What are the most famous temples in Bangkok?
Wat Phra Kaew
Wat Phra Kaew is one of the most famous temples in Thailand. It was built in 1784, and the main hall is the Jade Buddha Hall, which houses the statue of the Jade Buddha, known as Thailand's national treasure, and is the highest-ranking temple for the Thai royal family to hold important national ceremonies.
Erawan Shrine (Four-Faced Buddha)
The Erawan Shrine is known as the "Buddha who answers all requests", with four Buddha faces representing love, career, health and wealth, and is in charge of all affairs on earth.
Reclining Buddha Temple (Wat Pho)
The Temple of the Reclining Buddha is the oldest temple in Bangkok and the largest temple in Thailand. The temple is famous for two reasons: one, it was the first university in Thailand and the birthplace of medicine and Thai massage; and two, as the name implies, the temple houses the largest statue of the Reclining Buddha in Thailand, measuring 46 meters in length.
Wat Arun
Wat Arun, known as Thailand's "Eiffel Tower," is the largest Mahayana relic-style pagoda in Thailand.
Its scale is second only to the Grand Palace and the Jade Buddha Temple in Bangkok, and is a very representative temple of Thailand with distinctive Thai characteristics. At night, taking a boat trip on the Chao Phraya River, the Wat Arun seen from the Chao Phraya River is more attractive than what is likes in the day.
What are the taboos for entering Thai temples?
Buddhism is the national religion of Thailand, therefore, Buddha statues, no matter how big or small, should be respected and should not be climbed. You should be courteous to monks, but do not give money directly.
Women are not allowed to touch monks, and if you need to offer something, you should ask a man to do it for you or put it directly on the table.
When visiting a temple, dress neatly, do not wear shorts, short skirts or sleeveless tops, and take off your shoes when entering the main hall.
Thai people regard the head as a sacred place, therefore, do not touch other people's heads casually. Do not use your feet to point at people and objects, especially the soles of your feet should not be directed at the Buddha statue, and do not use your feet to open or close doors.
What is the dress code for temples in Bangkok?
Top requirements: no tank tops, suspenders, sleeveless and other clothing.
Underwear requirements: no shorts, short skirts, torn pants and other pants.
Shoe requirements: no sandals.
Can I take pictures of the Buddha in the temple?
In Thailand, Buddhas are respected like parents and elders, they are very special. If you want to take a picture, you should take all the images of Buddha and Bodhisattva in the middle of the camera, and you should not let the head, body, etc. be mutilated. What's more, you should not pose in front of the Buddha with some strange movements, desecrating the Buddha and Bodhisattva, not to mention touching the statue with your hands, which are bad and disrespectful to Buddhism and Buddha.