Wat Thai or Thailand’s temples have a subtle and enticing blend of the exotic and the spiritual. The term “Wat” is loosely translated as monastery or temple. They usually have an enclosing wall that divides it from the secular world. And of course, they are the places of prayer and meditation while they are also some of the most beautiful places for a visit.
The architecture of a Wat has seen many differences in lay-out and style. Nevertheless, they all adhere to the same principals. From the architectural design of their buildings, to the murals, religious symbols and images they house, temples are a visually dazzling array of colors and textures coupled with exotic smells and mystical imagery.
The temple plays an important role in shaping Thai society and values. In Thailand’s history, the Thailand’s temples had played an integral part in advising and managing for the fighting of war and invasion, being advisory, school for education, and somewhat, the court to judge for the disagreement among the families, family members or villages. Nowadays, however, as Thailand is a Buddhist country, temples remain an integral part of everyday life to the Thais. For example, the religious ceremony of the traditional festivals, private ceremony such as birthday, funeral ceremony, is carried within the temples. In terms of the act for education, the temple plays the integral role in providing moral education to the young and adults. Short courses of meditation are offered widely at the temples, mostly during school long holiday. However, when attending courses or visiting a temple, it is advised to regard what to avoid. They are the followings: Disrespect towards Buddha images, temples or monks is an offence. Shorts or sleeveless shirts are considered improper dress for both men and women. Ladies must not on any account touch a Buddhist monk, give things direct to him or receive things direct from him. And take off your shoes before entering the main temple.
For the visitors, Wat Thai with the unique architecture is the ‘must see’ before leaving Thailand. Since there is a great number of temples in the country, listed below are some large and important temples in Bangkok to visit for a limited time of staying.
Wat Phra Kaew, or Temple of the Emerald Buddha, is Thailand's primary and most important temple. It is located in the Grand Palace.
The Reclining Buddha or Wat Pho or Wat Phra Chetuphon, the famous colossal reclining Buddha statue decorated with mother-of-pearl inlay at its soles. It is also recognized as the first Open University in Thailand and nowadays it is perhaps best known for its Thai traditional massage school.
Temple of Dawn or Wat Arun, the most prominent feature on the west bank of the Chao Phraya river, with striking pagodas decorated with millions of pieces of Chinese porcelain.
The Golden Mount or Wat Saket, the Golden Mount is an artificial hill (77 metres in height) with a large golden pagoda on top. Climbing up the spiral staircases, it offers a panoramic view of Bangkok including the Grand Palace, and the scenery of three temples above.
Wat Ratchanatdaram, it is famous for its Loha Prasat (Metal Castle) standing to the west of the main temple. This is the only one of its kind left in the world, the UNESCO World Heritage.
