Bangkok circa 1965
Wat Sa Ket Ratchaworamahawihan (The Golden Mount) on the only hill in Bangkok, is of great significance for all followers of The Lord Buddha. 320 stairs take you up to the top for panoramic views of the Rattanakosin Island.
It is near the Phan Fa Lilat Intersection, Lan Luang Road, or in the past, it was outside the city wall along Khlong Maha Nak, the area where the former Khlong Bang Lamphu meets.
It is an ancient temple of the Ayutthaya period, which is a first-class royal temple of the Ratchawora Maha Wihan class.
Originally, it was known as Wat Sakae then later the whole temple was re-established in the reign of King Rama I the Great and given the new name of wat saket.
The Golden Mount chedi began to be built during the reign of King Rama IV the Great.
The King used the model from the Golden Mount of the Ayutthaya period, and construction was completed during the reign of King Rama V the Great.
It was bestowed the name Suwanbanphot and is 77 metres tall.
On the top of Suwanbanphot is the chedi that enshrines the Buddha’s relics received from India, which were dug from the hill of the old chedi in Kapilavastu.
It is a sanctuary and symbol of Wat Saket, and is also considered the navel of the city.
Every year, during the Loi Krathong Festival, there will be a seven-day and seven-night celebration, which has become a tradition to worship the Buddha’s relics continued to the present time. This is a sacred ceremony and enhances the prosperity of the country. Open 07.00 – 19.00 hrs. Entrance fee : 50 baht.
Bangkok (Hua Lamphong) railway station
Bangkok (Hua Lamphong) railway station is a railway station in Pathum Wan, the former central passenger terminal in Bangkok and the former railway hub of Thailand. It is in the center of the city in the Pathum Wan district, and is operated by the State Railway of Thailand (SRT). Long distance trains moved to the new central station at Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal in 2023.
The station was officially referred to by the State Railway of Thailand as Bangkok railway station or Sathani Rotfai Krung Thep (สถานีรถไฟกรุงเทพ) in Thai. Hua Lamphong (Thai: หัวลำโพง) was originally the informal name of the station, used by locals, tourist guides and the public press. In all documents published by the State Railway of Thailand (such as train tickets, timetables, and tour pamphlets) the station is uniformly transcribed as Krungthep (กรุงเทพ) in Thai.[3] As of 19 January 2023, following the opening of Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal, the station was officially renamed Bangkok (Hua Lamphong) railway station.
The name Hua Lamphong is the name of both a canal and a road (now filled as Rama IV Road) that used to pass near this station. The name Hua Lamphong, some say originated from the green plains surrounding the area in the past that were used to graze the cattle of the Muslim community, when the people saw the cattle running vigorously in the plains, it was named the Thung Wua Lamphong (‘swaggering bulls plains’), eventually being called Hua Lamphong. Others presumed that the name originated from a species of plant called Lamphong (Datura metel), a toxic plant that used to grow abundantly in the area.
It is also thought that the name may have a Malay origin as a mixture of khua in Thai, meaning ‘bridge’, and the word lampung in Malay (pronounced lumpung) meaning ‘to float’. Loi Khua Lumphung, thus meaning a temporary bridge (across or floating on the river) then become known as Hua Lamphong by Thais.
Democracy Monument
Democracy Monument is located on Thanon Ratchadamnoen.
The monument was commissioned to commemorate the 1932 Siamese coup d’etat which led to the establishment of a constitutional monarchy.
The foundation was erected on 24 June 1939 during the premiership of General Pibul Songkram, designed by M.L. Pum Malakul and sculpted by Sitthidech Saenghirun.Prof Sin Pirasi (Corrado Feroci) is the supervisor of constructing the monument.
General Pibul presided over the opening of this moment on 24 March 1940 with his speech: “The monument will be the center of all prosperity and progress in that it is the start point of many main avenues.
Several classic buildings are under way of construction on Ratchadamnoen Avenue as honor of the country and a response to King Rama V who set his mind that this avenue will be a pride.”
It is a relief sculpture, representing a palm-leaf manuscript box holding the Thai Constitutionon top of two golden offering bowls above a round turret made of copper of 3 meters in height which weighs 4 tons on the foundations in spherical shape on top.
The base is elevated with small steps.
The Constitution is symbolically guarded by four wing-like structures carved with embossed carvings and tiny fences surrounding the monument.
There were originally 75 small cannon around the outer ring of the monument.
The wings are 24 meters high, and this is also the radius of the base of the monument, marking the fact that the 1932 coup took place on 24 June.
The box is 3 meters high, representing the third month or June (originally April was the first month of the year) in which the coup took place and representing 3 powerful branches of the government (the executive, the legislative and the judicial).
Moreover, 75 small cannon around the outer ring of the monument represent the year of the coup, 2475 in the Buddhist calendar.
The chains represent the unity of the revolutionists.
The 4 reliefs at the base focus on the procedure of the revolutionary council during their meeting and carrying out the revolution on 24 June 1932.
The six gates of the turret represent the six proclaimed policies of the Phibul regime: “independence, internal peace, equality, freedom, economy and education.
Victory Monument
Victory Monument (Thai: อนุสาวรีย์ชัยสมรภูมิ, RTGS: Anusawari Chai Samoraphum) is a military monument in Bangkok, Thailand.
The monument was erected in June 1941 to commemorate the Thai victory in the Franco-Thai War.
The monument is in Ratchathewi District, northeast of central Bangkok, at the center of a traffic circle at the intersection of Phahonyothin, Phaya Thai, and Ratchawithi roads.
Since its erection in 1941, the monument has become a regular spot for protests along with the Democracy Monument.
It was constructed in 1941 under the premiership of Field Marshal Plaek Pibulsongkhram in Order to praise the heroic deeds of soldiers, policemen and civilians.
The Victory Monument is one of the most-seen monuments in Bangkok as it sits at one of Bangkok’s busiest intersections where Ratchavithi, Phyathai and Phahonyothin meet.
The monument was erected in 1941 in Order to tribute to 160 soldiers, policemen and civilians who fought for the kingdom during the border conflict in Indo China between Thailand and France.
The BTS Victory Monument station is one of the busiest train stations in the city as the area is also a transportation hub you can get buses to all parts of Bangkok and vans to nearby provinces, including major attractions like Pattaya, Hua Hin and the floating market.
