Photo Gallery
Wat Suthat (built 1782 onward)
Wat Suthat is one of the oldest temples in Bangkok, established in the early years of the Chakri dynasty under King Rama I, but not completed till the rule of Rama III. The doors are said to have been carved by the king himself. The 'bot' and 'viharn' are among the tallest in the country. In the courtyard surrounding the viharn are many Chinese stone statues that originally came to Thailand as ballast on Chinese trading ships. When the merchants began to run out of space, they donated many of these statues to temples around Bangkok. Wat Suthat has an exceptional collection of them.
In front of the temple is Sao Ching Chaa, a giant swing formerly used in a festival honoring the Indian god Phra Isuan. The ceremony was presided over by Brahmin priests and part of the festival included teams of men swinging in an attempt to grab a bag of gold suspended from a long pole. The ceremony was suspended in the 1940’s in response to the deaths and injuries common at the festival.
Bibliography:
Images copyright 2000 Professor Yunsheng Huang of the University of Virginia, and copyright 2003 Professor Kerk L. Phillips of Brigham Young University, Utah
Aasen, Clarence. Architecture of Siam: A Cultural History and Interpretation
Oxford University Press, 1998. Oxford
Cummings, Joe. Thailand
Lonely Planet Publications, 1990. Singapore
Lassus, Pongkwan (Sukwattana). Architectural Heritage in Thailand
Amarin Printing and Publishing, 2004. Bangkok
Matics, K. I. Introduction to the Thai Temple
White Lotus Co., 1992. Bangkok
Ringis, Rita. Thai Temples and Temple Murals
Oxford University Press, 1990. Kuala Lumpur
Sthapitanonda, Nithi & Mertens, Brian. Architecture of Thailand: A Guide to Traditional and Contemporary Forms
Suksri, Naengnoi. Palaces of Bangkok: Royal Residences of the Chakri Dynasty
Thames and Hudson Ltd., 1996. London
Visit Kerk Phillips' website at www.pomosa.com
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hello ,i have some anticque utensils (set of forks knifs and spoon) that have a buda crafted in each one and i would like to know more about them please get back to me so i can send you some pictures ,on of them have thai writing with some number .thanls