Thailand - Understand & Survival (Chapter)

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