The Phra Narai Song Suban is a royal barge featuring a gilded figure of the Hindu god Narai riding a Garuda, mounted on the prow of a traditional Thai vessel. Crafted for the nineteen ninety-six golden jubilee of King Bhumibol Adulyadej,…
Ratchaprasong Holy Shrines
Walk the bustling elevated skywalks of Bangkok's shopping district to visit seven active Hindu and Buddhist shrines tucked between mega-malls. This self-guided route shows you where ancient worship and modern consumerism live in perfect harmony.
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1. Phra Narai Song Suban
2. Phra Indra Shrine
The Phra Indra Shrine sits tucked against the massive, grey concrete pillars of the Ratchaprasong intersection. It holds a single, seated figure of Indra, the king of the gods, cast in green bronze with his four arms and classic bow. While…
3. The Shrine of Erawan
The Erawan Shrine holds a small, gold-painted statue of Brahma, tucked behind a fence of heavy, carved wooden pillars at a busy intersection. The shrine appeared in nineteen fifty-six because construction workers building the nearby Erawan…
4. San Phra Mae Lakshmi
High atop the Gaysorn Village shopping center sits a gilded, four-armed statue of Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth and prosperity. Commissioned by the mall’s owners in nineteen ninety-six, the shrine occupies an open-air terrace far…
5. Umadevi Shrine
The Umadevi Shrine features a vibrant, multi-layered gopuram tower covered in intricate, brightly painted carvings of Hindu deities. Built in the late nineteenth century by Tamil migrants, it served as a spiritual home for workers who…
6. San Phra Trimurti
The red, three-tiered metal roof sheltering a golden statue marks the San Phra Trimurti shrine. This deity represents the combined forms of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. In the early two thousands, the shrine gained intense popularity among…
7. Ganesha Shrine
The Ganesha Shrine sits on a corner platform near a busy intersection, marked by a gilded, four-armed statue of the elephant-headed deity. It was installed in nineteen ninety-one to protect the workers and property of the nearby shopping…