo, the Royal Temple within the Palace, is the most important and most impressive one. It is also the one with the most tourists and,  at least outside the temple, also the one with the most dubious characters who want to sell you things and who want to drive you onto a never-return shopping trip. Wat Pho is a huge temple right next to the Royal Palace. Also lots of tourists, but this is a temple which is very much in use and if you come early enough you can sit inside the chapel and take part in the prayers by the many monks living there. For all the other temples you have to walk some way, or take taxis to get to them. Wat Trimit with it's massive golden Buddha image is in the middle of China town and visited by many tourists. Wat Benchamabopit can be a zoo but at times you might be the only tourist around. Again, come early and enjoy - before the tour busses arrive. If you come very early, bring some food for the monks who will be on alms round. I typically spend a few days in Bangkok during every trip to Thailand, just to visit my friends in the temples and to pay respect to some important Buddha statues. And every time I try to visit a new temple. Inside the temple walls, the compound provides a quite and tranquil atmosphere in an otherwise chaotic city.

In November 2008 we got stuck in Bangkok due to the political protests and the closure of the airport, which we took as a chance to visit several important temples of the city, starting with Wat Amarintharam. We also went back to Wat Paknam and went for the morning prayer with the monks of Wat Pathumwanaram. It helped us turning all the negative influences into something very positiv! (to put this into perspective: with negative, we mean being stuck in the middle, not knowing what is going on or when to be able to leave the country and being stuck in a country without a hotel, money and information. Sitting outside the airlines office at 4am or calling the airline for 3 days without getting through - that is negative energy).

During our 4 trips to Thailand in 2009 we have always had a few days in Bangkok visiting temples. In September we actually spent three weeks in the city, enjoying the new skytrain ride over to the western parts of Bangkok across the Chao Praya river. We took this new opportunity to visit many of the exciting temples on both sides of the river. Marking our tenth year of traveling to the Kingdom of Thailand and getting to our 1000th temple to cover on these pages, we actually chose three important temples for our final count down: Wat Makut Kasattriyaram, Wat Thewaraj Kunchorn and Wat Rajathiwas Rajaworavihara

In March 2010 we focused on temples in Bangkok. It was merely a lack of confidence in the political situation, which made us stay in the capital and we made a conscious decision to leave the city before the latest wave of protest kicked off - this time by the red-shirts. We visited several new temples and were happy to visit the new viharn of Wat Traimitr, Chinatowns latest tourist attraction and home of the Golden Buddha. Looking at the beautiful Buddha image, Phra Buddha Mahasuwan Patimakorn, it becomes obvious that nothing is permanent, no matter what colour shirt you wear. Only the Buddha's teachings matter!

 

 

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