Bangkok off the beaten track
Thonburi Khlong San area
 |
| Chao Phraya panorama from Memorial Bridge |
 |
| Khlong San map |
Like the other sides of the Thonburi riverbank, it has retained its authenticity and its layback atmosphere. It is a real heaven for curious hikers, cyclists or people in search of peace and inspiration. Due to its past history, it has retained a definite Chinese atmosphere up to this day. This is why there are Chinese shrines and temples. However, being Thailand, one will be surprised that there is also an old mosque (currently being restored) and a huge Thai monastery.
The first street to your left is surprisingly a large pedestrian soi called Uthai
Alley, which continues as Dilok Chan Alley after the bridge over the small khlong that goes into the Chao Phraya River. This district offers 5 major attractions:
- The Chao Pho Suea Shrine: a small Chinese shrine near a smaller khlong on the way back to the river bank.
- The Goowatin Islam Mosque: is on the river bank. It has a nice red wooden building with intricate wood panel designs. At the time, it was going under a large renovation. A signboard at the entrance reads as follows:
Goowatin Islam Mosque or Tuek Daeng Mosque is a mosque that was initially built by a group of Muslims from Saiburi of Su-Ngai Pattani city and a group of Muslim traders from the city of Surat in India, who came and established themselves and made a living in the Tuek Daeng area. Jointly these two groups set up the mosque at Tuek Daeng to carry out various religious activities. The building was originally a warehouse for goods belonging to Somdet Chao Phraya Ong Noi (That Bunnag), who then gave it so that a mosque could be built. Also, a religious teacher from Saiburi was invited to be the religious leader of the community. Many members came from various family lines such as the Sasanakun, Sensat, Praphruetchop and various others. The Saiburi Muslims from Su-Ngai Pattani city were a group of people, who had the ability in making Nak (an alloy of gold, silver & copper) and established their base in the Tuek Daeng area, from the time of the reign of King Rama III of Rattanakosin. Whereas the group of Muslims from India came to Thailand during the reign of King Rama IV and opened shops to trade. Within the same area, some of them actually became foreign language translators in the royal warehouse of Somdet Chao Phraya Ong Noi. One of them was Ali Bai Nana or whom everyone knew as Clerk Ali, who was the first generation of the Nana Family. Later on, he has conferred the honorary title of Phra Phichet Sanphanit. Other than this, there were other Indian traders from a different family lineage, that is the Wong Araya Family, who came into trade within the same area, before shifting to the Si Yaek Ban Khaek area.
|
 |
| Mosque balcony on the riverside |
 |
| Wood panel decoration |
- The Princess Mother Memorial Park: This is a lovely community park well frequented by people of all ages within the neighborhood. As it is a royal park, it is well tended. However, it has kept an unusual charm due to its tall tropical trees. It feels las if you were in a remote jungle comparable to Angkor Vat's, as the roots of some of the trees have grown over the few ruins that have been kept there.
There is also a small air-conditioned museum dedicated to the King's Mother. This is what the historical signboard here says:
Nearly 100 years ago, a young girl who was then the daughter of a goldsmith, but would later be Her Royal Highness Sri Nagarindra the Princess Mother, lived in a small rented house behind Wat Anongkaram. This was the first home that she could remember, and a school near Wat Anongkaram was the first school she attended. Her Royal Highness Sri Nagarindra the Princess Mother, who was affectionately called 'Princess Grandmother' of the Thai people, remembered in great detail this simple home in a mixed community of several ethnic groups and religious faiths. Her son, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, wanted to honor his mother on her eighth 12-year cycle (96) birthday by preserving her childhood home; but unfortunately, the house had long ago been torn down. Luckily, when Mr.Daeng and Mr.Lek Nana learned of the search for the house, they donated a 4 rai (0.64ha) plot near the original home.
His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej decided in 1993 to renovate this plot, once the home of Chao Phraya Sriphiphat Rattanarajakosathibodi (Pae Bunnag), Director General of the Royal Cargo Department during the reign of His Majesty King Rama V, to be the Somdet Phra Sri Nagarindra The Princess Mother Memorial Park.
One of the older buildings from the time of His Majesty King Rama III has been converted into a museum on the life and work of Her Royal Highness the Princess Mother and in the neighborhood where she first grew up. A replica has also been built for her original childhood house while the grounds have been developed as a community park where a variety of activities are held for people of all ages of the neighborhood and other visitors.
|
- Gong Wu Shrine: From the park, it is easy to walk back to the river bank in order to see a very old Chinese temple, which dates back to the time when Bangkok was just a trading post with eastern or western countries.
Gong Wu Shrine is an ancient shrine and has a history dating back to over 268 years. It is located on the bank of the Chao Phraya River in Somdet Ya (Princess Mother) community nearby Somdet Ya park, behind Wat Anong Kharam in Khlong San area of Thonburi side according to the legend. It is to be said that in the Chinese-style shrine there are altogether three Gong Wu statues. The smallest statue was brought to Thailand around the year 1736, which was during the time that Emperor Chen Long of the Qing dynasty was reigning in China. The Hokkien Chinese brought it by ship from the Hokkien Provinceand enshrined it in the shrine, which was very small at that time. Later on, in 1802 during the reign of Emperor Chia Qing of the Qing dynasty. The middle Gong Wu statue was brought to Thailand as well, and the shrine was then named Guang Di Gu Miao. Then in the year 1822, during the reign of Emperor Tao Guang of the Qing dynasty, there was a rich Chinese named Mr. Kung Seng, who renovated the shrine and made it bigger. And he brought the third statue to enshrine together with the existing ones in the shrine. Besides, he also built a bell for the shrine.
Consequently, in the year 1901, the committee and disciples considered to rebuild the new shrine because the old one was dilapidated. Once it was completed, they named it Guang Di Gu Sheng Miao.
|
 |
| Gong Wu Shrine |
 |
| Door decoration |
 |
| Statue of a horse |
 |
| Somdet Chao Phraya community |
 |
| Prayer inside the Prang |
It is called Wat Phitchaya Yatikaram Worawihan: It is an interesting example of mix cultures as it originally dates back from the Ayutthaya period. First, it has kept a Thai-Cambodian look due to its huge Prang flanked by two smaller ones. It is worth climbing the steep staircase all the way up to the shrines. But then the Ubosot has a more Chinese influence. The historical signboard at the temple explains the reason why:
This temple is one that belongs to the second category and is a Worawihan type. Originally, it was an abandoned temple. When Somdet Chao Phraya Borom Mahaphichaiyat (That Bunnag) was the Phraya Sri Phiphat Rattanaratkosa, during the reign of King Rama III, he ordered it to be restored in the year 1841. During that time, Somdet Chao Phraya Borom Mahaphichaiyat had many junk boats that were used in trade with other countries. Therefore, most of the construction materials to restore this temple were actually brought from China. Therefore, the permanent structure has a Chinese architectural style. The important feature in the temple hall is that it has a small ubosot, and has a roof that resembles a Chinese carriage hood, and there is no Chorfa (finial on the roof, typical of Thai temples). The temple's roof edging on both sides is made of cement shaped into dragons with tiles as well. The rooftop in the balcony is painted with flowers of various colors. The Phalai pillar is made from a circular stone, and on the base of the pillar, there are carvings of pictures from the Chinese legend Samkok (the romance of the three cliques). The main door entrance of the ubosot is decorated with water-coloured designed painting of a Chinese warrior stepping on a lion. The middle door is also with a watercolor design, with an angel carrying a double-edged dagger stepping on a lion. Within the ubosot, the ceilings and the pillars have beautiful flower artwork. The ceiling above the main window has drawings of various heavenly trees, such as the Nari Phon Tree and the Pink Cassia. Behind the principal Buddha image in the temple is an image of a glass arbor. The frontal area of the ubosot is paved with stone pieces from China. The leaf-like boundary stone of King Rama III's reign was a double stone, and the arbor for the boundary stone was designed by the Thai craftsmen but the stones themselves were specially ordered to be carved directly from China. The principal Buddha image is one from the Sukhothai era and is known as Phra Sittharot.
|
 |
| Ubosot entrance |
 |
| White Chedi |
 |
| Main Prang view |
 |
| Small Prang |
Christian Sorand
No comments:
Post a Comment