Description: Following a long restoration process, by the end of 2008 the sparkling white Wat Prayoon is with no doubt one of the most impressive temples in Bangkok, outside of the
Grand Palace.
Reaching Wat PrayoonThe temple can be reached by foot from the Thonburi side of the Memorial Bridge. If doing so, the temple would appear immediately after the bridge on the right side. Its chedis are a good reference point from the bridge and from the nearby Santa Cruz Church. It is open daily between 9 AM and 6 PM.
The Price of a Free MealAfter having walked for most of the day, I left the Santa Cruz Church with an empty camera’s battery. I wouldn’t be able to photograph any other site. However, I knew I’ll be nearby the Memorial Bridge (my next destination) again and wasn’t thus too worried about the event until I saw Wat Prayoon’s chedis gracefully surrounding the cross of the Santa Cruz Church as if they were one temple. I needed that picture.
There were neither coffee shops nor shopping malls in the area; recharging the battery in time seemed impossible. Looking around, I spotted an open shophouse, nothing was being sold there but it was open. Seizing the opportunity, I entered.
"Ha nati mei kap?" I asked the woman inside while pointing my battery at the nearest electricity outlet. She smiled, told me to wait and entered into the house.
Soon, the whole family came out. The father told me to plug in the battery and invited me to a meal. The place didn’t look as a restaurant, though I couldn’t guess what else they could be selling. In any case, I had already stated I was there just for five minutes (ha nati) and thus I had an excellent excuse if something went wrong. I sat next to the father, while the other family members began bringing dishes to the table. Soon it overflowed with them. It was a typical Thai meal – sticky rice at its center with many dips – though some of the sweet desserts were unknown to me. They did their best – in Thai – to explain the food. My atrocious mispronunciation of Thai tones kept everybody happy, including me, and soon I discovered that almost an hour had passed. I thanked them and while plugging the battery inside the camera I casually asked how much should I pay for everything. I would have agreed to almost any sum for such a homey experience.
"Nothing," said the father with a genuine smile.
Again, Thai kindness left me speechless.
The TempleThe impressive white chedi is the first glimpse of Wat Prayoon a visitor would see; its similarity to those in
Ayutthaya is striking. As such it is the biggest in Bangkok, but not the first. King Rama II attempted to build one but it collapsed; on its ruins the impressive
Golden Mount was later constructed. His successor, King Rama III managed to complete Wat Prayoon in the early 19th century; it is said the temple was conceived by the king as he watched wax dripping from candles. As of the end of 2008, the chedi displays its original splendour following extensive restoration works.
Next to appear are two turtle statues guarding the entrance. Beyond them, the temple includes a mound surrounded by a pool, spirit houses, various shrines and the chedis. The pool is filled with turtles of different species; fruits for them are sold at a nearby stall and visitors are encouraged to feed the turtles with them. The local belief is feeding them leads to special Buddhist merit.
Nearby AttractionsAlmost bordering with Wat Prayoon is the Santa Cruz Cathedral, which is also reviewed in this journal. A bit to the north is Wat Kalayanamit, home to the largest bronze bell in
Thailand. The nearby Memorial Bridge offers one of the best views over the Chao Phraya River and access to the area just south of
Chinatown.
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