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 ...
In this year’s ASEAN Hyundai Cup, Group B concluded with Thailand topping the standings on a perfect record of four wins, ten goals scored and none conceded for twelve points. Malaysia finished second with nine points to advance alongside them, while Myanmar ended third on six points after the final round of matches and were eliminated. The Philippines took fourth and Laos finished bottom without a point.
Thailand entered the tournament as seven time champions and the clear favorites in the group under coach Anthony Hudson. The War Elephants have looked solid and clinical throughout, keeping clean sheets in every outing while rotating players effectively.
Myanmar, coached by Jørn Andersen, showed attacking threat with high-scoring wins over the Philippines and Laos but were inconsistent, suffering an opening loss to Malaysia and ultimately falling short of qualification.
Last night at Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand secured a 2-0 victory over Myanmar to finish first in Group B. ...
A visit to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi is one of the most significant sites in modern Vietnamese history. Following the death of Ho Chi Minh in 1969, the Vietnamese leadership decided, against his own wishes for a simple cremation, to preserve his body for public veneration, much as Lenin’s remains had been treated in Moscow.
Construction of the mausoleum began on 2 September 1973 on the very spot in Ba Dinh Square where Ho Chi Minh had declared Vietnam’s independence in 1945. Designed through collaboration between Vietnamese and Soviet architects and engineers, the structure draws clear inspiration from Lenin’s Mausoleum while incorporating local elements such as a gently tiered roof reminiscent of traditional Vietnamese temples. Grey granite cladding, sturdy columns, and materials sourced from across the country give the building a sense of permanence and national unity.
The mausoleum was formally inaugurated on 29 August 1975, and since then it has served as both a place of quiet ...
Ô Quan Chưởng, also known as the Old East Gate or Đông Hà Môn, stands as the last remaining outer city gate of historic Thăng Long, the forerunner of modern Hanoi.
Constructed in 1749 during the tenth year of the Cảnh Hưng era under King Lê Hiển Tông, it formed part of the network of outer fortifications that once enclosed the capital.
The gate controlled access on the eastern side of the city walls, standing roughly eighty meters from the old Red River landing and serving the commercial ward of Đông Hà.
It was rebuilt in 1817 under Emperor Gia Long of the Nguyễn dynasty, retaining the form largely visible today: a brick and stone structure with three arched openings and an upper pavilion once used by guards for observation.
Above the central arch the characters for Đông Hà Môn remain, while a stone stele placed in 1881 by Governor Hoàng Diệu records an order forbidding gate keepers from harassing residents. The popular name Quan Chưởng is traditionally linked to stories...
