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BK02+01 |
( CITY & TEMPLES + GRAND PALACE & EMERALD BUDDHA TEMPLE )
( DAILY : 8 A.M. & 1 P.M. )
( TOURING TIME : : APPROXIMATELY 4.5 - 5 HOURS ) |
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TOUR ITINERARY :
- DEPART HOTEL BY PRIVATE AIR - CONDITIONED VAN WITH LICENSED ENGLISH - SPEAKING GUIDE TO
CHINA TOWN
- ARRIVE AT CHINA TOWN TO VISIT TEMPLE OF THE GOLDEN BUDDHA ( WAT TRIMITR )
- CONTINUE BY VAN TO THE OLD BANGKOK
- ARRIVE AT OLD BANGKOK TO VISIT TEMPLE OF THE RECLINING BUDDHA ( WAT PHO )
- CONTINUE BY VAN TO THE GRAND PALACE AND EMERALD TEMPLE
- VISTI THE GRAND PALACE AND EMERALD BUDDHA TMEPLE
- CONTINUE BY VAN TO VISIT THE MARBLE TEMPLE ( WAT BENJAMABOPIT )
- RETURN BY VAN TO THE HOTEL
( REMARK : MOVIE CAMERA ( 8 MM ONLY ) AND STILL CAMERAS ARE ALLOWED IN THE GRAND PALACE
GROUNDS AND IN THE COMPOUND OF THE EMERALD BUDDHA TEMPLE. HOWEVER, CAMERAS
CANNOT BE USED INSIDE BUILDINGS )
( SHORTS & SLIPPERS ARE NOT ALLOWED )
TOUR PRICES :
1 PAX - 4,530 BAHT
2 PAX - 2,550 BAHT EACH
3 - 4 PAX - 2,260 BAHT EACH
5 - 6 PAX - 1,980 BAHT EACH
TRANSPORT :
* WIDE-BODY TOYOTA VAN (3000) ( 9 - SEATED )
* MERCEDES BENZ VAN (MB140) ( 9 - SEATED )
PRICE INCLUDES :
- PRIVATE VAN WITH LICENSED ENGLISH - SPEAKING GUIDE
- ALL ADMISSION FEES
- 1 MILLION BAHT INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR EACH GUEST DURING THE TOUR
( WAT TRIMITR )
THE GOLDEN BUDDHA, OFFICIALLY TITLED PHRA PHUTTHA MAHA SUWAN PATIMAKON IS THE WORLD'S
LARGEST SOLID GOLD STATUE. IT IS LOCATED IN THE TEMPLE OF WAT TRAIMIT, BANGKOK (DISTRICT OF
SAMPHANTHAWONG, IN CHINATOWN), THAILAND.
IN THE EARLY 1930S, RECONSTRUCTION WORKS IN THE BANKS OF THE CHAO PHRAYA RIVER NEAR
CHINATOWN REQUIRED THE DESTRUCTION OF AN OLD ABANDONED TEMPLE THAT HOUSED A STUCCO-
PAINTED GOLD STATUE OF BUDDHA. DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE STATUE WAS NOT SO ATTRACTIVE,
ITS DESTRUCTION WAS NOT AN OPTION. THUS IT WAS DECIDED TO MOVE IT TO WAT TRAIMIT, A
PAGODA OF MINOR RELEVANCE (LIKE HUNDREDS OF OTHER BUDDHIST TEMPLES THAT EXIST IN
BANGKOK), KEEPING THE STATUE IN CHINATOWN. THE TEMPLE DIDN'T HAVE A BUILDING BIG ENOUGH
TO HOUSE THE STATUE, SO IT WAS KEPT FOR 20 YEARS UNDER A SIMPLE TIN ROOF.
IN 1955 A NEW BUILDING WAS BUILT AND THE MONKS DECIDED TO INSTALL THE STATUE INSIDE IT. A
CRANE WAS SUPPOSED TO MOVE THE STATUE CAREFULLY, BUT A CABLE BROKE AND THE STATUE FELL
IN THE MUD, AN EVENT THAT WAS SEEN AS A BAD OMEN BY THE WORKERS, WHO RAN AWAY FROM THE
PLACE, LEAVING THE STATUE ON THE SOIL. IT WAS THE RAINY SEASON AND, AS FOR CONFIRMING THE
BAD OMEN, A TERRIBLE STORM CAME AND IT LASTED THE WHOLE NIGHT, FLOODING THE WHOLE CITY.
AT THE DAWN OF THE NEXT DAY, THE ABBOT OF THE TEMPLE CAME TO EVALUATE THE DAMAGE AND
STARTED REMOVING THE MUD. HE OBSERVED THAT THE WET PLASTER WAS CRACKED AND UNDER IT
WAS A STATUE MADE OF SOLID GOLD.
IT IS THOUGHT THAT THE STATUE CAME FROM AYUTTHAYA AND IT WAS DISGUISED UNDER PLASTER TO
HIDE IT FROM THE BURMESE, WHO WERE BESIEGING THE CITY. AFTER BEING MOVED TO BANGKOK, ITS
TRUE COMPOSITION WAS FORGOTTEN FOR ALMOST 200 YEARS.
THE STATUE IS 3 METRES (9.8 FT) TALL AND WEIGHTS 5.5 TONNES (5.4 LONG TONS; 6.1 SHORT TONS).
IT IS MADE IN THE SUKHOTHAI DYNASTY STYLE, AND IS THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN MADE DURING THE
SUKHOTHAIPERIOD IN THE 13TH CENTURY, THOUGH IT COULD HAVE BEEN MADE AFTER THAT TIME. THE
STATUE WAS HOUSED IN A WAT IN AYUTTHAYA UNTIL MID 19TH CENTURY, AND ITS PROVENANCE FROM
AYUTTHAYA EXCLUDES THE POSSIBILITY OF IT HAVING BEEN MADE AFTER ABOUT 1750.
THE BUDDHA IS REPRESENTED IN THE TRADITIONAL POSE OF BHUMISPARSHAMUDRA (TOUCHING THE
EARTH WITH THE RIGHT HAND TO WITNESS SHAKYAMUNI BUDDHA'S ENLIGHTENMENT AT BODH GAYA).
THE ORIGINAL STATUES OF SUKHOTHAI SIT ON A COMMON PEDESTAL FORM. THE FLAME
THAT CROWNS THE USHNISHA IS AN INNOVATION OF SUKHOTHAI THAT SYMBOLISES THE SPLENDOUR
OF SPIRITUAL ENERGY. THE LINE OF THE HAIRDRESSING FORMS A "V" SHAPE IN THE ROOT OF
THE HAIRS,UNDERLINED BY THE ELEGANT CURVE OF THE EYEBROWS THAT JOIN ABOVE THE AQUILINE
NOSE, ALL ACCORDING TO THE PRESCRIBED RULES. THE THREE WRINKLES IN THE NECK AND
THE MUCH ELONGATED EAR LOBES, SIGNS OF HIS FORMER STATUS OF PRINCE, ALSO FORM PART
OF THE CODE, AS DO THE WIDE SHOULDERS AND THE CHEST INFLATED WITH INSPIRATION.
( WAT PHO )
WAT PHO IT IS LOCATED IN THE RATTANAKOSIN DISTRICT DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO THE GRAND PALACE.
KNOWN ALSO AS THE TEMPLE OF THE RECLINING BUDDHA, ITS OFFICIAL NAME IS WAT PHRA
CHETTUPHON WIMON MANGKHALARAM RATCHAWORAMAHAWIHAN THE TEMPLE IS ALSO KNOWN AS
THE BIRTHPLACE OF TRADITIONAL THAI MASSAGE.
PRIOR TO THE TEMPLE'S FOUNDING, THE SITE WAS A CENTRE OF EDUCATION FOR TRADITIONAL THAI
MEDICINE, AND STATUES WERE CREATED SHOWING YOGA POSITIONS.
DURING THE RAMA III RESTORATION, PLAQUES INSCRIBED WITH MEDICAL TEXTS WERE PLACED
AROUND THE TEMPLE. THESE RECEIVED RECOGNITION IN THE MEMORY THE WORLD PROGRAMME
ON 21 FEBRUARY 2008, ACCORDING TO THAILAND'S GOVERNMENT PUBLIC RELATIONS DEPARTMENT.
ADJACENT TO THE BUILDING HOUSING THE RECLINING BUDDHA IS A SMALL RAISED GARDEN,
THE CENTREPIECE BEING A BODHI TREE WHICH IS A SCION (CUTTING) OF THE ORIGINAL
TREE IN INDIA WHERE BUDDHA SAT WHILE AWAITING ENLIGHTENMENT. THE TEMPLE WAS CREATED
AS A RESTORATION OF AN EARLIER TEMPLE ON THE SAME SITE, WAT PHODHARAM, WITH
THE WORK BEGINNING IN 1788. THE TEMPLE WAS RESTORED AND EXTENDED IN THE REIGN
OF KING RAMA III, AND WAS RESTORED AGAIN IN 1982. IN 1962 A SCHOOL
FOR TRADITIONAL MEDICINE AND MASSAGE WAS ESTABLISHED.
WAT PHO IS ONE OF THE LARGEST AND OLDEST WATS IN BANGKOK (WITH AN AREA OF 50 RAI, 80,000
SQUARE METRES), AND IS HOME TO MORE THAN ONE THOUSAND BUDDHA IMAGES, AS WELL AS ONE OF
THE LARGEST SINGLE BUDDHA IMAGES: THE RECLINING BUDDHA THE WAT PHO COMPLEX CONSISTS OF
TWO WALLED COMPOUNDS BISECTED BY SOI CHETUPHON RUNNING EAST-WEST. THE NORTHERN
WALLED COMPOUND IS WHERE THE RECLINING BUDDHA AND MASSAGE SCHOOL ARE FOUND. THE
SOUTHERN WALLED COMPOUND, TUKGAWEE, IS A WORKING BUDDHIST MONASTERY WITH MONKS IN
RESIDENCE AND A SCHOOL.
( WAT BENJAMABOPIT )
WAT BENCHAMABOPHIT DUSITVANARAM IS A BUDDHIST TEMPLE (WAT) IN THE DUSIT DISTRICT OF
BANGKOK, THAILAND. ALSO KNOWN AS THE MARBLE TEMPLE, IT IS ONE OF BANGKOK'S
MOST BEAUTIFUL TEMPLES AND A MAJOR TOURIST ATTRACTION.
CONSTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE BEGAN IN 1899 AT THE REQUEST OF KING CHULALONGKORN AFTER
BUILDING HIS PALACE NEARBY. THE TEMPLE'S NAME LITERALLY MEANS THE TEMPLE OF THE FIFTH KING
LOCATED NEARBY DUSIT PALACE. IT WAS DESIGNED BY PRINCE NARIS, A HALF-BROTHER OF THE KING,
AND IS BUILT OF ITALIAN MARBLE.
INSIDE THE ORDINATION HALL (UBOSOT) IS A SUKHOTHAI-STYLE BUDDHA STATUE NAMED PHRA
BUDDHAJINARAJA, CAST IN 1920 AFTER THE ORIGINAL LOCATED IN WAT MAHATHAT IN PHITSANULOK.
THE ASHES OF KING CHULALONGKORN ARE BURIED BENEATH THE STATUE. IN THE GALLERY
SURROUNDING THE ORDINATION HALL ARE 52 BUDDHA STATUES, COLLECTED BY PRINCE DAMRONG
RAJANUBHAB FOR HIS KING.
THE TEMPLE WAS FEATURED IN THE FAMOUS THE AMAZING RACE 9 AS THE 10TH AND FINAL
ELIMINATION PIT-STOP.
THE IMAGE OF THE TEMPLE'S FA?ADE IS VISIBLE ON THE REVERSE SIDE OF THE FIVE-BAHT COIN OF THE
THAI CURRENCY.
THE SITE CONTAINS THE BENCHAMABOPHIT NATIONAL MUSEUM.
(BANGKOK CITY )
BANGKOK IS THE CAPITAL, LARGEST URBAN AREA AND PRIMARY CITY OF THAILAND. KNOWN IN THAI
AS KRUNG THEP MAHA NAKHON KRUNG THEP MEANING "CITY OF ANGELS" FOR SHORT, IT WAS
ORIGINALLY A SMALL TRADING POST ON THE WEST BANK OF THE LOWER CHAO PHRAYA RIVER
DURING THE AYUTTHAYA KINGDOM. IT BECAME THE CAPITAL IN 1768 AFTER THE DESTRUCTION OF
AYUTTHAYA BY BURMESE INVADERS. HOWEVER, THE CURRENT RATTANAKOSIN KINGDOM DID NOT
BEGIN UNTIL 1782, WHEN THE CAPITAL WAS MOVED TO THE EAST BANK OF THE RIVER BY
RAMA I FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF KING TAKSIN. THE CITY IS MORE FORMALLY CALLED
"PHRA NAKHON" REFERRING TO THE ORIGINAL BOUNDARIES OF THE 18TH CENTURY, WHILE
THE NAME KRUNGTHEP MAHANAKORN INCLUDES THE URBAN AREAS WHICH HAVE SINCE GROWN.
FOREIGNERS GENERALLY CALL THE CITY BY ITS ORIGINAL NAME OF BANGKOK.
BANGKOK HAS AN OFFICIAL POPULATION OF 9,100,000 RESIDENTS, WHILE THE GREATER BANGKOK
AREA CONTINUES SOME 11,971,000 (JANUARY 2008). THE CAPITAL IS IN A HEAVILY URBANIZED
TRIANGLE OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN THAILAND, WHICH STRETCHES FROM NAKHON RATCHASIMA TO
THE HEAVILY INDUSTRIALIZED EASTERN SEABOARD. BANGKOK BORDERS FIVE OTHER PROVINCES:
NONTHABURI,PATHUM THANI, SAMUT PRAKAN, SAMUT SAKHON AND NAKHON PATHOM, AND ALL FIVE
PROVINCES ARE JOINED IN THE CONURBATION OF THE BANGKOK METROPOLITAN AREA. IT IS
SERVED BY TWO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS, SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT AND DON MUEANG
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT,FOUR RAPID TRANSIT LINES OPERATED BY THE BTS, MRT,AND THE SRT,
WITH PLANS TO ADD ADDITIONAL LINES BY 2020.
THE TOWN OF BANGKOK BEGAN AS A SMALL TRADING CENTER AND PORT COMMUNITY ON THE WEST
BANK OF THE CHAO PHRAYA RIVER BEFORE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE AYUTTHAYA KINGDOM, THE
PRECURSOR OF MODERN THAILAND, WHICH EXISTED FROM 1350 TO 1767. THE ETYMOLOGY OF THE
TOWN'S NAME IS UNCLEAR. BANG IS THE CENTRAL THAI NAME FOR A TOWN SITUATED ON THE BANK OF
A RIVER. IT IS BELIEVED THAT "BANGKOK" DERIVED FROM EITHER BANGKOK, KOK BEING THE THAI
NAME FOR THE JAVA PLUM ( MA-KOK ), ONE OF SEVERAL TREES BEARING OLIVE-LIKE FRUITS); OR
BANG KOH, KOH MEANING "ISLAND," A REFERENCE TO THE AREA'S LANDSCAPE WHICH WAS CARVED
BY RIVERS AND FOUR RAPID TRANSIT LINES OPERATED BY THE BTS, MRT, AND THE SRT,
WITH PLANS TO ADD CANALS.
AFTER THE FALL OF AYUTTHAYA TO THE BURMESE KINGDOM IN 1767, THE NEWLY DECLARED KING
TAKSIN ESTABLISHED A NEW CAPITAL IN THE AREA OF THE THEN BANGKOK, WHICH BECAME KNOWN
AS THONBURI. WHEN TAKSIN'S REIGN ENDED IN 1782, KING BUDDHA YODFA CHULALOKE
RECONSTRUCTED THE CAPITAL ON THE EAST BANK OF THE RIVER AND GAVE THE CITY A CEREMONIAL
NAME (SEE BELOW) WHICH BECAME SHORTENED TO ITS CURRENT OFFICIAL NAME, KRUNG THEP MAHA
NAKHON. THE NEW CITY, HOWEVER, ALSO INHERITED THE NAME BANGKOK, WHICH CONTINUED TO
BE USED BY FOREIGNERS TO REFER TO THE ENTIRE CITY AND BECAME ITS OFFICIAL ENGLISH
NAME, WHILE IN THAI THE NAME STILL REFERS ONLY TO THE OLD DISTRICT ON THE WEST BANK OF
THE RIVER. THE CITY HAS SINCE VASTLY MODERNIZED AND UNDERGONE NUMEROUS CHANGES,
INCLUDING THE INTRODUCTION OF TRANSPORTATION AND UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE IN
THE REIGNS OF KING MONGKUT AND KING CHULALONGKORN, AND QUICKLY DEVELOPED INTO
THE ECONOMIC CENTER OF THAILAND.
THE FULL CEREMONIAL NAME OF THE CITY GIVEN BY KING BUDDHA YODFA CHULALOKE, AND LATER
EDITED BY KING MONGKUT, IS:
KRUNG THEP MAHANAKHON AMON RATTANAKOSIN MAHINTHARAYUTTHAYA MAHADILOK PHOP
NOPPHARAT RATCHATHANI BURIROM UDOMRATCHANIWET MAHASATHAN AMON PHIMAN AWATAN
SATHIT SAKKATHATTIYA WITSANUKAM PRASIT
WORLD ENDOWED WITH NINE PRECIOUS GEMS, THE HAPPY CITY, ABOUNDING IN AN
ENORMOUS ROYAL PALACE THAT RESEMBLES THE HEAVENLY ABODE WHERE REIGNS THE
REINCARNATED GOD, A CITY GIVEN BY INDRA AND BUILT BY VISHNUKARMA".
LOCAL SCHOOL CHILDREN ARE TAUGHT THE FULL NAME, ALTHOUGH FEW CAN EXPLAIN ITS MEANING
BECAUSE MANY OF THE WORDS ARE ARCHAIC, AND UNKNOWN TO ALL BUT A FEW. MOST THAIS WHO
DO RECALL THE FULL NAME DO SO AS A RESULT OF ITS USE IN A POPULAR SONG, KRUNG THEP
MAHA NAKHON (1989) BY ASANEE-WASAN CHOTIKUL AND WILL OFTEN RECOUNT IT BY RECALLING
THE SONG AT THE SAME TIME, MUCH AS ENGLISH SPEAKERS MIGHT SING THE ALPHABET SONG
WHILE RECITING THE ENGLISH ALPHABET.
THE FULL NAME OF THE CITY IS LISTED BY GUINNESS BOOK OF RECORDS AS THE WORLD'S LONGEST
PLACE NAME.
BANGKOK IS ONE OF TWO SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE AREAS IN THAILAND, THE OTHER BEING PATTAYA,
IN WHICH CITIZENS VOTE TO CHOOSE THEIR GOVERNOR, UNLIKE IN THAILAND'S 76 PROVINCES
(CHANGWAT). IN THE 2009 GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION, M.R. SUKHUMBHAND PARIBATRA WAS ELECTED
GOVERNOR.
THE URBAN SPRAWL OF THE GREATER BANGKOK METROPOLITAN AREA EXTENDS BEYOND THE BORDERS
OF BANGKOK PROVINCE, SPILLING INTO THE NEIGHBOURING PROVINCES OF NONTHABURI, SAMUT
PRAKAN, PATHUM THANI, NAKHON PATHOM AND SAMUT SAKHON. THE PROVINCE AS IT IS TODAY WAS
CREATED IN 1971 WHEN THE PREVIOUS BANGKOK PROVINCE, CHANGWAT PHRA NAKHON,
MERGED WITH THONBURI PROVINCE.
BANGKOK IS SUBDIVIDED INTO 50 DISTRICTS (KHET, ALSO SOMETIMES CALLED AMPHOE IN THE OTHER
PROVINCES), WHICH ARE FURTHER SUBDIVIDED INTO 169 KWAENG EACH DISTRICT IS MANAGED BY A
DISTRICT CHIEF APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR. DISTRICT COUNCILS, ELECTED TO FOUR-YEAR TERMS,
SERVE AS ADVISORY BODIES TO THEIR RESPECTIVE DISTRICT CHIEFS.
THERE IS ALSO AN ELECTED BANGKOK METROPOLITAN COUNCIL, WHICH HAS POWER OVER
MUNICIPAL ORDINANCES AND THE CITY'S BUDGET. THE LAST ELECTIONS FOR LOCAL COUNCILS
IN BANGKOK WERE HELD ON 23 JULY 2006. THE GOVERNMENT OF BANGKOK IS CALLED
THE BANGKOK METROPOLITAN ADMINISTRATION OR THE BMA.
THE SEAL OF THE CITY SHOWS THE GOD INDRA RIDING IN THE CLOUDS ON ERAWAN,
A MYTHOLOGICAL ELEPHANT-SHAPED CREATURE. IN HIS HAND INDRA HOLDS A LIGHTNING BOLT,
WHICH IS HIS WEAPON TO DRIVE AWAY DROUGHT. THE SEAL IS BASED ON A PAINTING
DONE BY PRINCE NARIS. THE TREE SYMBOL OF BANGKOK IS FLCUS BENJAMINA
THE BANGKOK SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE AREA COVERS 1,568.7 KM ( 606 SQ MI ), MAKING IT THE 68TH
LARGEST PROVINCE IN THAILAND. MUCH OF THE AREA IS CONSIDERED THE CITY OF BANGKOK,
MAKING IT THE 73RD LARGEST CITY IN THE WORLD. THE CHAO PHRAYA RIVER, WHICH STRETCHES
372 KM ( 231 MI ) , IS BANGKOK'S MAIN GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURE. THE CHAO PHRAYA RIVER
BASIN, THE AREA SURROUNDING BANGKOK, AND THE NEARBY PROVINCES COMPRISE A SERIES OF
PLAINS AND RIVER DELTAS THAT LEAD INTO THE BAY OF BANGKOK ABOUT 30 KM ( 19 MI )
SOUTH OF THE CITY CENTER.THIS GAVE RISE TO BANGKOK'S APPELLATION AS THE "VENICE
OF THE EAST" DUE TO THE NUMBER OF CANALS AND PASSAGES THAT DIVIDE THE AREA INTO
SEPARATE PATCHES OF LAND. THE CITY ONCE USED THESE CANALS, WHICH WERE PLENTIFUL
WITHIN BANGKOK ITSELF, AS DIVISIONS FOR CITY DISTRICTS. HOWEVER, AS THE CITY GRAW
IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURY, THE PLAN WAS ABANDONED AND A DIFFERENT
SYSTEM OF DIVISION WAS ADOPTED.
BANGKOK LIES ABOUT TWO METERS (6.5 FT) ABOVE SEA LEVEL, WHICH CAUSES PROBLEMS FOR THE
PROTECTION OF THE CITY AGAINST FLOODS DURING THE MONSOON SEASON. OCCASIONALLY AFTER
A DOWNPOUR, WATER IN CANALS AND THE RIVER OVERFLOWS THE BANKS, RESULTING IN FLOODS IN
SOME AREAS. THE BANGKOK METROPOLITAN ADMINISTRATION (BMA) HAS RECENTLY INSTALLED
HIGHER BANKS ALONGSIDE SOME CANALS TO KEEP WATER LEVELS FROM REACHING STREET LEVEL.
THERE ARE HOWEVER SOME DOWNSIDES FOR BANGKOK'S EXTENSIVE CANAL ROUTES, AS THE CITY
IS RUMORED TO BE SINKING AN AVERAGE OF TWO INCHES A YEAR AS IT LIES ENTIRELY ON
A SWAMP[10] AND THERE ARE FEARS THAT THAILAND'S CAPITAL WILL BE SUBMERGED BY 2030
BANGKOK HAS A TROPICAL WET AND DRY CLIMATE UNDER THE KOPPEN CLIMATE CLASSIFICATION
SYSTEM. AVERAGE TEMPERATURES IN THE CITY ARE ABOUT 2 ?C (3.6 ?F) HIGHER THAN THE ONES
SHOWN FOR THE DON MUEANG AIRPORT DURING THE 1960-1990 PERIOD. THE HIGHEST RECORDED
MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE IS 40.8 ?C (105.4 ?F) IN MAY 1983 AND THE LOWEST RECORDED MINIMUM
TEMPERATURE IS 9.9 ?C (49.8 ?F) IN JANUARY 1955. THE COLDEST TEMPERATURES WERE RECORDED IN
JANUARY 1924, JANUARY 1955, JANUARY 1974 AND DECEMBER 1999. THE HOTTEST YEAR ON RECORD
WAS 1997 (AVERAGE YEARLY AT DON MUEANG 30.0 ?C) AND THE COLDEST WAS 1975 (AVERAGE YEARLY
AT DON MUEANG 26.3 ?C). THE COLDEST DAYTIME MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE WAS 19.9 ?C (68 ?F),
RECORDED IN DECEMBER 1992.
( GRAND PALACE & EMERALD BUDDHA TEMPLE )
THE GRAND PALACE IS A COMPLEX OF BUILDINGS IN BANGKOK, THAILAND. IT SERVED AS THE OFFICIAL
RESIDENCE OF THE KINGS OF THAILAND FROM THE 18TH CENTURY ONWARDS. CONSTRUCTION OF THE
PALACE BEGAN IN 1782, DURING THE REIGN OF KING RAMA I, WHEN HE MOVED THE CAPITAL ACROSS
THE RIVER FROM THONBURI TO BANGKOK. THE PALACE HAS BEEN CONSTANTLY EXPANDED AND MANY
ADDITIONAL STRUCTURES WERE ADDED OVER TIME. THE PRESENT KING OF THAILAND, KING BHUMIBOL
ADULYADEJ, HOWEVER, RESIDES AT THE CHITRALADA PALACE.
WHEN KING BUDDHA YODFA CHULALOKE (RAMA I) DECIDED TO MOVE THE CAPITAL OF SIAM FROM
THONBURI ON THE WEST TO BANGKOK ON THE EAST OF THE CHAO PHRAYA RIVER HE DECIDED TO
BUILD A MAGNIFICENT NEW PALACE AS A PLACE OF RESIDENCE AS WELL AS A CENTRE OF
GOVERNMENT. THE AREA CHOSEN WAS HOWEVER OCCUPIED BY CHINESE MERCHANTS, WHOM HE
PROMPTLY ASKED TO RELOCATE (TO THE PRESENT DAY YAOWARAT AREA).
THE TOWER OF GOLD BEGAN CONSTRUCTION ON 6 MAY 1782. AT FIRST THE PALACE CONSISTED OF
SEVERAL WOODEN BUILDINGS SURROUNDED ON FOUR SIDES WITH A HIGH DEFENSIVE WALL OF 1,900
METRES IN LENGTH, WHICH ENCLOSES AN AREA OF 218,400 SQUARE METRES. SOON THE KING ORDERED
THE BUILDING OF THE TEMPLE OF THE EMERALD BUDDHA; AS THE MONARCH'S PERSONAL PLACE OF
WORSHIP AND ROYAL TEMPLE. ONCE THE PALACE WAS COMPLETE THE KING DECIDED TO UNDERGO A
CORONATION CEREMONY TO CELEBRATE IN 1785.
THE PLAN OF THE GRAND PALACE FOLLOWED CLOSELY THAT OF THE OLD PALACE IN AYUTTHAYA. THE
PALACE IS RECTANGULAR SHAPED, WITH THE WESTERN SIDE NEXT TO A RIVER AND THE ROYAL TEMPLE
SITUATED TO THE EAST SIDE, WITH ALL STRUCTURES FACING NORTH. THE PALACE ITSELF IS DIVIDED
INTO THREE QUARTERS: THE OUTER QUARTERS, THE MIDDLE QUARTERS AND THE INNER QUARTERS.
THE PALACE BECAME THE CENTRE OF THE RATTANAKOSIN GOVERNMENT AND ROYAL COURT FOR
MOST OF THE EARLY CHAKRI DYNASTY UNTIL THE REIGN OF KING CHULALONGKORN (RAMA V) WHO
PREFERRED TO STAY AT THE DUSIT PALACE, BUT STILL USED THE GRAND PALACE AS AN OFFICE AND
PRIMARY PLACE OF RESIDENCE. THIS PRACTICE WAS FOLLOWED BY HIS SONS (RAMA VI AND
RAMA VII) WHO PREFERRED THEIR OWN PALACES. KING ANANDA MAHIDOL (RAMA VIII) MOVED INTO
THE PALACE FULL TIME AFTER HIS RETURN FROM ABROAD IN 1945. HOWEVER AFTER HIS
MYSTERIOUS DEATH A YEAR LATER IN ONE OF THE PALACES INSIDE THE COMPLEX, HIS BROTHER
KING BHUMIBOL ADULYADEJ (RAMA IX) WHO SUCCEEDED HIM DECIDED TO MOVE PERMANENTLY
TO THE CHITRALADA PALACE.
THE PALACE IS HOWEVER STILL VERY MUCH IN USE; AS MANY ROYAL RITUALS ARE PERFORMED
HERE BY THE KING EVERY YEAR. OTHER ROYAL CEREMONIES CELEBRATED HERE ARE
CORONATIONS; ROYAL MARRIAGES AND STATE BANQUETS. THE PALACE GROUNDS ALSO
CONTAIN THE OFFICES AND BUILDINGS OF THE BUREAU OF THE ROYAL HOUSEHOLD, THE OFFICE
OF THE PRIVATE SECRETARY TO THE KING AND ROYAL INSTITUTE OF THAILAND.
( HISTORY OF THE EMERALD BUDDHA )
IT IS NOT KNOW FOR SURE WHEN THE EMERALD BUDDHA WAS CARVED HOWEVER JUDGING FROM THE
APPEARANCE AND STYLE ONE COULD CONCLUDE IT WAS CARVED IN NORTHERN THAILAND NOT MUCH
EARLIER THAN THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE EMERALD BUDDHA, WHICH IS IN AN
ATTITUDE OF MEDITATION, LOOKS MUCH LIKE SOME OF THE BUDDHA IMAGES OF SOUTHERN INDIA AND
SRI LANKA. THIS ATTITUDE OF MEDITATION HAS NEVER BEEN POPULAR IN OTHER THAI CARVINGS OF
BUDDHA IMAGES SO ONE MIGHT ASSIGN THE ORIGIN TO ONE OF THE AFOREMENTIONED COUNTRIES.
ACCORDING TO RELIABLE CHRONICLES, LIGHTNING STRUCK A CHEDI IN CHIANGRAI PROVINCE OF
NORTHERN THAILAND IN 1434 A.D.AND A BUDDHA STATUE MADE OF STUCCO WAS FOUND INSIDE. THE
ABBOT OF THE TEMPLE NOTICED THAT THE STUCCO ON THE NOSE HAD FLAKED OFF AND
THE IMAGE INSIDE WAS A GREEN COLOR. HE THEN REMOVED THE STUCCO COVERING AND
FOUND THE EMERALD BUDDHA WHICH IS IN REALITY MADE OF GREEN JADE.
AT THAT TIME THE TOWN OF CHIANGRAI WAS UNDER THE RULE OF THE KING OF CHIANGMAI, KING
SAMFANGKAEN, AS PEOPLE FLOCKED TO VIEW AND WORSHIP THIS BEAUTIFUL BUDDHA IMAGE.
THE KING THEN DECIDED TO MOVE THE IMAGE TO CHIANGMAI. HE SENT OUT AN ELEPHANT
THREE TIMES TO BRING THE EMERALD BUDDHA TO CHIANGMAI BUT EACH TIME THE ELEPHANT
RAN TO THE CITY OF LAMPANG INSTEAD OF RETURNING TO CHIANGMAI. THE KING THOUGHT
THAT THE SPIRITS GUARDING THE EMERALD BUDDHA WANTED TO STAY IN LAMPANG SO
IT WAS ALLOWED TO REMAIN THERE UNTIL 1468. THEN THE NEW KING, KING TILOKA, HAD
THE EMERALD BUDDHA BROUGHT TO CHIANGMAI. ACCORDING TO CHRONICLES
THE IMAGE WAS INSTALLED IN THE EASTERN NICHE OF A LARGE STUPA AT WAT CHEDI LUANG.
THE KING OF CHIANGMAI IN THE MID 16TH CENTURY HAD NO SONS. HIS DAUGHTER WAS
MARRIED TO THE KING OF LAOS AND BORN ONE SON NAMED PRINCE CHAICHETTHA. AFTER
THE KING DIED IN 1551 THE PRINCE, AT THE AGE OF FIFTEEN, WAS INVITED TO BECOME
THE KING OF CHIANGMAI. HOWEVER WHEN HIS FATHER DIED, THE KING OF LAOS, KING
CHAICHETTHA WANTED TO RETURN TO HIS OWN COUNTRY.IN 1552 HE RETURNED TO
LUANG PRABANG, THEN THE CAPITAL OF LAOS, AND TOOK THE EMERALD BUDDHA WITH HIM.
HE PROMISED THE MINISTERS HE WOULD RETURN TO CHIANGMAI BUT HE NEVER DID NOR DID HE
SEND BACK THE EMERALD BUDDHA. IN 1564 KING CHAICHETTHA WAS CHASED OUT OF
LUANG PRABANG BY THE BURMESE ARMY OF KING BAYINNAUNG AND TOOK THE EMERALD BUDDHA
WITH HIM TO HIS NEW CAPITAL OF VIENTIANE. THE EMERALD BUDDHA REMAINED THERE
FOR 214 YEARS.
WHEN KING RAMA I WAS STILL A GENERAL DURING THE THONBURI PERIOD IN 1778 HE CAPTURED
THE TOWN OF VIENTIANE AND BROUGHT THE EMERALD BUDDHA BACK TO THAILAND.WITH THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF BANGKOK AS THE CAPITAL, BEGINNING THE RATTANAKOSIN PERIOD
AND THE CHAKRI DYNASTY, THE EMERALD BUDDHA BECAME THE PALLADIUM OF THAILAND AND
HAS BEEN HERE EVER SINCE.ON THE 22ND OF MARCH 1784 THE IMAGE WAS MOVED FROM
THONBURI TO THE TEMPLE OF THE EMERALD BUDDHA.
( "TEMPLE OF THE EMERALD BUDDHA" )
THE TEMPLE OF THE EMERALD BUDDHA IS THE MOST SACRED STRUCTURE IN THE KINGDOM
AND THE REPOSITORY OF THE SPIRIT FOR ALL THE THAI PEOPLE. THE HISTORY OF
THE EMERALD BUDDHA ITSELF DATES BACK MORE THAN 600 YEARS AND ALSO REPRESENTS
THE STRUGGLE OF THE THAI PEOPLE TO MAINTAIN THEIR INDEPENDENCE FROM FOREIGN AGGRESSORS.
WHEN KING RAMA I ESTABLISHED BANGKOK, OR RATTANAKOSIN, AS HIS CAPITAL IN 1782 HE ADDED
THE TEMPLE OF THE EMERALD BUDDHA IN THE EASTERN SECTION OF THE ROYAL GRAND PALACE
IN ORDER TO INSTALL THE EMERALD BUDDHA. DURING ITS TWO HUNDRED YEAR HISTORY
THE CHAPEL HAD UNDERGONE SEVERAL RENOVATIONS, RESTORATIONS,AND ADDITIONS.THE ROYAL
CHAPEL THUS INCORPORATES NO LESS THAN TWO CENTURIES OF RATTANAKOSIN CRAFTSMANSHIP
WHICH IS AN EXPRESSION OF THE ESSENTIAL ENTITY OF THE THAI PEOPLE.
A VISIT TO BANGKOK IS NOT COMPLETE WITHOUT A VISIT TO THIS VERY IMPORTANT TEMPLE. WE WILL
SHOW YOU THE MANY SPECTACULAR BUILDINGS ALONG WITH A HISTORY OF THE EMERALD BUDDHA
ITSELF WHICH WE HOPE WILL GIVE YOU A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THAI HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE.
THE RELATED STORIES LISTED BELOW ARE JUST SOME OF THE MANY SPECTACULAR BUILDING AND
MONUMENTS INSIDE THE GROUNDS OF THE TEMPLE OF THE EMERALD BUDDHA.
REMARK : ALL PRICES INCLUDE 7% VAT
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