Wat Chaiyo or Wat Ket Chaiyo was built during the Ayutthaya Period. It became important during the reign of King Rama IV. The venerable Somdet Phra Phutthachan (To Phromrangsi) of Wat Rakhang Khositaram built the large Buddha image in a subduing Mara gesture and placed it outdoors. However, the image collapsed soon after construction. He re-built it in the same pose but smaller, covered it in plaster and without gold leaf. As the image could be seen from far, the villagers called it Luangpho To (meaning huge image). Further temple restoration during the reign of King Rama V the Buddha image collapsed again. The King ordered the renovation of the image with steel bars inside. The new image was covered in gold leaf and monks’ robes and was given the new name by King Rama V the Great “Phra Maha Phutthaphim”. A new main chapel was constructed to house the image. Upon completion, King Rama V the Great established the temple as one of the royal temples.
To pay respect to Luangpho ...
The Thai national team, the War Elephants, hosted Turkmenistan in a high-stakes final match of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers Group D at Rajamangala National Stadium in Bangkok on March 31, 2026.
Both sides entered the evening tied on 12 points after five matches, with Thailand needing a victory to overcome the head-to-head deficit from their earlier 1-3 loss in Turkmenistan and secure top spot, while the visitors could advance with a draw.
Under head coach Anthony Hudson, Thailand fielded a solid lineup featuring experienced players such as Patiwat Khammai in goal, defenders including Suphanan Bureerat, Manuel Bihr, Jonathan Khemdee, and Nicholas Mickelson, midfield anchors Theerathon Bunmathan and Thanawat Suengchitthawon, captain Chanathip Songkrasin, and forwards Supachai Chaided and others, setting up an intense battle for qualification to the finals in Saudi Arabia.
Thailand started strongly and broke the deadlock in the 15th minute when Suphanan Bureerat rose to head home a corner ...
This Mon style temple located on the bank of the Chao Phraya River in Pak Kret, Nonthaburi. It was constructed in the Thonburi period. Inside the old chapel, the walls are finely decorated with paintings in the Mon style. The temple is known as the area where the shipwreck of King Rama V's queen took place. A palace has been built to commemorate her on the river bank.
Her body was temporarily placed in the monastery before lying in state in Bangkok.
The ship was salvaged later and kept in the dock near the ancient wiharn that enshrines a big reclining Buddha.
There is also a pavilion constructed as another remembrance to her death in the Bang Pa-In Palace.
The temple with the murals in the Ayutthaya style ordination hall, giant reclining Buddha and the shrine to the late queen make this a great place to visit. Worth a few hours of your time.
Wat Ku - Queen of King Rama V’s Death Site - Pak Kret Nonthanaburi Thailand 2026
The Cathedral of the Nativity of Our Lady อาสนวิหารแม่พระบังเกิด บางนกแขวก, also known as Bang Nok Khwaek Cathedral, stands as a serene and striking landmark along the banks of the Mae Klong River in Bang Nok Khwaek subdistrict of Bang Khonthi district, Samut Songkhram Province, Thailand.
Constructed between 1890 and 1896 under the direction of French missionary Father Paolo Salmone, this historic Roman Catholic church rises as one of the oldest and most distinctive places of worship in the country, serving as the cathedral for the Diocese of Ratchaburi.
Its architecture embodies classic French Gothic Revival style, featuring a tall, slender spire that reaches approximately 50 meters into the sky and crowns a cross-shaped structure, drawing the eye upward in a graceful expression of verticality.
The exterior presents a blend of white and gray tones, achieved through fired brick walls coated in a unique plaster mixed with crushed sugarcane ...
