BANGKOK
BANGKOKSIGHTSBANGKOKSIGHTSjoints are fused in a wood fi re with bits of
copper, and the bowl is polished and coated
with several layers of black lacquer. A typical
output is one bowl per day. If you purchase
a bowl, the craftsperson will show you the
equipment and process used.
Thonburi
It’s calm enough on the right bank of the
Mae Nam Chao Phraya to seem like another
province – because it is! The attractions here
are relatively few, but fàng ton is a great area
for aimless wandering among leafy streets.
Wat Arun BUDDHIST TEMPLE
(วัดอรุณฯ; Map p 60 ; Th Arun Amarin; admission
50B; h8.30am-4.30pm; cross-river ferry from Tha
Tien) Striking Wat Arun commands a mar-
tial pose as the third point in the holy trinity
(along with Wat Phra Kaew and Wat Pho) of
Bangkok’s early history. After the fall of Ay-
uthaya, King Taksin ceremoniously clinched
control here on the site of a local shrine (for-
merly known as Wat Jaeng) and established
a royal palace and a temple to house the
Emerald Buddha. The temple was renamed
after the Indian god of dawn (Aruna) and in
honour of the literal and symbolic founding
of a new Ayuthaya.
It wasn’t until the capital and the Emer-
ald Buddha were moved to Bangkok that
Wat Arun received its most prominent char-
acteristic: the 82m-high prang (Khmer-style
tower). The tower’s construction was started
during the fi rst half of the 19th century by
Rama II and later completed by Rama III.
Not apparent from a distance are the ornate
fl oral mosaics made from broken, multi-
hued Chinese porcelain, a common temple
ornamentation in the early Ratanakosin pe-
riod, when Chinese ships calling at the port
of Bangkok discarded tonnes of old porce-
lain as ballast.
Also worth an inspection is the interior
of the bòht. The main Buddha image is said
to have been designed by Rama II himself.
The murals date from the reign of Rama V;
particularly impressive is one that depicts
Prince Siddhartha encountering examples of
birth, old age, sickness and death outside his
palace walls, an experience that led him to
abandon the worldly life. The ashes of Rama
II are interred in the base of the presiding
Buddha image.
Cross-river ferries (3.50B) run over to Wat
Arun every few minutes from Tha Tien.
Sunset views of the temple compound
can be caught from across the river at the
riverfront warehouses that line Th Maha
Rat. Another great viewpoint is from Amo-
rosa, the rooftop bar at the Arun Residence
(p 128 ).Royal Barges National Museum MUSEUM
(พิพิธภณฑั เร์ือพระที่นั่ง; Map p 60 ; Khlong Bangkok
Noi; admission 100B, photo permit 100B; h9am-
5pm; river ferry Tha Saphan Phra Pin Klao) The
royal barges are slender, fantastically orna-
mented vessels used in ceremonial proces-
sions along the river. The tradition dates
back to the Ayuthaya era, when most travel
(for commoners and royalty) was by boat.
Today the royal barge procession is an infre-
quent occurrence, most recently performed
in 2006 in honour of the 60th anniversary
of the king’s ascension to the throne. When
not in use, the barges are on display at this
Thonburi museum.
Suphannahong, the king’s personal
barge, is the most important of the boats.
Made from a single piece of timber, it’s
the largest dugout in the world. The name
means ‘Golden Swan’, and a huge swan head
has been carved into the bow. Lesser barg-
es feature bows that are carved into other
Hindu-Buddhist mythological shapes such
as naga (mythical sea serpent) and garuda
(Vishnu’s bird mount). Historic photos help
envision the grand processions in which the
largest of the barges would require a rowing
crew of 50 men, plus seven umbrella bearers,
two helmsmen and two navigators, as well as
a fl agman, rhythm-keeper and chanter.
The most convenient way to get to the
museum is by taking a taxi (ask the driver to
go to reu·a prá têe nâng) from Tha Saphan
Phra Pin Klao. Another alternative is walk-
ing from the Bangkok Noi train station
(accessible by ferrying to Tha Rot Fai), but
the walk is tricky and unpleasant and you’ll
encounter uninvited guides who will charge
for their services. The museum is also an
optional stop on long-tail boat trips through
Thonburi’s canals.Church of Santa Cruz CATHOLIC CHURCH
(โบสถ์ซางตาครูส; Map p 76 ; Th Kuti Jiin; admission
free; hSat & Sun; cross-river ferry from Tha Pak Ta-
lat/Atsadang) Dating back to 1913, this Catho-
lic church holds relatively little interest un-
less you visit on a Sunday. But the surround-
ing neighbourhood, a former Portuguese
concession dating back to the Ayuthaya pe-
riod, is worth a wander for its old-school riv-
erside atmosphere and Portuguese-inspired
cakes, kà·nŏm fa·ràng.