Grand Palace

Home to the sacred and mysterious Emerald Buddha, Wat Phra Kaew and the Grand Palace are, well, Grand. I just can’t get enough of looking at the ornate and colorful structures in this walled in former royal residence here in Bangkok, Thailand.

January 2001 I visited here with my friend Pan. She is Thai but had never been inside the Grand Palace. The Emerald Buddha is the most sacred Buddha image in Thailand. In addition, the royal associations with this Wat also made Pan nervous. Strict dress codes are enforced here. Shorts, sleeveless shirts, and open shoes are not allowed. You can get loaner gowns and shoes near the entrance, although they may be all loaned out during peak times.

The architecture is dominated by the green and orange tiled roofs and pointed spires. The pillars are encrusted with thousands of bits of colored glass. There are three spire-topped stupa representing the three eras in SE Asia Buddhist architecture, roughly the Cambodia, Burmese, and Thai styles.

An entire epic Buddhist story is depicted in the murals that cover the inside of the compound’s walls. These pictures are detailed and sensuous. They show battles, romances, chariots, elephants, tigers, palaces, village life, and the whole range of human struggles and desires.

The Emerald Buddha is supposedly really jasper or jade and is about 60 to 75 cm high. It sits in a glass case high up on its own pedestal. Photography is not allowed in this building. It is considered the symbol of Thai sovereignty. Sort of like our Declaration of Independence in the USA. Its origins are a mystery. Its style is 13th or 14th century Thai. Legend has it that it was made in India and imported to Siam. It has a history of being covered in plaster and gold leaf while in Wats in North Thailand. The Laos captured it around 1550. The Thais recaptured it 200 years later and moved it south to the new capital of Bangkok.
The Emerald Buddha has its own clothes. It has three royal robes, one for each Thai season: one for cool season, one for hot season, and one for the rainy season. The robes are changed at the beginning of each season by the king himself.

South of the Wats are large white marble building which are part European and part Thai in design. These are the former residences of prior king(s). The present king has another palace further north in the city.

Anyway, Pan and I walked around through lots of the grounds and buildings. But it gets hot in the afternoon and Pan was tired. So we left to go do a canal tour (separate story). Come in the morning when it is not so hot or crowded. The Hours are 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. Entrance fee is 125 baht for foreigners and free for Thais.

Enjoy the Grand Life.