Half Day at Sao Ching Cha Plaza

One of the most popular monuments in Bangkok is Sao Ching Cha (The Giant Swing). The Giant Swing was first built in 1784, two years after the foundation of Rattanakosin City. Through the years, its deteriorating condition led to many attempts at restoration and replacement of the wooden pillars. In 2547 B.E. (2004 A.D.), the pillars were found to be seriously eroded to the point of being beyond repair.
This in turn, prompted the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to orchestrated the reconstruction of the Giant Swing with the consent of the Department of Fine Arts, Ministry of Culture, and the cooperation of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in finding appropriate golden teak wood pillars from Den Chai District, Phrae Province, as replacement.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration finished the reconstruction and held the sacrifice ceremony for the new Giant Swing on Sunday 24 December 2549 (2006 A.D.)
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Across the street along Thanon Dinso (Dinso Road), we went to Devasathan Temple (Brahman Temple). Brahmanism was spread in the Indochinese Peninsula before Buddhism came to Thailand and before the foundation of Sukhothai. Both religions are combined in the Thai way of life and its customs and ceremonies.
King Rama I ordered the Devasathan to be built at the same time as Sao Ching Cha (the Giant Swing) in 1784, according to the ancient custom of building Devalaya in the centre of the city, as in Phimai, Angkor Wat and Angkhor Tom.

The temple comprises of 3 Thai-styled brick and mortar buildings.On the left – hand side is The Shrine of Shiva (Main Chapel) : houses bronze images of Shiva in the Blessing posture, and many other images of the Hindu Devas.
The middle chapel is Shrine to Ganesha : houses five seated images of Ganesha made of granite and sandstone, and two of reenstones and bronze
The right – hand side you will see The Shrine to Vishnu (Outer Chapel) houses images of Vishnu in bronze, and of his consort Laksmi and Savari in plaster. In front of the Devasathan is a small Devalaya, and in the lotus pond there is an image of Brahma

In front of the 3 shrines, there is an image of Brahma enshrined under a small pavilion. Dhevasathan is the evidence of Brahminism which was spread into Thailand and mingled in the thaiway of lift and its customs and ceremonies from the past until now.
Today the chapel was closed, we can not take any pictures of the Shrines. Mostly people are not allowed to get inside.
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We walk pass the Giant Swing again and across the Bamrung Mueang Road to Wat Suthat Thepwararam. This temple, constructed between 1824 and 1851, is Thailand’s largest and earliest cast bronze Buddha image inside the temple, with the largest and most attractive functional chapel and ordination hall, marvelous mural paintings of masterpiece beauty, including various other sacred objects and elegant buildings.

The admission fee for the tourist is only 20 Baht and you can stay in there for a whole day. This temple is open daily from 08:30 A.M. – 08:30 P.M.

Bangkok : Wat Phrakaew

Wat Phrakaew (with the Emerald Buddha) and the Royal Grand Palace, are easily the most visited tourist sites in Bangkok. The complex was built during the Rattanakosin area (Bangkok), but incorporates various older architectural styles. Visitors are guided first to the Wat Phrakaew compound, and when exiting this compound enter the Royal Palace compound. Ideally one would need from 4-6 hours (with some drink stops) to cover the most important parts at leisure.

Wat Arun or the 'temple of dawn' is located on the Thonburi site of the Chao Phraya river. It was once home to the Emerald Buddha. The major prang was built in the beginning of the 19th century, in what can be called Khmer-Thai style.Wat Traimit, Temple of the Golden Buddha, houses a 5 and a half ton Buddha image, which was only discovered some 50 years ago, having been plastered to avoid detection.