"Thai" Will Always Love You (Part 4): Bangkok's Chinatown and Other Temples

- July 21, 2024, Monday.

- My Monday was a decompression day after so many things that happened to me in Bangkok since the day I arrived days prior. I had a loose agenda for the day, and it also gave me more time to do some work at the hostel.

- I started my day by visiting Wat Traimit (Hua Lamphong MRT station). Originally built in the 1800s, its current incarnation was built in the 1940s. It is a Chinese-Thai style Buddhist temple, and also regarded as a royal temple. 

Wat Traimit.

So lucky to have this nice photo since the temple was a bit crowded.

With the photo of King Vajiralongkorn (King Rama X).

Golden Buddha inside the temple. The buddha itself is historic and miraculous. It is said to have been created in the 13-14th centuries, and due to many wars and other historical events, the Buddha was placed inside a plaster casing to make it look less valuable. In 1955 when it was about to be placed inside Wat Traimit, the ropes transporting the Buddha broke, dropping the statue and chipping the plaster. It was only then they discovered the real golden Buddha inside. It is also said that this is the largest golden Buddha statue in the world. 

- Across Wait Traimit is the Chinatown arch. I just took photos of it before riding a tuktuk to Wat Mangkon (Wat Mangkon MRT). It is a Chinese temple built in the 1870s, Not only did I appreciate the temple's historical value, but I appreciated it more because it was airconditioned and had clean toilets! (It so happened that I really really had to go potty while I was at the temple.)

Just to let you know that this is Chinatown Bangkok: the Chinese gate with some tuktuks.

Close up of the arch/gate.

Honestly, this is my first officia ltuktuk ride in Thailand - and yes, only during my third visit. I avoided tuktuks like the plague because I didn't want to get ripped off. I think I still got ripped off but it wasn't that bad if ever.

Inside Wat Mangkon. I couldn't take a photo of the temple's facade as there were renovations going on.

Temple guardians. (They were HUGE.)

- I later visited Sampeng Market, which is a narrow street market spanning several blocks in Chinatown. Honestly, I should have known about this market earlier because this is the BEST PLACE TO SHOP in Bangkok. As it is a wholesale market, its prices are a lot cheaper even compared to neighboring Phahurat standards. (Sellers actually come to Sampeng Market to look for things to sell in their own stores.) I did get a few things, but had I known about this market, I would have bought all my necklaces and bracelets here HAHA. However, Thai costumes are still a bit hard to find here, and most of them are in Phahurat (which, again, it just within the area).

Sampeng Market.

- I spent the rest of the morning back at the hostel trying to do some work and fixing some of my things. That afternoon, I finally decided to visit Wat Saket (Golden Mount). In previous trips to Bangkok, I passed on Wat Saket in favor of other "more interesting" places in Bangkok. I think it had its revenge on me because now that I decided to visit it, the main tower was being renovated. (So, maybe, I'll just return next time, if I could.) Wat Saket was a lot more interesting than I thought. The artificial hill was built in the early 1800s during King Rama III's reign (King Nangklao), while the main temple that stands was built decades later by King Rama V (King Chulalongkorn). Today, the temple grounds not only has the temple on the hill, but also some museums. But because the main temple was under renovation, I didn't explore too much since I'd rather pay my entrance ticket when everything's nice and renovated. I had lunch at a food stall in the temple grounds and left not long after.

Giant peacock.

I lost all willpower to explore the area when I saw the renovations. I still looks nice, but it'd be nicer without the scaffolding.

It does look majestic! (I want to see its full glory!)

- Near the Golden Mount is the giant swing, built in the 1700s for a Brahmin ceremony. They halted these ceremonies since the giant swing had signs of use and many fatal accidents happened as well.

Giant Swing with tuktuk.

Giant Swing without tuktuk.

- I later passed by the Dev Mandir Hindu Temple, close to the Giant Swing. The Dev Mandir is one of the oldest Hindu temples in Bangkok (though not the oldest,) as it was inaugurated in 1969. Its roots go decades prior, spearheaded by Pandit Raghunath Sharma, a Sanskrit specialist. The trip to the temple was a nice surprise because it wasn't part of my plan, but I was happy to see at least one contemporary Hindu temple in Bangkok. I was also happy to know that the temple is also supporting a school called "Bharat Vidhalaya", a basic education school located within the temple grounds.

Dev Mandir.

It reminds me of the many Sindhi-Hindu temples I visited, including the one here in Manila. 

Even the way the deities are placed and dressed appear similar.

The Hindu organization governing the temple and school.

- That evening I once again headed to Platinum to eat some nice seafood. I strolled for a bit before toiling the night away back at the hostel. It was a nice "relaxed" day despite balancing my time between sightseeing and touring, as with most days.

I loved the seasnails (middle), and the Thai coconut juice that I had almost daily because I love coconuts so much.

- My trip to Bangkok isn't over yet because I had more to see and do for my last full day in the city! There's just so many nice things to see and to in this city!

- Check out my other adventures for this Thailand trip!

Part 1 (Phahurat and Mahidol University): here

Part 2 (Nakhon Pathom): here

Part 3 (Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Wat Arun, Kudeejeen): here

Part 5 (Ancient City, Erawan Museum, Terminal 21): here

"Thai" Will Always Love You (Part 1): Phahurat (Little India) and "Indian Diaspora in Asia" Conference at Mahidol University

- July 17-19, 2024, Wednesday to Saturday.

- I really really missed Thailand and I'm glad I had the chance to go back after 8 years! My third time in Thailand was a work trip; I had to present a paper at a conference held at Mahidol University on the Indian diaspora in Asia.

- After arriving in Bangkok on the 17th, I immediately checked in the hotel provided by the conference in Nakhon Pathom (the province right beside Bangkok), and immediately set out to inhale some Bangkok air! My first agenda was to visit Bangkok's "Little India", a neighborhood called Phahurat/Pahurat. It is closest to Sam Yot MRT station, though these days, getting a Grab in Bangkok is not only cheap, but comfortable too (compared to the Philippines, the same price can go twice as far in Bangkok more or less; traffic is far better there too!). 

- I passed by some notable establishments in the area, including Old Siam Plaza mall and its Siamese-European architecture, and Nightingale-Olympic department store. I wandered the streets of Phahurat, and realized that this is one of the places to buy Thai traditional costumes and accessories.

Old Siam Plaza, opened in 1993. The site used to be an old market.

The ground level was made to replicate a market.

Not the biggest fan of mango sticky rice, but I guess it is a must in Thailand.

Nightingal-Olympic, the oldest department store in Thailand. It opened officially in the 1960s, but its earlier incarnation opened in the 1930s. 

- I later ventured to the Sri Guru Sabha Gurudwara, opened in 1981, though its roots go as far back as the 1910s when the first Indian Sikhs went to live in Bangkok. 

Gurudwara facade.

Main prayer hall.

Facade from across the street.

- I also peeked inside India Emporium beside the gurudwara, a mall that sells Indian clothes, accessories, and fabric. It is a modest-looking mall with great finds!

Inside India Emporium.

Mall facade.

- From the gurudwara, I walked a few blocks to Yaowarat, at least the part closest to Phahurat, and looked around Wat Chakkrawat Rachawat Woramahawihan (Wat Chakkrawat for short). It was built probably in the 1700s, and is not only known for its golden Buddha in the ordination hall, but also its crocodile pond based on a legend concerning a wild man-eating crocodile that was caught and taken care of in the temple.

One of the smaller halls.

At the ordination hall, overlooking the other halls.

Outside the ordination hall.

At the courtyard.

Real crocodiles at the pond.

The ornate ordination hall (I actually had to take a photo of this on another day since the hall was already closed when I first visited the temple.)

Such detail!

Golden Buddha.

- I was so tired from all the walking in Bangkok's humid heat that I had to return to the hotel afterwards to cool off and work on my research. (Honestly, this was one hectic trip!) At least I was able to maximize whatever time and energy I had on my first day!

- The next days were devoted to the Indian Diaspora in Asia conference in Mahidol University. I appreciated Mahidol's campus: it's really big but cozy, or maybe that's just the building where we had the conference. I presented a paper on how Indians in the Philippines use malls for their cultural events - and what malls mean to the Philippine society.

Conference ready, with my new Indian vest from Phahurat!

At the Prince Mahidol Hall, one of the newest buildings in Mahidol University, built in 2014. It was patterned after the United Nations building in Bangkok.

This was one of the snacks prepared in the conference. I initially thought it was something like tanghulu, but the outer coating is like jelly with the sweet mung beans inside.

Mahidol University is home to some....wildlife. This is one of the few monitor lizards I saw on campus. I don't know why it's carrying a stick.

Dressed nicely for the day, and at the same spot. It was the day I was presenting. Coincidentally, it was also my mom's birthday. I wore the colors of the flag of India because of the conference, but the shawl and my necklace are Thai, honoring the location of the conference. (Yes I really thought that out.)

Conference ready once more.

My conference presentation.  think I did a good job.

- I had an eventful first few days in Thailand, and I couldn't believe how time flew so fast because of my hectic schedule (+ other work after going back to the hotel). However, this was just the start of many things to experience in Bangkok! 

- Check out my other adventures for this Thailand trip!

Part 2 (Nakhon Pathom): here

Part 3 (Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Wat Arun, Kudeejeen): here

Part 4 (Chinatown, Wat Saket, Giant Swing): here

Part 5 (Ancient City, Erawan Museum, Terminal 21): here