Wat Kuti Thong วัดกุฎีทอง is an active temple located on the northern side of the old
Lopburi River. It is split into two parts by a road that runs through the center of the monastery.
The monks live in the buildings closest to the river and the ancient ruins are on the opposite side of the road.
Wat Kuti Thong is framed by many ancient walls and an arched entrance gateway. These can still be seen directly next to the road, but they are also visible completely around the monastery’s boundaries. Some of the walls are quite high in places.
The main sermon hall sits on top of a large mound, which may have been the remains of an older building. Two gold painted Buddha images sit in the taming mara poses on the main altar.
The sermon hall is a modern construction in the Ratanakosin style.
On the north side if the hall are two large chedis. They sit on top of a huge mound, so some parts of them may still be concealed underground. Both chedi are bell-shaped, which suggests that ...
Wat Makut Kasatriyaram Ratchaworawihan, commonly known as Wat Makut, is a second-class royal temple of the Ratchaworawihan type located along Khlong Phadung Krung Kasem canal near Ratchadamnoen Nok Road in Bang Khun Phrom subdistrict, Phra Nakhon district, Bangkok.
King Mongkut (Rama IV) commissioned the temple as part of his vision to line the newly excavated outer canal with monasteries, mirroring the arrangement seen in the former capital of Ayutthaya. It was built as a companion to Wat Sommanat Ratchaworawihan and served as a personal royal temple reflecting the king’s deep commitment to the Dhammayuttika Nikaya order, which he helped establish to promote stricter monastic discipline and scriptural study.
Construction, supervised by Somdet Chaophraya Borommaha Sri Suriayawong (Chuang Bunnag) with Prince Rajsri Wisit as the lead architect, was completed in 1868, the same year Rama IV passed away. Initially known temporarily as Wat Phra Nam Banyat or Wat Nambanyat, the temple received its ...
Wat Suansawan is a quiet abandoned temple tucked away in the Bang Yi Khan community of Bang Phlat District in Bangkok, near the base of Rama VIII Bridge and hidden in Soi Charansanitwong 44. It stands as one of the lesser-known historic sites that survived from the late Ayutthaya period into the early Rattanakosin era, offering a rare glimpse into Bangkok’s layered past amid the surrounding urban neighborhood.
Historians believe the temple originated in the late Ayutthaya period, though exact construction records are scarce and it was never classified among the prominent royal temples of that time, pointing instead to its likely role as a community or commoners’ temple. Its name, meaning “Heavenly Garden,” is thought to derive from the stucco pediment decoration possibly depicting Indra’s paradise or similar celestial motifs. The site appears on Bangkok maps from the late 19th to early 20th century, confirming its established presence in the area.
The temple experienced restoration during ...
The Maeklong Railway Market, also known as Talat Rom Hup or the “Umbrella Pulldown Market,” in Samut Songkhram Province has existed since around 1905. It began as a bustling local fresh seafood market in a fishing-dependent area near the Gulf of Thailand.
When the Maeklong Railway was built to improve goods distribution, including seafood, from the region to Bangkok and other provinces, the tracks were laid directly through the existing market.
Rather than relocating, the resilient vendors adapted by continuing operations around the tracks. They quickly pull back awnings, umbrellas, and stalls whenever a train approaches, then promptly reset everything once it passes.
This unique coexistence turned the market into one of Thailand’s largest fresh seafood markets, blending everyday commerce with the precision of railway schedules. Over time, it evolved from a practical local hub into a world-famous attraction showcasing Thai ingenuity and adaptability.
One of the most authentic and cheapest ways to...
