THE PEOPLE & CULTURE
ARTS
entrance railings and outlining roof gables. On the tip of the roof is the
chôr fáh: a golden bird-shaped silhouette suggesting fl ight.
The lotus bud is another sacred motif that is often used to decorate the
tops of the temple gates, verandah columns and the spires of Sukhothai-
era chedi. Images of the Buddha often depict him meditating in a lotus
blossom-shaped pedestal. It carries with it a reminder of the tenets of
Buddhism. The lotus can bloom even in a rancid pond, illustrating the
capacity for religious perfection to fl ourish even in unlikely situations.
Thais began mixing traditional architecture with European forms in
the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The port cities of Thailand, includ-
ing Bangkok and Phuket, acquired fi ne examples of Sino-Portuguese ar-
chitecture – buildings of stuccoed brick decorated with an ornate facade –
a style that followed the sea traders during the colonial era. This style is
often referred to as ‘old Bangkok’ or ‘Ratanakosin’.
Bangkok’s relatively modern skyscrapers are textbook examples of
postmodern dos and don’ts. In the 1960s and '70s the trend in mod-
ern Thai architecture, inspired by the European Bauhaus movement,
THAILAND’S ARTISTIC PERIODS
PERIOD
TEMPLE & CHEDI
STYLES BUDDHA STYLES EXAMPLES
Dvaravati Period
(7th–11th
Centuries)
Rectangular-based
chedi with stepped
tiers
Indian infl uenced ; thick
torso, large hair curls,
arched eyebrows (like fl y-
ing birds), protruding eyes,
thick lips and fl at nose.
Phra Pathom Chedi, Nakhon
Pathom; Lopburi Museum,
Lopburi; Wat Chama Thewi,
Lamphun
Srivijaya Period
(7th–13th
Centuries)
Mahayana-Buddhist
style temples; Java-
nese-style chedi with
elaborate arches
Indian infl uenced; heavily
ornamented, humanlike
features and slightly
twisted at the waist.
Wat Phra Mahathat Worama-
hawihaan and National Mu-
seum, Nakhon Si Thammarat
Khmer Period
(9th-11th
Centuries)
Hindu-Buddhist
temples; corn-cob
shaped prang
(Khmer-styled
chedi)
Buddha meditating under
a canopy of the seven-
headed naga and atop a
lotus pedestal.
Phimai Historical Park, Na-
khon Ratchasima; Phanom
Rung Historical Park, Surin
Chiang Saen-
Lanna Period
(11th–13th
Centuries)
Teak temples;
square-based chedi
topped by gilded
umbrella; also octag-
onal-based chedi
Burmese infl uences with
plump fi gure, round,
smiling face and footpads
facing upwards in medi-
tation pose.
Wat Phra Singh, Chiang Mai;
Chiang Saen National Mu-
seum, Chiang Saen
Sukhothai Pe-
riod (13th–15th
Centuries)
Khmer-inspired
temples; slim-spired
chedi topped by a
lotus bud
Graceful poses, often
depicted ‘walking’, no
anatomical human detail.
Sukhothai Historical Park,
Sukhothai
Ayuthaya Pe-
riod (14th–18th
Centuries)
Classical Thai temple
with three-tiered roof
and gable fl ourishes;
bell-shaped chedi
with tapering spire
Ayuthaya-era king, wear-
ing a gem-studded crown
and royal regalia.
Ayuthaya Historical Park,
Ayuthaya
Bangkok-Ratan-
akosin Period
(19th Century)
Colourful and gilded
temple with Western-
Thai styles; mosaic-
covered chedi
Reviving Ayuthaya style. Wat Phra Kaew, Wat Pho and
Wat Arun, Bangkok