Bangkok Temple Hopping- Thai Art and Buddhism

Temple hopping must be at the top of your list of things to do in Bangkok. Buddhism is the major religion in Thailand, with almost 97% of the population. If Catholics have their churches, Buddhists go to temples and monasteries to worship Buddha. The Kings ordered the construction of elegantly decorated temples and stupas, commonly covered in gold, to show their devotion to Buddha. In addition, statues and images of Buddha are unique in each temple. Some are as tall as a building, others made from gold or jade. I was fortunate enough to visit four temples in Bangkok, namely Wat Arun- the Temple of Dawn; Wat Pho- the Temple of Reclining Buddha; Wat Phra Kaew- the Temple of the Emerald Buddha; and Wat Paknam Phasi Charoen. The temples you will see in Bangkok are modern and sophisticated compared to temples built from bricks during the mid-18th century. If you go to other provinces like Ayutthaya, the temples are ancient and made from laterite rocks.

Wat Arun - Wat Arun Ratchawararam

Wat Arun, known as the Temple of Dawn, is one of the landmarks in Bangkok. As its name suggests, the best time to visit is at sunset. The temple is open from 8 am to 6 pm. At night, you would see the whole temple lit up with lights. Unfortunately, I did not know it back then and went there in the early afternoon. I went with my international university mates and Filipino friends, and we wore elephant pants. We rode the sky train, MRT, and a boat to reach the temple. The boat ride cost 4 baht, so cheap because it only crossed to the other side of the Chao Phraya River for one minute. When we arrived, we showed our university ID to the staff then we had free admission.

Upon entering the place, we first saw the guardian demons at the entrance gate. These gigantic statues are built in front of temples to protect the area from unwanted spirits. As we went inside, we saw a hallway full of sitting Buddha images, and at the center was the ordination hall. We took off our shoes and entered the hall. Inside, the shrine’s interior, from walls to ceiling, was painted depicting stories from Buddhism. At the front and center was the three golden Buddha image. As I enter, I must sit on my legs and make sure that my head is below the monk’s head to show respect. I did not want to do any disrespectful actions, so I only sat there for a while.

Going further inside, I saw the grand architecture of the Prang and pagodas. At the center was the principal Prang, the tallest structure in the temple decorated with colorful mosaic tiles, and the design was flowers. Also, you can see little Yaks at the baseline of the stupa lifting the Prang. It was fulfilling to discover and explore Thai culture. I was excited at that time because It was a different experience from my religion.

Wat Pho - Wat Phra Chetuphon Wimon Mangkhalaram Rajwaramahawihan

Wat Pho, the Temple of the Reclining Buddha. It is known for its 46m long and 15m high Buddha image. I went to the Temple with my classmates from my Thai Studies class. The trip was part of our course requirements. My groupmate drove us to the temple, and we went there early in the morning. Just like Wat Arun, admission is also free for students.

Our group’s task is to observe Thai art (architecture, painting, and sculpture) at the temple. I have 11 Thai group mates who were already familiar with the place, and they guided me inside. First, they showed me the Phra Maha Chedi Rajakarn. It is a group of four 42-meter pagodas dedicated to King Rama I, II, III, and IV. The pagodas are spectacular, and the details of the design are intricate. The evident design was a colorful flower mosaic made from tiles. The architecture still shows the influence of Thai architecture during the Sukothai period, where the stupa was bell-shaped, and the base was square-shaped.

Next, we visit the Nuad Thai Museum inside the temple. I learned about the monastery’s history as the birthplace of traditional Thai massage. I saw murals and sculptures of the human anatomy showing the pressure point in our bodies. I also learned that Wat Pho was the first open university in Thailand. The inscriptions on the monastery’s walls cover a variety of fields of knowledge. It was also a place where they wrote a collection of traditional medicinal texts. Nuad Thai, the traditional massage, was offered inside the monastery. Tourists and even locals go to the monastery just to experience the massage. It was fascinating to see how important art is in preserving knowledge and science for the next generation. The ancient-old wall inscription in the palace served as the bridge for the old generation to bequeath the practice and wisdom of Thai massage, medicine, herbs, etc.

Finally, I went to the temple of the colossal gold-plated Buddha. In the class, Ajarn Somlak Chareonpot taught us that during the Sukothai period, sculptures started to be bigger. It boggles my mind how they constructed the hall around the reclining Buddha. I learned that the statue represents the moment before Buddha passed into the afterlife or Nirvana, and the reclining position shows that Buddha was calm and contented. Moreover, I saw the Buddha’s head accessorized with a crown that touches the temple’s painted ceiling. The other statues I saw were the giant Chinese noble warriors guarding the gates.

Wat Phra Kaew - Wat Phra Si Rattana Satsadaram

As part of the Bangkok tour organized by the Kasetsart University International College (KUIC), we went to Wat Phra Kaew, the Temple of Emerald Buddha, and the Grand Palace.

Wat Paknam - Wat Paknam Bhasicharoen

Wat Paknamn has the Biggest Buddha statue in Bangkok, towering 69 meters as tall as a 20-story building. I went to the temple alone. I rode the train to Bang Phai MRT station and walked for 10 minutes. Even though I was still on the train, I already saw the gold sitting Buddha image as it stood out from all the gray buildings. Up close was the best. Behind the massive Buddha structure, was a grand pagoda having a museum and a shining neon shrine. I had only been there for about an hour, and I already went back to my dormitory.