King Rama IV founded Wat Pathum Wanaram in the mid-19th century to complement a royal palace that was demolished in the 1930s. Now it’s a calming Buddhist complex squeezed between Thailand’s two largest shopping malls amid the unabashed materialism of Siam Square.
The temple is commonly known as Wat Pathum (Lotus Temple) and goes by the alternate name of Wat Sra, after the name of the palace, Wat Sra Pathum. All that’s left of a large lotus pond is a murky oval of water out front near a car park. Locals come to wish for health and prosperity while burning incense at a Buddha shrine beneath an old Bodhi tree nearby.
Classic lines, tragically once a shooting gallery. Photo: David Luekens
Step through the thick gates to the temple’s more tidy section to find a white chedi that we envisioned to be a middle finger of elegance facing the concrete walls of Siam Paragon, on one side, and Central World, on the other. The top of Baiyoke Tower II, Bangkok’s second tallest building, looms above the chofa finials that top the gabled roofs of the small wihaan and ordination hall.
Inside the wihaan sits Phra Som and Phra Saen, small Buddha images that were carted to Bangkok from Laos after a Siamese invasion in the early 19th century. The silvery Phra Sai Buddha image sits in the smaller ordination hall in front of an unusual green and blue background. Together these two buildings display detailed murals of lotuses, royal barge processions along with ornate golden door carvings depicting celestial being draped in vines.
Beautiful within. Photo: David Luekens
During the bloody Thai military crackdown on “red shirt” protests on 19 May 2010, Wat Pathum hosted a field hospital and was considered a safe zone until bullets rained down and killed six civilians, including a nurse. Many people blame the military, but no one has yet been held accountable.
Every year on the anniversary of the crackdown, family members and supporters of those who died turn up at Wat Pathum to hold a vigil and draw attention to what they claim was a government-sanctioned ... please log in to read the rest of this story.
Don’t miss the boat!
Please subscribe to Travelfish.org to read the rest of this article, or log in here.
Subscribing to Travelfish costs A$35 per year and it gets you access to more than 200 downloadable guides to specific destinations, fabulous discount coupons and 50% off our personalised travel planning service. Sign up here.
By
David Luekens.
Last updated on 16th July, 2017.
How to get there
Wat Pathum Wanaram is located off the north side of Rama I Road and you can’t miss it when strolling between Siam and Chid Lom BTS stations along the skywalk, from where a stairway runs down close to the temple gate.
Location map for Wat Pathum Wanaram
/100.53638219,13.745570367,15/960x400.png?access_token=pk.eyJ1IjoidHJhdmVsZmlzaCIsImEiOiJSdGI5endFIn0.NFfNjYzAAn9OBSxs64ptJA)
Start planning your holiday today
Sent every Monday, our newsletter is full of travel advice, news & special deals. Read past issues.
Popular attractions in Bangkok
A selection of some of our favourite sights and activities around Bangkok.
Best places to stay in Bangkok
A selection of some of our favourite places to stay in Bangkok.
What next?
Browse our independent reviews of places to stay in and around Bangkok.
Check prices, availability & reviews on Agoda or Booking
Check out our listings of things to do in and around Bangkok.
Read up on how to get to Bangkok, or book your transport online with 12Go Asia.
Do you have travel insurance yet? If not, find out why you need it.
Planning on riding a scooter in Bangkok? Please read this.
Buy a SIM card for Thailand—pick it up at the airport when you arrive.
Browse the web securely while travelling with TunnelBear. Try with a 7–day free trial.