Temple or Wat in Thailand

Wat Trai Phum

2007-08-30T00:26:00.001-07:00

A riverside temple located in Tha Uthen District where the 15th century, 80-inch tall Phra Bang image with an octagon base surrounded by 8 elephants is enshrined. It is believed that a procession with the image during the dry season will bring rainfall.

Temple in Nakhon Phanom, Wat in Nakhon Phanom

Information by : Tourism Authority of Thailand

Wat Si Thep

2007-08-30T00:25:00.001-07:00

Wat Si Thep is situated on Sunthon Wichit Road and houses the highly revered Phra Saeng, which is said to have been built along with Phra Suk and Phra Sai, two other Buddha images. In addition, the ordination hall features exquisite murals.

Temple in Nakhon Phanom, Wat in Nakhon Phanom

Information by : Tourism Authority of Thailand

Wat Okat (Wat Okatsibuaban)

2007-08-30T00:24:00.001-07:00

The temple, which is located along the bank of the Mekong River, on Sunthon Wichit Road is an ancient monastery that has not been dated. The temple was built before the provincial town was established and houses many highly-revered old Buddha images such as Phra Teaw and Phra Tiam. Additional attractions at the temple are its magnificent murals.

Temple in Nakhon Phanom, Wat in Nakhon Phanom

Information by : Tourism Authority of Thailand

Wat Maha That

2007-08-30T00:23:00.001-07:00

This monastery is located on Sunthon Wichit Road, on the bank of Mekong River. The compound includes Phra That Nakhon a sacred pagoda highly worshipped by Buddhists. With a square base of 5.8 meters wide and a height of 24 meters, the pagoda was built by Phraya Ammat (Pom), the army commander-in-chief from Vientiane who built Nakhon Phanom City.

Temple in Nakhon Phanom, Wat in Nakhon Phanom

Information by : Tourism Authority of Thailand

Phra That Tha Uthen

2007-08-30T00:22:00.001-07:00

Phra That Tha Uthen is located opposite Hin Bun town in Laos. It is situated approximately 26 kilometers north of the city on Highway 212. Similar in style to Phra That Phanom, Phra That Tha Uthen is 66 meters high. Constructed in 1912, the chedi (pagoda) houses the relics of the Lord Buddhas' disciple brought from over from Yangon, Myanmar.

Temple in Nakhon Phanom, Wat in Nakhon Phanom

Information by : Tourism Authority of Thailand

Phra That Renu Nakhon

2007-08-30T00:21:00.001-07:00

Phra That Renu Nakhon is located 52 kilometers south of Nakhon Phanom town on Highway No. 212. Upon reaching the kilometer 44 marker, turn right and proceed for another 7 kilometers. The pagoda, which is 35 meters high, was built in 1918 and is a scaled down replica of Phra That Phanom. Inside the pagoda are a Buddhist scripture and a gold Buddha image.

Renu Nakhon is home to many Phu Thai ethnic minorities who retain their culture, especially their dances and the custom of the Bai-Si-Su-Kwan ceremony. This indigenous group excels weaving cotton and their products that are highly sought after by tourists.

Temple in Nakhon Phanom, Wat in Nakhon Phanom

Information by : Tourism Authority of Thailand

Phra That Phanom

2007-08-30T00:20:00.001-07:00

Phra That Phanom is located 50 kilometers from Nakhon Phanom town on Highway No. 212. It is the most important Buddhist site in the province. A 53-meters tall square-shaped pagoda, it was believed to have been built before the 12th century. The pagoda, which is believed to have originally been of Khmer design, was renovated through the years to its present Laotian design.

The pagoda enshrines the holy relics of the Lord Buddha. On August 11, 1975 at 7 p.m., the entire pagoda collapsed after many days of rainstorm. The Thai public subsequently made considerable donations to rebuild the pagoda to its original splendor. People placed many valuables inside and placed a 110-kilogram solid gold spire on top of the pagoda.

Temple in Nakhon Phanom, Wat in Nakhon Phanom

Information by : Tourism Authority of Thailand

Phra That Nakhon

2007-08-30T00:18:00.003-07:00

Located in amphoe Mueang, the stupa is designated as a holy place, expecially for one born on Saturday. It is believed to grant the wish of being a respectful leader.

Temple in Nakhon Phanom, Wat in Nakhon Phanom

Information by : Tourism Authority of Thailand

Phra That Maha Chai

2007-08-30T00:18:00.001-07:00

Phra That Maha Chai is located at Wat Khosadaram, Tambon Maha Chai, some 40 kilometers from Nakhon Phanom town on the Nakhon Phanom-Sakon Nakhon (Highway No. 22). The monastery is easily accessible via a 2-kilometer road that leads directly to the temple. The chedi enshrines the holy relics of Lord Buddha. Inside the convocation hall is Thailand's largest wooden Buddha image. The hall also features exquisite murals depicting the life of Lord Buddha that are regarded as one of the finest and rarest murals of the Northeast.

Temple in Nakhon Phanom, Wat in Nakhon Phanom

Information by : Tourism Authority of Thailand

Wat Tha Khaek

2007-08-30T00:15:00.001-07:00

This ancient temple on the bank of the Mekong River, 2 kilometers from Chiang Khan District Office, has 3 sandstone Buddha images that are over 300 hundred years old enshrined in the chapel.

Temple in Loei, Wat in Loei

Information by : Tourism Authority of Thailand

Wat Si Khun Mueang

2007-08-30T00:14:00.003-07:00

This unique temple on Chai Khong Road north of Chiang Khan market has a chapel similar to that found in northern Thai temples with a mural of a Buddhist tale covering the entire front part.

Temple in Loei, Wat in Loei

Information by : Tourism Authority of Thailand

Wat Pho Chai Na Phung

2007-08-30T00:14:00.001-07:00

Wat Pho Chai is an old temple, which was established even before the village was founded. Most historians believe it could be dated to the 22nd – 23rd Buddhist centuries. Within the compound of the temple is a Buddhist scripture library built on tall poles and an elaborate main hall or chapel over 400 years old that is a fine example of Loei’s local buildings.

The murals on both the inner and outer walls depicting Lord Buddha’s life and featuring the beliefs of the people of Ban Na Phung in the late Ayutthaya period and the Ratanakosin period respectively. Enshrined within the temple is the bronze Ong Saen Buddha or Fon Saen Ha image. It is believed that wherever this image is placed, that area will not be dry. To get there, take the Loei-Dan Sai Road for 82 kilometers, turn right and proceed on the Dan Sai – Na Haeo Road for another 23 kilometers.

Temple in Loei, Wat in Loei

Information by : Tourism Authority of Thailand

Wat Neramit Wipattasana

2007-08-30T00:12:00.001-07:00

The temple is located on a hillside near Phra That Si Song Rak. Both the ordination hall and pagoda, which are constructed of laterite, were designed from the imagination of both monks and novices. On touring the interior visitors will notice a resemblance to the great temples of Bangkok. Other than a replica of Phra Phutthachinnarat (of Phitsanulok Province) that is enshrined here, there is a wax figure of the late Luang Pho Phra Maha Phan Sila Wisuttho, the founder of the temple.

Temple in Loei, Wat in Loei

Information by : Tourism Authority of Thailand

Wat Huay Hao Inscription

2007-08-30T00:10:00.001-07:00

A 22-line slate inscription written in Thai Noi characters that records the royal command of King Photiworawasa Rajathiraj to renovate the temple and craft the inscription. The inscription is now kept at Loei Cultural Center, Rajabhat Institute.

Temple in Loei, Wat in Loei

Information by : Tourism Authority of Thailand

Phra That Si Song Rak

2007-08-30T00:08:00.001-07:00

Located on the bank of the Man River, 83 kilometers from Amphoe Mueang, this large Lao-style pagoda similar to that of Phra That Phanom houses relics of the Lord Buddha. Phra That Si Song Rak is a plaster-covered brick pagoda with a square base of 11 meters on each side. The pagoda itself is 32 meters high. Built in the Ayutthaya period in 1560 as a symbol of camaraderie between Ayutthaya and Si Sattana Khanahut (Vientiane), the place it is worth a visit, especially during the Phi Ta Khon celebration held there every May or June.

Tips for visitors: As the pagoda is built for friendship and peace, red attire and red flowers are prohibited as the color denotes violence.

To get there, take Highway No. 203, turn right at the kilometer 66 marker on to Highway No. 2013 and proceed for another 17 kilometers.

Temple in Loei, Wat in Loei

Information by : Tourism Authority of Thailand

Wat Trai Mit

2007-08-30T00:05:00.001-07:00

Have you ever seen five and a half tons of gold? Wat Trai Mit, near the Bangkok Railway Station at Hua Lamphong, is home to the famous Golden Buddha which is 3 metres high.

The Golden Buddha is believed to be 700 to 800 years old as it is in the Mara attitude, typical of the Sukhothai era. It was installed at Wat Phrayakrai in the Yannawa area of Bangkok during the reign of King Rama III where it stayed until 1931.

The temple had fallen out of use and was abandoned so the Ecclesiastical Commission had it relocated at Wat Trai Mit. At this time, no one seemed to know that it was made of pure gold.

Then in 1955, Reverend Phra Visutha-thibordee, the presiding abbot at the temple had supervised the construction of the temple building to house the Buddha. When it was being moved into its new position, the covering plaster was damaged revealing what was inside - Buddha image cast in 18 carat gold.

It is believed that the original Golden Buddha was disguised under the plaster covering to hide it from enemies during the Ayutthaya period. Photographs of different stages of the plaster removal are displayed in the Wihan.

How to get there: Metro to Hua Lamphong Station.

Bus routes 4, 7, 21, 25, 501, 511, 513

Open: Daily from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Admission: 20 baht

Tel: 0 2225 9775

Temple in Bangkok, Wat in Bangkok

Wat Thepthidaram

2007-08-30T00:04:00.001-07:00

Located on Mahachai Road, the temple was built in the reign of King Rama III with a mixture of Chinese architectural styles. Sunthon Phu, one of Thailand's greatest poets, had resided in this temple during his monkshood from 1840 - 1842.

Open : Daily from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Admission : Free

Tel : 0 2222 5067

Temple in Bangkok, Wat in Bangkok

Wat Suthat and the Giant Swing

2007-08-30T00:03:00.003-07:00

A visit to Wat Suthat Thep Wararam, situated almost in the center of old Bangkok, gives you an opportunity to see both the Giant Swing and one of the first-class Royal temples. The surrounding area is also worth exploring as there are many shops selling religious items.

The building of the temple was commissioned by King Rama I, the founder of Bangkok, in 1807. Its location in the center of Rattanakosin Island. This was in keeping with the Buddhist belief that it is like Mount Phra Sumeru being the center of the universe. Phra Sri Sakayamunee, the principal Buddha image, was moved from Wat Mahathat in Sukhothai to be placed in Phra Wihan Luang in Wat Suthat in 1808.

Wat Suthat is surrounded by an impressive wall 1.94 metres high and 0.85 metres thick. There are a total of 15 doorways leading into the temple compound. Within the temple grounds the most important building is the Phra Wihan Luang which is the Royal Temple. The mural paintings, covering all the interior walls are some of the finest to be seen anywhere. Each has stone inscriptions describing the pictures.

Surrounding the Royal Temple is Phra Wihan Khot terrace which is really impressive with 156 Buddha statues, mostly in the seated meditative attitude called Smathi.

The chapel, Phra Ubosot at Wat Suthat is possibly the most beautiful in Thailand and is also the largest measuring 72.25 metres in length and 22.60 metres in width.

There are four pavilions (sala) within the compound that are elevated to the height of the temples walls. These are used for various royal functions and for viewing the previous functions at the Giant Swing in front of the temple.

The annual ceremony was held up until the 1930s but was discontinued to the high fatality rate as young men tried to swing high enough to grab a sack of gold on a pole about 25 metres in the air.

How to get there: Bus routes 12, 15, 42, 73, 96, 508

Open daily: 8.30 am. to 9.00 pm.

Admission fee : Baht 20

Contact: Tel : 02 224 9845

Website : http://www.watsuthat.org

Information by : Tourism Authority of Thailand

Temple in Bangkok, Wat in Bangkok

Wat Ratchapradit Sathitmahasimaram

2007-08-30T00:03:00.001-07:00

Situated to the north of Saran Rom Park, the temple is relatively small and covers a total area of approximately 2 rai. It was built in the reign of King Rama IV who intended it to be a temple in the Dhammayutika Sect as well as to be one of the 3 major temples as required by an old tradition to be situated within the capital. The place was originally a royal coffee plantation in the reign of King Rama III.

With his personal donation, King Rama IV bought the plantation and had a small temple constructed there, naming it Wat Ratchapradit Sathitthammayutikaram. Later, he had the name changed to Wat Ratchapradit Sathitmahasimaram. A place of interest in this temple is Phra Wihan Luang - the royal image hall - which houses mural paintings depicting The Royal Ceremonies over 12 Months and legend of the solar eclipse phenomenon.

Open : Daily from 8 a.m.- 6 p.m.

Admission : Free

Tel : 0 2222 0855

Temple in Bangkok, Wat in Bangkok

Wat Ratchanatdaram

2007-08-30T00:02:00.001-07:00

Located on Mahachai Road, the temple was built in the reign of King Rama III in 1846. Loha Prasat, the temples main attraction, standing 36 metres high with 37 surrounding spires, is the only one of its kind left in the world. Next to the temple is the area for welcoming an important foreign guest and a memorial statue of King Rama III.

Open : Daily from 8 a.m.- 5 p.m.

Admission : Free

Tel : 0 2224 8807, 0 2225 5749

Temple in Bangkok, Wat in Bangkok

Wat Ratchaburana

2007-08-30T00:01:00.001-07:00

This temple is located at the foot of the Rama I Memorial Bridge on the Bangkok side. Built in the late Ayutthaya period by a Chinese merchant, it is otherwise known as Wat Liap and is one of the 3 principal temples of the capital which include Wat Ratchaburana, Wat Ratchapradit and Wat Mahathat. It had been regularly restored since the reign of King Rama I through to the reign of King Rama VII, except in the sixth reign.

Some of the temples principal buildings, especially Phra Ubosot the ordination hall which houses mural paintings by Khrua In Khong, were badly damaged by bombing during World War II. The buildings were later restored to their good condition as they appear today.

Open : Daily from 6 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Admission : Free

Tel : 0 2225 1595

Temple in Bangkok, Wat in Bangkok

Wat Ratchabophit

2007-08-30T00:00:00.001-07:00

The temple is located on Fuang Nakhon Road near Wat Pho. Built by King Rama V in 1869, it was in keeping with tradition that each monarch constructed a temple to mark his reign. The temple is a mixture of local and western styles, showing an awakening interest in new ideas and a desire to experiment with them. The exterior of the chapel is in the Thai style, but the interior is decorated in the European style.

Open : Daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Admission : Free

Tel : 0 2221 0904, 0 2222 3930

Temple in Bangkok, Wat in Bangkok

Wat Mahathat

2007-08-29T23:59:00.001-07:00

This old temple was built in the reign of King Rama I. Located on Na Phrathat Road near Thammasat University, the temple houses Mahachulalongkorn Buddhist University, one of the two highest seats of Buddhist learning in Thailand and also offers meditation classes for foreigners.

Open : Daily from 7 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Admission : Free

Tel : 0 2222 6011

Meditation Centre Tel : 0 2623 5613, 0 2623 6326

Temple in Bangkok, Wat in Bangkok

Wat Mahathat

2007-08-29T23:58:00.001-07:00

A little north of the Grand Palace compound, between the fine arts Silpakorn University and the University of law and sciences, Thammasat, lies the ancient temple of Wat Mahathat. Founded in the 18th century, the temple pre-dates the founding of Bangkok, but was considerably altered after one of its monks, the young Prince Mongkut, later became King Rama IV of Thailand.

The temple is the center of the Mahanikai school of Buddhism, and as such is a center of monastic learning for members of the sect from throughout Southeast Asia. Although the temple is rather large, its grounds are crammed full of schools, offices and other buildings, as well as a large kuti section. The temple is one of several in Bangkok offering classes in meditation.

The entrances facing Sanam Luang appear to be closed most of the time, so you will generally need to enter the temple grounds from Mahathat Road. After picking your way through the buildings and parked cars, you will come to the entrance to the inner courtyard. The entrance may appear to be closed, but if the door is ajar you can generally walk right in. They seem to keep the door closed to shut out the noise of the outside world.

Inside, the courtyard is jammed full with a large ubosot and an equally large wiharn, plus an only slightly smaller mondop. Somewhat suprisingly for such a crowded area, there is also room for a suprisingly beautiful garden of tall palm trees towards the back of the courtyard.

The courtyard itself is lined with large Buddha images in various states of repair. Numerous memorials to departed loved ones line their bases. The columns of the colonnade around the courtyard are slanted inwards, giving the hallway a curious perspective.

Outside of the main courtyard, to the south are the kuti, with some interesting drum towers and wiharns scattered in among them. The meditation center is roughly right in the center of this warren. To the north is a small, almost abandoned wiharn set in a small yard in front of a large bodhi tree.

Getting There

The easiest way to reach Wat Chana Songkram is by boat to the Chang Pier. Walk directly away from the pier into the courtyard, where the Grand Palace will be directly in front of you on the right. Turn left at the road and walk up Mahathat Road. There are usually many vendors on the street selling amulets and other lucky charms. The entrance to Wat Mahathat will be on your right about 100 yards up the street.

Information by : Thailand for Visitors.Com

Temple in Bangkok, Wat in Bangkok

Wat Intharawihan

2007-08-29T23:57:00.001-07:00

It is an awesome feeling to stand before this Buddha image that reaches to the sky at 32 metres tall.

During the reign of King Rama I he suppressed a rebellion in Laos and brought members of the Lao royal family to settle in this area. One of these was Chao Inthawong, who was a devout Buddhist, helped to restore the local temple which is now Wat Intharawihan.

In 1867, Somdej Phra Buddhachan started the construction of this giant Buddha called Luang Pho To, logs and structural steel were used as alternate abutments. After his death in 1872 construction continued until completion in 1927. This spanned the reigns of King Rama IV to King Rama VII.

Luang Pho To stands 32 metres tall and is 11 metres wide. As it faces east, it is best photographed in morning light.

On two occasions, in 1964 and 1967, Their Majesties The King, The Queen and their children covered this statue of Buddha at the Topknot and forehead with gold leaves.

The Topknot contains relics of The Lord Buddha which were donated by the Government of Sri Lanka and placed there in 1978 by H.R.H The Crown Prince Vachiralongkorn.

For Bangkoks Bi-Centennial Celebrations in 1982, the then Abbot, Phra Khru Woraphattikhun carried out restoration including decoration with 24 K golden mosaics from Italy.

Devotees believe that Luang Pho To can bless everyone with success, particularly if they present the head of a mackerel fish, a boiled egg and a lei of flowers.

How to get there: Bus routes 10, 49

Open daily : 8.30 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Admission : Free

Tel : 0 2628 5550-2

Temple in Bangkok, Wat in Bangkok