Wa
(ว้า)
Name of a hill tribe in northern Thailand. Although only a few thousand
live in Thailand,
they are
a large people with their
majority living in
Burma
and
Yunnan,
where their number is estimated at around two million. Besides this, they are perhaps one of the most indigenous people in the
region. Headhunters at first, then communists, many
now have become illicit drug providers. According to some, Wa is a
Shan
term for aborigine and their worship of human skulls has prompted the
use of the name Ta Wa (Wild Wa), as opposed to
Lawa (Tame Wa).
They are
also called Wa Daeng (Red Wa).
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waan haang jorakae (ว่านหางจระเข้)
See
haang
jorakae.
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waan kaab hoy (ว่านกาบหอย)
Thai
designation for a plant with the scientific name Rhoeo spathacea, in
English commonly known by a variety of names, including
Moses-in-the-Cradle, Purple-leaved Spiderwort,
Oyster
Plant, etc. It consists of
succulent herbaceous stems to 25 centimeters long, which are green
above and purple on the underside, in order to enhance
photosynthesis (fig.).
When flowering, it bears small, white, 3-parted flowers at base of
leaves, held between 2 purple bracts (fig.). It is widely used as a low, bedding groundcover in
parks and gardens. Fresh leaves are said to treat sore throat and
cough, and to relieve thirst. In addition they can also be used as
an external anti-inflammatory. In Thai it is also called waan kaab
hoy khraeng (ว่านกาบหอยแครง). The plant is very similar to the
creeper Purple Heart (Tradescantia pallida), which in Thai
translates as hua jai muang (หัวใจม่วง). Also transcribed wahn kahb
hoi.
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waanlawichanih (วาลวิชณี)
Thai. ‘Yak's
tail fan’. See
padwaanlawichanih.
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wachira (วชิร)
Thai for
vajra,
meaning sceptre, diamond or thunderbolt (fig.).
The name appears frequently as a prefix in Thai nomenclature, e.g.
Wachirawut,
Wachiralongkorn,
etc.
See also THEMATIC STREET LIGHT (1)
and
(2).
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Wachiralongkorn (วชิราลงกรณ)
Another -often used- transliteration for the name of prince
Vajiralongkorn.
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Wachirawut (วชิราวุธ)
1. Thai. ‘Armed with a
wachira’.
Name of the Thai king
(fig.) with the crown title
Rama VI (fig.)
who ascended the throne
on Sunday 23 October 1910, after the death of King
Chulalongkorn
and remained king until his death in
1925.
He is often portrayed holding a
sceptre, which in
Thai is known as a
wachira
(fig.),
a reference to both his name and status, and the top of the lanterns
surrounding the area of his statue in front of
Bangkok's
Lumphini Park
(fig.),
are likewise adorned with a sceptre (fig.).
Statues and monuments of this
king can be found in many places nationwide, especially in and
around
Bangkok (map
-
fig.).
His achievements (fig.)
include the change of the Siamese flag from a red field with a
White Elephant
(fig.)
to the current
horizontally red-white-blue-white-red
striped
banner
(fig.),
the introduction of the
Krut Trah Tang Hahng
(fig.),
the
establishment of
the
look seua
(fig.),
the construction of his
Chaleemongkon
Asana
Residence (fig.),
etc.
His name is also
transcribed
Vajiravudh. See
list of Thai kings.
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2.
A designation for the Vedic god
Indra.
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waen fah (แว่นฟ้า)
Thai.
‘Embedded with pieces of glass’. Name of an art form in which
objects, figurines or statues are inlaid with mirrored-glass. It is
often used
in trays, bases or
phaan
(fig.),
and with statues or figurines
sometimes
coloured glass is used (fig.).
See also
kaew.
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Waen Kon (แหวนกล)
Thai. ‘Magical ring’. Golden rings set with gemstones which
can be separated into four connected rings. It is typically produced in
Chanthaburi
province and is usually made into the shape of various animals, such as a
serpent,
naga, crab, fish, shrimp, etc.
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wah (วา)
Thai longitudinal
measurement equal to ca. two meters, or 96
niw, which
exactly equals 199.968 centimeters.
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wahnon (วานร)
Pali
word for ‘monkey’ or
‘ape’, which in Thai is called
ling.
However, when referring to the monkey-warriors of the
Ramakien,
usually the Pali term
wahnon is used rather than ling, as in
Wahnon Sip-paet Mongkut.
See also
THEMATIC STREET LIGHT.
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Wahnon Sip-paet Mongkut (วานรสิบแปดมงกุฎ)
Pali-Thai. ‘Eighteen crowned
monkeys’. Term used to refer to the eighteen deities that took
avatars
as monkey-warriors. They occur in the epic
story of the
Ramakien, and
include
Phra Phareuhadsabodih
(fig.),
who reincarnated as
Malunthakeson
(fig.);
Phra Phirun,
who became
Wayabud (fig.);
Phra Isaan,
who took as avatar
Chaiyaamphawaan
(fig.);
and
Phra Angkahn (fig.),
who was reborn as
Wisantrahwih (fig.).
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Waht Witthayawat
(วาจวิทยาวัฑฒน์)
Thai.
Name of a
Luang, who was
the
first dean and founder of the
Faculty of Dentistry of
the
Chulalongkorn
University in
Bangkok, which he in
1940 established as the nation's
first institution for the education of oral health personnel. The
Museum of Dentistry
(fig.),
located on the university's campus,
was established in commemoration of Waht Witthayawat and is named after him.
Also transliterated Vach Vidyavaddhana.
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wai (ไหว้)
Thai. The hands
brought together
in front of the chest or face,
or above the head, as a greeting (fig.) or to pay respect (fig.). The height of the hands
increases with the amount of respect paid, depending on who is greeted and
according to social status. The more respect given the higher the hands are
held (fig.).
The young or the subordinate should always wai the older or senior
person first, as it is believed by some that the opposite may cause
the life of the former to be shortened. In Buddhism, this gesture,
which is also known as
phranommeua, correspondents with a
mudra
called namaskara in Sanskrit and
namadsakahn
in Thai, which represents prayer. It is often a gesture made by
Avalokitesvara
when
depicted with more than two arms. See also
wai kruh
and
aphiwaht.
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wai kruh
(ไหว้ครู)
Thai.
‘Greeting to the
teacher’. Homage to a teacher, instructor or lecturer by bringing the hands
together as in a traditional greeting or
wai.
See also
Wan Kruh and
compare with
ram muay. Also transcribed wai kroo.
See POSTAGE STAMPS (1)
and (2).
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waiolin mai phai
(ไวโอลินไม้ไผ่)
Thai. ‘Bamboo violin’. Name for two different kinds of bowed string instrument,
both made
from bamboo. The first one is a stringed musical instrument made entirely
from bamboo, including even the strings. It consists of a section of thick
bamboo with a length of about 70-80 centimeters, with the strings
cut out vertically from the trunk itself and held up from the surface
by tiny pieces of wood
which are also used to tune the instrument. It is played with a bow
and used particularly by the northern hill tribe people (fig.) of
Mae Hong Son
province. Besides this a second model of bamboo violin exists. The
latter also has a body or sound box made from a bamboo cylinder, but
with real violin strings, a neck and a peg box. This one is found
more commonly, throughout Thailand.
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Waiyawet (ไวยเวทย์)
Thai. ‘One with Magical
Powers’. Name of a
yak
character who is depicted with a red complexion and bulging
tah phlohng, i.e. ‘wide open eyes’.
He wears a
chadah-style
crown similar to that of
Indrachit (fig.)
and that of
Totsakiriton (fig.),
of which the latter also has a red complexion.
His weapon is a
gada, i.e. a
club or mace.
Unlike many other giant characters, he has no upright fangs in the
corners of his mouth, but rather
protruding vampire-like teeth. His usually referred to as
Thao
Waiyawet and also transliterated Wayawet. At
Wat Thipsukhontharam
(fig.)
in
Kanchanaburi,
he
is erected in pair with
Subankhiri
(fig.),
as guardians of
Phra Phutta Mettaprachathai
(fig.).
See
also
MAP
and
TRAVEL PICTURES.
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Wajirunhit
(วชิรุณหิศ)
First crown prince of the
Rattanakosin period. Born on 2 July 1878 heir to the throne and son of
King
Chulalongkorn
and Queen
Sawang Watthana
(fig.). According to some sources he was more intelligent
than most of his peers and was very conscientious. At the age of 13 he
wrote his own diary with an agenda of duties and responsibilities for himself as
future king. He was the favourite of King Chulalongkorn, who personally instructed
and prepared him with the purpose to succeed him. In 1895,
he unexpectedly
died from typhoid
and was succeeded by his thirteen year old half-brother
Wachirawut
(fig.),
the eldest son of Queen Saowapha, who in 1910 eventually ascended the
throne as
Rama VI.
Also transcribed
Vajirunhis.
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wak (วรรค)
Thai. A space between phrases or sentences used in Thai writing, in
place of punctuation marks.
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Wali
(วาลี)
Thai. Name of a character from
the story
Phra Aphaimanih
(fig.)
by
Sunthorn Phu
(fig.).
She is an ugly-looking, yet intelligent woman commander in the army
of Phaleuk (ผลึก)
and responsible for the royal harem of concubines.
When
Prince
Utsaren
and his father,
the King of
Langka,
attacked the Kingdom of
Phaleuk,
Utsaren is
captured. To avoid an even bigger battle if the prince would be set
free, he is instead teased and taunted by the ugly
Wali until he dies of rage. As
a result, Wali is in turn killed by an illness caused by the ghost
of Utsaren. Also
referred to as
Nang
Wali, i.e. ‘Miss
Wali’.
See also POSTAGE STAMP.
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walking
Buddha
An important new
development in iconographic art introduced during the
Sukhothai period. Images of walking Buddhas refer to a scene in the life of the
Buddha when he returned from the
Tavatimsa heaven
after he preached there to his mother who had died seven days after his birth.
He is descending to earth
by stairs accompanied by the gods
Brahma and
Indra.
In combination with a
vitarka or
dhammachakka mudra this form refers to peripatetic instruction. Today, images of walking Buddhas
are found throughout Thailand (fig.).
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Walrus Tusk Beetle
Common name for a species of
longhorn beetle in the family Cerambycidae, and with the scientific
designation Dorysthenes walkeri.
READ ON.
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Wan Anurak
Moradok Thai (วันอนุรักษ์มรดกไทย)
See
Thai Heritage Conservation Day.
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Wan Damrong Rachanuphaap
(วันดำรงราชานุภาพ)
Thai for ‘Damrong Rachanuphaap
Day’,
an annual memorial day held on
1 December, the day that coincides with the date of this prince's demise
in 1943, and on which he is now annually remembered. Unlike the
annual
Chulalongkorn Day
in October, it is
not a public holiday. Also transcribed Wan
Damrong Rajanubhab.
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Wan Chakri (วันจักรี)
Thai name for
Chakri Day.
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Wan Chaleum
Phra Chonma Phansa (วันเฉลิมพระชนมพรรษา)
Thai. Birthday of King
Rama IX,
which is 5 December and coincides with National Day, as well as with Father's Day in Thailand, as
the King is largely as the the father of the nation.
On this day, public and company buildings, as
well as many private homes across the nation are
adorned with the yellow personal royal flag of the
monarch (fig.),
as well as the Thai national flag.
In addition,
shrines with large pictures of the Thai monarch are erected and
adorned with flowers and other offerings, and across the country
there are fireworks (fig.).
On the King's 80th birthday, the firework even included some
personalized shapes (fig.).
The symbol of Father's Day is the Canna, known in Thai as
Phuttaraksah
(fig.).
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Wan Chat Mongkon (วันฉัตรมงคล)
Thai name for
Coronation Day, when Thai sovereignty is celebrated.
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Wang (วัง)
1. Thai. Name of a river in
North Thailand that near
Nakhon Sawan merges with the rivers
Nan,
Yom (fig.) and
Ping
(fig.), thus forming the
Chao Phraya
River (fig.).
See MAP.
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2. Thai for ‘palace’. If it is the palace of a king it is called
Phra
Rachawang. Compare
with the Chinese word
wang.
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wang (王)
Chinese for ‘king’ or ‘ruler’. The character consists of three
horizontal strokes and one vertical stroke. It is a pictograph in
which the top horizontal stroke represents ‘heaven’, the bottom
horizontal stroke ‘earth’ and the middle horizontal stroke the
‘emperor’ or ‘king’, who was regarded as a Son of Heaven and as such the liaison between heaven and earth,
a task
symbolized by the vertical stroke in the character (fig.).
Tigers
have a distinctive mark on their forehead, that strongly
resembles this Chinese character (fig.).
The tiger, rather than the lion, is hence regarded as the King
of the Animals in Chinese culture,
simultaneously symbolizing
royalty
and fearlessness. The Thai word
for ‘palace’ is similarly
Wang
and suggests a likely etymological relation to the Chinese word for king.
See also
yu,
zhu,
and
CHINESE
CHARACTER FORMATION & ETYMOLOGY.
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Wang Ban Dokmai (วังบ้านดอกไม้)
Thai. ‘Flower House Palace’.
Name of the
former residence of Prince
Burachat Chaiyakon,
the
Krom Phra of
Kamphaeng Phet
(fig.),
located in
Bangkok's
Ban
Baat
District.
After it was abandoned by the prince, the building for a while also housed the
Revenue Department,
when the latter
moved its offices from
Ho Ratsadakon Phiphat
(fig.),
located within the
Grand Palace complex.
Today, Wang Ban Dokmai seems to stand idle and in need of some
patching-up.
See also POSTAGE STAMP
and
MAP.
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Wang Bang Khun Phrom
(วังบางขุนพรหม)
Thai. Name of a former Royal Palace, located on the banks of the
Chao Phraya River.
READ ON.
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Wang Burapha Phirom
(วังบูรพาภิรมย์)
Thai. Name of a former Royal Palace, that was
once located
in the South of
Rattanakosin
Island.
READ ON.
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Wang Ka (วังกะ)
Thai. Until 1939 the (former) name of
Sangkhlaburi.
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Wang Chan Kasem (วังจันทรเกษม)
Thai.
‘Happy
Moon Palace’.
Name of a royal mansion in
Bangkok's
Dusit area
and since 1941 the
home of the Ministry of
Education.
READ
ON.
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Wang Klai Kangwon (วังไกลกังวล)
1. Thai.
‘Palace
Far Away from Sorrow’. Name of the Royal Summer Palace
in
Hua Hin,
built between 1927 and 1929 on the order of King
Prajadhipok
and despite its name, it became the place where King
Rama VII
was informed of the 1932 Revolution that ended his power and
replaced the Absolute Monrachy with a Constitutional Monrachy. The palace is still used as
a gettaway from
Bangkok
by the current King and Queen.
See MAP.
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2. Thai.
‘Palace
Far Away from Sorrow’. Name of a school in
Hua Hin,
named after the
Royal Summer Palace and where King
Bhumipol Adulyadej
initiated a royal project
to use the THAICOM
satellite for tele-education, which serves as the centre for
disseminating secondary level education via satellite, to schools in
rural areas.
The project is honoured on a Thai postage stamp issued in 1997, to
pay homage to
and to publicize the genius of
King
Rama IX
in telecommunications (fig.).
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Wang Lang (วังหลัง)
Thai. ‘Rear
Palace’.
Royal title given to the third king, as well as to his residential
palace. Compare with
Wang Nah
and see also
Krom Phra
Rachawang Bowon Sathaan Phimuk.
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Wang Matcha (วังมัจฉา)
Thai. ‘Fish
Palace’
or ‘Palace [of the] Fish’.
Name of the second level
in the series of seven falls of the Erawan
Waterfall
(fig.)
at
Erawan
National Park (fig.)
in
Kanchanaburi
Province. The name refers to the fish that dwell in
basin at the base of this cascade. Visitors can swim here and when
resting in the water the fish will come over and nipple from any exposed skin
taking many a bather by surprise, when they are unexpectedly treated
with this underwater
massage.
See MAP.
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Wang Nah (วังหน้า)
Thai. ‘Front Palace’.
Royal title given to the viceroy or vice-king, as well as to his
residential palace.
Compare with
Wang Lang
and see also
Krom Phra
Rachawang Bowon Sathaan Mongkon,
as well as
Wang Nah Chan Kasem in
Ayutthaya (map
- fig.).
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Wang Parutsakawan (วังปารุสกวัน)
Thai.
‘Parutsakawan Palace’.
Name of a European-style royal mansion in
Bangkok's
Dusit area,
named after one of the four paradise gardens of the
Hindu
god
Indra.
READ ON.
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Wang Pramuan (วังประมวญ)
Thai.
‘Combined Palace’.
Name of the royal residence of
Prince
Phitayalongkorn
(fig.)
and later of his son
Phisadet Ratchani.
READ ON.
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Wang Sra Pathum (วังสระปทุม)
Thai. ‘Lotus Pond Palace’. The residence of Princess Maha Chakri
Sirindhorn,
located in
Bangkok's Pathumwan District,
along
Khlong Saen Saeb
(fig.).
It has been in use since 1915 and was previously the residence of
Queen
Sawang Watthana
(fig.),
a consort of King
Rama V and the
grandmother of King
Bhumipon Adunyadet.
The compound has several buildings, the main one being Phra Tamnak
Yai (พระตำหนักใหญ่
-
fig.), i.e.
‘Large Royal Residence’.
See also
sra
and
pathum,
as well as
MAP.
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Wang Theptaroh Daen Mangkon Hom (วังเทพธาโร
แดนมังกรหอม)
Thai. ‘Selasian Wood
Palace, Realm of the Aromatic Dragons’. Name of a garden in
Trang.
READ
ON.
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Wang Wei (王维)
Chinese. Name of a Chinese poet and artist from the Tang Dynasty,
who was also known as the Poetic Buddha, and one of the most
celebrated men of arts of his time. Besides a poet, he was also a
renowned painter, a successful statesman, and a talented musician
who played the
pipa (fig.). He was born in 701 AD and died
in 761 AD. Of his poetic opus, a corpus of around 400 poems survive.
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Wang Witthayu (วังวิทยุ)
Thai. ‘Wireless Palace’. Name of
the former
residence
of
Prince
Rangsit Prayurasakdi in
Bangkok.
READ ON.
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Wang Woradit (วังวรดิศ)
Thai-Pali. ‘Palace of the Glorious Ditsakun
Family’. Name of the former
residence
of
Prince
Damrong Rachanuphaap.
READ ON.
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wan kohn (วันโกน)
Thai. ‘Shaving day’. The day of the month on
which Buddhist monks and novices shave their heads anew, in Thailand
traditionally on the day before
wan phen,
i.e. the day of the new moon or full moon. It is said that one
reason for monks and novices to shave their heads is to resemble the
features of a
naga, for just as the naga
helped the Buddha in his ordeal to reach
Enlightenment, also the children
help their parents to get a better afterlife, by making merit for
them by ordaining or becoming a
buatnaag.
In Thailand, monks and novices also shave off the eyebrows, whereas
in neighbouring
Theravada
Buddhist countries, i.e.
Myanmar,
Cambodia, and
Laos,
monks and novices do not shave off the eyebrows, and in Myanmar,
monks and novices shave their heads four times a month (fig.). See also
buat.
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Wan Kruh (วันครู)
Thai.
‘Day of the teacher’. A day, in the past usually on a Thursday
somewhere in June or
July, because Thursday in the
Phra prajam wan-system
is associated with meditation and hence with learning and teaching.
However, now the day is officially set to be on January 16th of each year,
irrespective of what day it is (though depending on the school, it
may still be held on another day or date), when students collectively pay respect to their teachers (wai
kruh). On this day teachers (kruh
means ‘teacher, tutor or master’
and derives from the word
guru) receive offerings from
their students. These could be anything, but usually include trays
with
phum dokmai,
called
phaan
phum, as well as other flowers and gifts. However, formerly they would receive a
golden tray with three kinds of flowers: i.e. the
ixora, in
Thai called ‘kem’, the flower of the ‘makeua’ or eggplant, and a
lotus.
These flowers each have their own symbolic implication: ‘kem’ means
‘needle’, and refers to the wit that the students will obtain by their tuition; the flower
of the eggplant bends under the weight of its fruit and thus indicates obedience
and respect; and the lotus is the general symbol for
Enlightenment. Wan Kruh dates
back to the period when the temple was the only centre of education.
of each year. The day is now officially known as
Wan Kruh Haeng Chaht, i.e.
‘National Teacher's Day.
Alternatively spelled Wan Kroo. Compare with
ram muay.
See also
Phra Phareuhadsabodih
and the postage stamp issued to mark the Centennial of Thai Teachers
Training (fig.).
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Wan Kruh Haeng Chaht (วันครูแห่งชาติ)
Thai. ‘National Teacher's day’. See
Wan Kruh.
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Wan Mae (วันแม่)
Thai.
‘Mother Day’. Thai public holiday and birthday of queen
Sirikit. This refers to the queen's status
as a public mother figure. It is annually celebrated on 12
August. Since
jasmine,
known in Thai as
dok
ma-li,
is in Thailand
considered a symbol for maternal love, it has been assigned to be
the flower of
Mother Day (fig.).
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Wan Makha Bucha (วันมาฆบูชา)
Thai for the day when
Makha Bucha is annually celebrated.
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Wan Muay Thai (วันมวยไทย)
Thai. ‘Muay
Thai Day’.
Initiated in 2012 and annually on 6 February.
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Wanna Uthayaan
(วนอุทยาน)
Thai name for any forest park, similar to a National Park (Uthayaan Haeng Chaat),
but with a different status and usually covering a smaller area.
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wannayuk
(วรรณยุกต์)
Thai linguistic term meaning
‘tone mark’. A
tone mark is used to change the tone and the meaning of a word. Thai language
has four tone marks but five tones: the middle or common tone (siang sahman - uses no tone
mark), the low tone (mai ek - อ่), the
falling tone (mai toh - อ้), the high tone (mai trih - อ๊) and the rising tone (mai
chatawah
- อ๋).
MORE ON THIS.
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Wannongkrahn (วรรณนงคราญ)
Thai. Name of one of the seven
guardian spirits that looks out for children and that are generally
known as
Mae Seua.
This
thevada guards all the children that are born on a
Monday and is represented with an off-white (khao-nuan)
human-like body and the head of a
horse.
Compare also with
Ma Mian,
i.e.
‘Horse-Face’
(fig.).
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wan phen (วันเพ็ญ)
Thai for ‘full-moon day’.
The day of full moon often coincides with Buddhist holidays.
A painting named
Full Moon (จันทร์เพ็ญ) by
the Thai artist Manit Poo-ahrih
(มานิตย์
ภู่อารีย์)
was depicted on a Thai postage stamp issued on 2 August 2013 (fig.)
as part of a set of eight stamps on contemporary art in the third
series of commemorative stamps to mark the 2013 World Stamp
Exhibition. See
also
Wan Phra and
Wan Tham Masawana.
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Wan Pheut Mongkon (วันพืชมงคล)
Thai for the day when the
royal
ploughing ceremony is held.
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Wan Phra (วันพระ)
Thai. Buddhist holiday in Thailand. Often coinciding with
wan phen
or full moon day. Also
Wan Tham
Masawana.
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Wan Piya Maha Raj (วันปิยะมหาราช)
Thai.
‘Day of the beloved great king’. Thai name for
Chulalongkorn Day, a public holiday on 23 October. Also
transcribed Wan Piya Maha Raat. See also
Piya Maha
Raj.
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Wan Raeng Ngan (วันแรงงาน)
Thai for ‘Work Force Day’. Thai
term for Labour Day. It is a public holiday, held annually on May
1st.
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Wan Rattamnoon (วันรัฐธรรมนูญ)
Thai.
‘Constitution Day’. Thai name for the public holiday celebrated on 10 December commemorating the
constitution.
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Wan Tamruat (วันตำรวจ)
Thai. ‘Police Day’. Thai name
for the national observance day that since 1915 is held annually on
13 October in honour of the
Royal Thai Police
(fig.).
National Police Day is celebrated in various ways,
usually with every city and police station in the nation organizing
its own ceremonies and events. Celebrations usually begin by a
speech in front of the local police station and attended by local
dignities and religious leaders, and followed by a memorial service
in honour of police officers who died in the line of duty. After the
official rituals, various events are organized that are usually also
open to the public. Also referred to as Wan Tamruat Haeng Chaht (วันตำรวจแห่งชาติ),
i.e. ‘National Police Day’.
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Wan Tham Masawana (วันธรรมสวนะ)
Thai. Buddhist holiday. Often coinciding with full moon
or
wan phen. Also
Wan Phra.
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Wanthong (วันทอง)
Thai. ‘Day of Gold’ or ‘Golden Day’. One of the main characters from the story
Khun
Chang Khun Paen written by King
Phra Phutta Leut La. The
bigamous Wanthong vacillated between true love and respectability
and was eventually executed by the king as a troublemaker. Her
headless spirit
Praet Wanthong
later appeared to halt a fight between her son and her stepson. Wanthong is depicted on the fourth design of a set of four
postage stamps (fig.)
on the story, issued in 2011 to
mark National Children's Day.
Also known as
Nang Phimphilalai.
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wan tua (วันตัว)
Thai for the day of the week on which one was born. Like a horoscope
in the West, the days of the week are in Thailand used to verify
one's personality and fortune, like in the systems
phra prajam wan,
thep
prajam wan,
dao prajam wan,
sat prajam wan and
sih prajam wan.
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Wan Visakha Bucha (วันวิสาขบูชา)
Thai name for the day when
Visakha Bucha is annually celebrated.
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Wan Waithayakon (วรรณไวทยากร)
Thai.
Name of a
grandson of King
Mongkut (fig.),
who was born on 25 August 1891. He studied at Oxford University and the Paris
Institute of Political Studies, and was an Army Major General with
the royal rank of
Krom Meuan.
READ ON.
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Wan Yahwachon Haeng Chaht (วันเยาวชนแห่งชาติ)
Thai. ‘National Youth Day’. Set
up in Thailand in the year 1985, after the United Nations announced 1985 as
International Youth Year and invited its members to participate in
the celebrations under the slogan Participation, Development and
Peace. So,
on 18 June
1985, the then government passed a decree to make September 20th of
each year National Youth Day, a date chosen in honour of
King
Rama VIII, who was
born on
20
September 1925 and
ascended the
throne as a
youthful king, as well as
of King
Rama V, whose
birthday is
20 September 1853. In 2010, a Thai
postage stamp was issued to mark the 25th anniversary of the
National Youth Day (fig.).
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wararam (วราราม)
Pali-Thai. Title
that derives from combining the words
wora and
araam,
meaning ‘superb’ or ‘excellent’, and
‘temple’ respectively. It
is often included in names of temples, e.g.
Wat Sothon Wararam Worawihaan,
Wat Thawon Wararam
(fig.),
Wat Arun Rajawararam,
Wat Suthat Thepwararam,
etc. It can also be transcribed warahrahm or waraaraam, and is
sometimes pronounced woraram.
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war elephant
See
chang seuk.
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Warih Kunchon (วารีกุญชร)
Thai-Pali.
‘Elephant [of the] water’. Also transcribed Waree Kunchorn. See
Chang Nahm.
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Warunih (วารุณี)
Thai goddess of wine.
Also transliterated Warunee.
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wasabi
(わさび, 山葵, 和佐比)
Japanese. ‘Japanese horseradish’. Name of a plant which root is used
as a spice.
READ ON.
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wasp
See
feng.
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Wasp Moth
Common name of a species of day-flying moth, that belongs to the
family of Syntominae. The species, known by the scientific names Syntomis and Amata, has several subspecies, usually discerned by the
different wing patterns and the rings on their abdomen. Species
found in Southeast Asia include Syntomis huebneri (fig.)
and Syntomoides imaon (fig.),
the latter which is also commonly known as the
Handmaiden Moth
(fig.) or Tiger Grass
Borer. Wasp Moths are about the same size of
a small wasp and mimic its colouring. This disguise aides them in their
protection, as predators are less likely to attack them if they
believe they could be harmed. Even humans often take them for wasps. Adults feed on pollen and nectar from
flowers. Their caterpillars can do substantial
damage to orchard trees as they bore into the wood. It is
found in
Malaysia, as well as
in
Thailand,
where it is known as
phi seua yah, meaning ‘grass
butterfly’.
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Wasuthep (วาสุเทพ)
1. Thai name of
Gustave Schau (fig.),
the Danish
Lieutenant Colonel
who in 1897
AD was hired
by King
Chulalongkorn (fig.) to
set up a
Siamese Provincial
Police force, and of
which he became the first
Commander-in-Chief. From 1913 to 1915 he was appointed to the fifth
Chief of Police, with the rank of Major General and was bestowed
with the
bandasak
or
title
of
Phraya.
Also transliterated Vasuthep.
See also
Royal Thai Police.
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2. Another Thai name for
Narai or
Vishnu.
Also
transliterated Vasuthep.
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wat (วัด,
ວັດ)
Thai and Laotian word for a Buddhist temple or monastery,
derived from the Pali word avasa, as well
as from the Sanskrit word
avasatha.
A typical wat in Thailand is generally used for both religious,
educational and residential purposes, and consist in general of a
bot (boht -
fig.),
the ordination hall; a
viharn (fig. -
wihaan), the prayer hall; a
sala (fig.),
an open shelter with a roof; and a number of
kutis (fig.),
the quarters of the monks. Larger temples usually also have a
ho trai (fig.),
a library for Buddhist writings; a
mondop sometimes
housing a
Buddhapada; a
ho klong (fig.),
a drum tower; and a
ho rakhang (fig.),
a belfry; whilst smaller temples like the
wat pah, forest temples,
have in general no boht or ordination hall. In rural Thailand the wat
usually serves as a religious centre as well as a social meeting place.
Thailand has around 27,000 Buddhist temples. Also
araam.
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Wat Arun (วัดอรุณ)
Thai.
‘Temple of dawn’. An 86 meter high structure alongside the
Chao Phrya
River, with
prangs in
Khmer style consisting of a main
stupa flanked by four smaller ones, which are
actually prangs on a
chedi shaped base. Its grooved towers indicate that the authority who commissioned the
construction was a king.
When General
Taksin after the fall
of
Ayutthaya appeared with a liberating army on the Chao Phraya river at dawn the temple name was changed in
Wat Jaeng,
a synonym for the later Wat Arun which is derived from the Indian god
of dawn,
Aruna. In 1772 AD, when general
Chakri,
the later king Yotfa, was appointed supreme commander of the Siamese armies by
King Taksin, he conquered the Laotian city of
Vientiane and brought the
Emerald Buddha
(fig.) back to
Thonburi
where the statue was placed in Wat Arun. Today the temple is still in use by members of the royal court for religious
state ceremonies, such as the annual
kathin phra racha thaan (fig.).
Its official name is
Wat Arun Rajawarahrahm and the temple is one of the few throughout Thailand conferred
with the highest royal title of
Rajavora
Maha Vihaan.
Its outline is part of the logo of the
Tourism Authority of Thailand (fig.).
On the quayside in
front of the temple is a banner with in Thai the full name of
Krung Thep,
i.e.
Bangkok
(fig.).
See also POSTAGE STAMPS (1),
(2),
(3),
(4),
(5),
(6)
and
(7),
as well as
MAP,
TRAVEL PHOTOS (1),
(2)
and
(3),
QUADCOPTER PICTURE,
and
PANORAMA PICTURES (1),
(2),
and
(3).
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Wat Arun Rajawarahrahm
(วัดอรุณราชวราราม)
Thai. The full and official name for
Wat Arun.
Often this name is followed by the highest royal title for temples, i.e.
Rajavora
Maha Vihaan.
See MAP.
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Wat Asokaraam (วัดอโศการาม)
Thai. Name of a Buddhist
temple in
Samut Prakan,
named after
the Indian-Mauryan Emperor
Asoka.
READ ON.
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Wat Bang Khae Yai (วัดบางแคใหญ่)
Thai. Name of an ancient
Buddhist temple in
Samut Songkhram,
which dates from the
Ayutthaya
period and was renovated in the reign of
Rama II.
READ ON.
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Wat Bang Kung (วัดบางกุ้ง)
Thai. Name of an ancient temple
in
Samut Songkhram,
which dates from the
Ayutthaya
period and was once used as a military camp for Siamese navy troops
during the 1765 war against the invading Burmese.
READ ON.
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Wat Bang Peng Tai (วัดบางเพ็งใต้)
Thai. ‘Riverside Village Temple
Underneath The Full Moon’. Name of a Buddhist temple in Minburi,
located on
Khlong Saen Saeb,
a major canal that runs through
Bangkok (fig.).
On weekends and holidays the area around the temple turns into a
floating market,
which is known as
Talaat Nahm
Khwan-Riam
(fig.)
and on such days, when many people are expected to visit the area,
the temple may organize special events to allow visitors to make
merit.
As is the case with most temples in Thailand, it serves as a
social meeting place and blends in perfectly with the adjoining
market. See also
Ban Suan Phuttasin.
See MAP.
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Wat Bang
Phli Yai Nai (วัดบางพลีใหญ่ใน)
Thai. Name of a Buddhist
temple in
Samut Prakan, that houses the much venerated
Buddha image
Luang Pho Toh
(fig.),
i.e.
one of the five Buddha
images mentioned in the
Legend of the Five Floating
Buddha Statues
(fig.), known in Thai as
Tamnaan Luang Pho Loy Nahm Hah Phi-Nong.
Besides the
Luang Pho
Toh image, it also
houses copies of two of the other
Buddha images
mentioned in the legend, namely Luang Pho Wat Ban Laem from Wat
Phetchasamut Worawihan in
Samut Songkhram
and Luang Pho or
Phra
Phutta Sothon
(fig.)
from
Wat
Sothon Wararam Woriwihaan in
Chachengsao (fig.).
See
MAP.
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Wat Bang Thong (วัดบางโทง)
Thai. Previous name for the
Buddhist temple
Wat Mahathat Wachiramongkon
in
Krabi (fig.).
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Wat Banrai (วัดบ้านไร่)
Thai. Name of a
Buddhist temple
in the
tambon Kut Phiman,
amphur
Dan Khun Thot, in
Nakhon Ratchasima
province. This
Korat
temple is
associated with the noble monk
Luang Pho Khun
(fig.), whose
portrait and statues are found found all over the
complex. It has a unique
wihaan,
which is named Whihaan Thep Withayakhom, after Luang Pho Khun's honorific name,
i.e.
Phra Thep Withayakhom. The hall
is built in a pond, features a tusked elephant's
head, is surrounded by mythological and religious
characters, and is accessible via a long
naga-bridge.
Inside is a exhibition devoted to the life and work of Luang Pho
Khun.
See
MAP.
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Wat Benjamabophit
(วัดเบญจมบพิตร)
Thai. The
Marble Temple in
Bangkok (fig.).
Built around the turn of the 19th. century by order of King
Chulalongkorn.
The temple is built of white Carrara marble from Toscana and has a cruciform
bot.
The base of the central Buddha image (fig.),
which is a copy of the
Phraphutta Chinnarat image (fig.)
from
Phitsanulok, contains the ashes of king
Rama
V. In the gallery of the courtyard behind the bot there are
53 Buddha images (33 originals and 20 copies) that represent different poses and
styles from throughout Thailand and other Buddhist countries. Half
of the images are in a seated pose while the other half are in
depicted in a standing pose, and hey have been erected in an
alternate way, so that a seated image is always displayed next to a
standing one and vice versa. Often abbreviated Wat Ben.
See MAP.
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Wat Boromaracha Kanchana
Phisek Anuson (วัดบรมราชากาญจนาภิเษกอนุสรณ์)
Thai. Name of the largest Chinese Buddhist temple in Thailand.
READ ON.
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Wat Borom Niwaat Rachaworawihaan
(วัดบรมนิวาสราชวรวิหาร)
Thai. ‘Great
Royal
Abode Temple’. Name of a
royal temple in
Bangkok of
the
class
Phra Araam Luang.
READ ON.
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Wat Bowonniwet Wihaan Rachaworawihaan (วัดบวรนิเวศวิหารราชวรวิหาร)
Thai. ‘Royal Temple Hall and Glorious
Abode’. Name of a temple in
Bangkok's Phra Nakhon
district.
READ ON.
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Wat Bowonsathaan Suthawaht
(วัดบวรสถานสุทธาวาส)
Thai. ‘Exalted Temple and
Pure
Avasa’.
Name of a temple in
Bangkok's Phra Nakhon
district.
READ ON.
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Wat Buak Khrok Luang (วัดบวกครกหลวง)
Thai. Name of a Buddhist temple
in the
tambon
Tha Sala (ท่าศาลา) of
Chiang Mai
city. The temple's
wihaan,
believed to be more than 300 years old,
is built in the
Lan Na
style and was restored during
the reign of Kaew Nawarat, the last King of Lan Na and Prince Ruler
of Chiang Mai. The wihaan houses a
Buddha image
in the
marapajon pose
and its walls are covered
with 14
murals in blue, red, and white. The murals on the
northern wall depict scenes from the
Mahosot Chadok,
while the
murals on the
southern side depict scenes from the
Totsachat
Chadok.
See also POSTAGE STAMPS,
TRAVEL PICTURES
and
MAP.
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Wat Buppharam (วัดบุพพาราม)
Thai. Name of a Buddhist temple
in
Chiang Mai.
READ ON.
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Wat Chai Sri Phum (วัดชัยศรีภูมิ)
Thai. ‘Temple of the glorious field of victory’. Name of a temple in
Chiang Mai,
built in 1519 AD, during the reign of King
Phaya
Meuang Kaew (1495
- 1526). It is
located opposite of the
remnants of the ancient city wall at the northeastern corner of the
moat surrounding the old city. The temple has a white
prasat-style
chedi,
decorated with a gilded pinnacle and gilded ornaments, as well as
with
niches that house gilded
Buddha images,
each standing in the
pahng prathap yeun pose.
In addition, the temple has a wooden
ho trai,
besides the other, expected temple buildings.
See also
Chai
and
Sri,
and compare with the name
Chaiyaphum.
Also spelled Wat Chai Si Phum.
See MAP.
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Wat Chaiwatthanaram
(วัดไชยวัฒนาราม)
Thai. One of the most impressive of ancient Buddhist monasteries, built in 1630
AD on the banks of the
Chao Phraya River in
Ayutthaya.
READ ON.
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Wat Chalo (วัดชลอ)
Thai.
Name of a Buddhist temple in the
amphur Bang
Kruwey (Kruai)
of
Nonthaburi.
READ ON.
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Wat Chamadevi (วัดจามเทวี)
Thai. Name of a Buddhist temple in
Lamphun.
READ ON.
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Wat
Chang Lom (วัดช้างล้อม)
1.
Thai. ‘Temple of the
Encircling Elephants’. Name of an ancient
Buddhist temple in
Sri Satchanalai
Historical Park.
The temple's
chedi,
in Singhalese style and surrounded by 39 sculptures of
elephants,
was built around
1285 AD, i.e. in the
Sukhothai
Period, in order to house relics of the
Buddha,
that were dug-up elsewhere and re-buried at this spot by King
Ramkamhaeng
(fig.).
See also
Wat Mahaeyong
(fig.),
Wat Sorasak
(fig.),
and
chang, as
well as
TRAVEL PICTURES,
POSTAGE STAMPS
and
MAP.
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2. Thai.
‘Temple of the Encircling
Elephants’. Name of an ancient
Buddhist temple in
Sukhothai
with a large bell shaped
chedi,
of which the square base is surrounded by 32 caryatid-like figures in the form of
White Elephants,
as well as
another name
for
Wat Sorasak
(fig.),
i.e. another similar temple in
Sukhothai
Historical Park, with a base surrounded by 24 White Elephants. See also
chang and
MAP.
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Wat Chedi
Hoi (วัดเจดีย์หอย)
Thai. Name of a temple (wat)
in the
tambon
Bo Ngun (บ่อเงิน) of the
amphur Laht Lum Kaew
(map)
in
Pathum Thani
Province. It is famed for its stupa (chedi)
made from a great number of fossilized oyster shells (hoi), that
were found in the temple's compound. The shells were first
discovered when the temple's abbot ordered a water reservoir dug for
the irrigation of the temple's 20
rai large herbal garden. After the
discovery, the abbot and members of the temple committee continued
to search in other places of the compound for more shells. Many more
were found, including some large ones, believed to be about 8
million years old. Their quest, which ended in 1995, lasted for 12
years and resulted in the construction of the temple's stupa (fig.).
See MAP.
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Wat Chedi Jed Thaew (วัดเจดีย์เจ็ดแถว)
Thai.
‘Temple with Seven Rows of
Stupas’. Name of an ancient
Buddhist temple in
Sri Satchanalai
Historical Park.
The complex has 26
chedi
arranged in a U-shape around the
wihaan
and main
pagoda,
with the latter being in the Singhalese style and topped by a
lotus-bud.
See also
POSTAGE STAMPS
and
MAP.
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Wat Chedi Jed Yod (วัดเจดีย์เจ็ดยอด)
Thai. ‘Temple with the Seven
Stupas’. One of the most important sanctuaries of
northern Thailand in
Chiang Mai, also
known by the name Wat Photharam Maha Wihaan.
READ ON.
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Wat
Chedi Luang (วัดเจดีย์หลวง)
Thai.
‘Temple of the Royal
Stupa’,
sometimes referred to as ‘Temple of the Big Stupa’.
Name of a Buddhist temple in
Chiang Mai.
READ ON.
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Wat Cheung Tha (วัดเชิงท่า)
Thai. Name of a Buddhist temple located on the banks of the
Meuang
Canal in
Ayutthaya,
to the north of the city island
of
Phra Nakhon Sri Ayutthaya.
READ ON.
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Wat Chiang Man
(วัดเชียงมั่น)
Thai. Name of a Buddhist temple
in
Chiang Mai,
located within the old city moat.
READ ON.
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Wat Chom Si (ວັດຈອມສີ)
Lao. Name of a Buddhist temple
in the city center of Luang Prabang (ຫຼວງພະບາງ) and which is also
known as Wat Phou Si (ວັດພູສີ), due to its location on Mount Phousi.
READ ON.
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Wat Chuthathittham Sapharam Worawihaan
(วัดจุฑาทิศธรรมสภารามวรวิหาร)
Thai. Name of a Buddhist temple
complex located at the foot of a Mt.
Phra
Chulachomklao,
on the
island of Koh Si Chang, off the coast of
Chonburi,
located just
across from Thah Lahng Pier. The
ubosot
houses a 1.25 meters tall
Buddha image
in the
Sukhothai
style. On the slope above
the temple complex are Thai-Chinese shrines
dedicated to Chao Mae
Kwan Im
(fig.)
and Chao Pho
Khao Yai (fig.),
while the white
mondop
just below the summit houses a
Phraphuttabaht
(fig.).
See also TRAVEL PICTURE
and
MAP.
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Wat Doi Suthep (วัดดอยสุเทพ)
Thai. Temple in North Thailand, built at a height of 1,053 meters on the hill of
Doi Suthep, 14
kms to
the West of the city of
Chiang Mai.
READ ON.
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Wat Dok Kham (วัดดอกคำ)
Thai. Name of a
Lan Na-style
Buddhist temple in
Chiang Mai,
located within the walls of the old city, along the eastern moat,
just a short distance north of
Tha Phae Gate
(fig.).
Inside the
wihaan
is a
Buddha image
seated in the
bhumisparsa
pose whereas the
eastern outer wall has a standing Buddha image
with an
abhaya
mudra.
See MAP.
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Wat Ek Phnom (វត្តឯកភ្នំ)
Khmer.
‘Temple of the Prime Hill’.
Temple near the Cambodian city of Battambang. It consists of an
ancient Hindu temple that dates back to the 11th century AD and was
built in the reign of King
Suryavarman
I, as well as a modern
Buddhist prayer hall and a giant Buddha statue, seated
on a concrete building that houses a number of gilded Buddha images.
Besides this, there are also modern edifices in the Khmer style.
See also TRAVEL PICTURE
and
MAP.
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Water Buffalo
The Asian domestic buffalo is a
large bovid, with the scientific designation Bubalus bubalis, that
originated and is widely found in South, East and Southeast Asia.
READ ON.
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water
cabbage
See
jok.
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water chestnut
For water caltrop,
see
krajab; for Chinese water
chestnuts, see
somwang.
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Watercock
Common name for a waterbird with the scientific name Gallicrex
cinerea. This rather secretive
bird is distributed in South, East and Southeast Asia, where it
lives near swamps and marshes. Adults are dark brown with buff and grey fringing above, and paler underparts,
which are streaked and barred with darker markings. Males have grow up to 43
centimeters tall and females up to 36 centimeters. The bill of both sexes is yellowish-grey and the
legs are greenish-grey
with females and rather yellowish-grey in males. Their bodies are
flattened laterally to allow easier passage through reeds and
undergrowth. In the breeding season the females are somewhat darker
and the plumage of the males becomes black-grey, with brownish-buff
wingtips, red legs and a red facial
shield. In Thai it is
known as nok ih-lum (นกอีลุ้ม)
and nok ih-lom (นกอีล้ม).
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water coconut
Colloquial name for the woody fruit cluster of the
nipa palm.
Its fruit consists of a cluster of woody nuts, compressed into a
large ball, that grows upward on a single stalk (fig.).
It is used to be made into a refreshing drink, usually consisting of
both the sap and the translucent flesh of this fruit (fig.).
In
Malaysia and Singapore, the immature fruits
are used as a dessert ingredient.
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waterfall
See
nahm tok.
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water hyacinth
Originally, a native weed of the Amazon river basin in
South America, where its shiny green leaves and lilac flowers (fig.)
with purplish-blue and yellow colouring (fig.), made it a favourite pool decoration in colonial European gardens. In the 19th
century Dutch colonialists took it to Java from where it was taken to
Siam by
visiting Thais who called it
pak tob chawa,
i.e. ‘Java grass’ or ‘Java weed’. However, the
invasive plant eventually found its way into the wild, where it soon became a menace. A
single water hyacinth produces namely enough seeds to generate 3,000 offspring
in less than two months, doubling its size in just over a week. In the Amazon
this poses no problem as certain herbivorous fish and water floods keep it under
control, but elsewhere such explosive growth over time forms a dense mat of
floating foliage (fig.), resulting in lack of oxygen and sunlight that consequently
threatens fish and other aquatic life. It can grow so densely that
it completely blocks rivers and canals, and the water is no longer
visible. Besides being an nuisance for navigation, it also hinders
shipping traffic, as plants easily get stuck in the blades of a
boat's propeller. This actually led to the invention of the
longtail boat, which has a motor with a
propeller on a long shaft, specially designed to avoid floating
rubble and which can easily be lifted out of the water and cleared
if the propeller gets stuck in the floating foliage. The problems is now
largely eradicated by
using the weed as pigs food and the dried stems for weaving,
especially in furniture (fig.). The water hyacinths
are taken from the water surface by special equipped boats (fig.). Its scientific name
is Eichhornia crassipes.
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water
lettuce
See
jok.
回
water lily
A aquatic plant with floating leaves and colourful flowers of the family of
Nymphaeaceae, sometimes confused with the
lotus
(fig.).
Often found in ponds near temples and in colours that vary
from white (fig.)
and yellow (fig.),
over pink (fig.)
and lavender blue to purple, and with a number of gradations in between,
as can be seen in Beung Kum (บึงกุ่ม) a marsh
with lilies on the outskirts of
Bangkok (map
- fig.). The floating
leaves of the water lily make great rafts for insects and animals to
rest or bask on (fig.).
They are completely water-repellent and often hold miniature pools
of stagnant water, that form convenient watering-places for many
insects to drink from. As is known from fossils, water lilies are
one of the very first flowering plants to have evolved. In Thai
known as
dok
bua.
See also POSTAGE STAMPS.
回

watermelon
See
taeng moh.
回
Water Monitor
A
large species of
monitor lizard
with the binomial name Varanus
salvator, capable of growing up to 3 meters in length with a maximum
weight of over 90 kilograms, though most are only about half that
size. Their body is muscular with a long, powerful, laterally
compressed tail, used for swimming and in defense. There are several
subspecies, such as the
Black
Water Monitor (Varanus salvator komaini -
fig.), and they are one of the most
common monitor lizards found throughout Asia, ranging from Indian
subcontinent to Indochina, the Malay Peninsula and various parts of
Indonesia. They typically inhabit areas close to water (fig.).
See also WILDLIFE PICTURES.
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water pipe
A hookah. A
bamboo cylinder
(fig.)
filled with water with a valve used by some hill tribes (fig.) in North Thailand to
smoke
gancha (marihuana). The water acts as a filter and coolant.
It is singed and smoked similar to
opium. In Thai called
bong or bong gancha.
回

water puppetry
See
mua roi nuoc.
回
Water Scavenger Beetle
Common name for a large family of mostly aquatic beetles, known
scientifically as Hydrophilidae. Generally, they are dark in colour
and have extended mouthparts used for directing food to their
mouths, which aids them in scavenging for food on the water surface. In addition to scavenging,
some adults may be predatory or vergetarian, and some members of
this family are only semi-aquatic
or even terrestrial. There are many different species, and one
species in particular, i.e.
Hydrous cavistanum, which
belongs to the order Coleoptera
and in Thai goes by the names
maeng tab tao and malaeng niang (แมลงเหนี่ยง),
is fried and eaten as a snack (fig.)
in some parts of Thailand, especially in
Isaan.
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Water Scorpion
Name for a large aquatic bug, belonging to the family Nepidae.
READ ON.
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Water Snowflake
Common name for an aquatic
plant, that is also commonly known as Floating Hearts and which
bears the botanical name
Nymphoides indicum.
READ ON.
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Wathoun Darei (ဝသုန္ဒရေ)
Burmese name for
the earth production spirit (fig.)
in
Myanmar,
i.e. the spirit of the earth, a figure akin to the Thai goddess
Thoranih,
i.e. the mother of the earth
(fig.).
Also transcribed Wet Thonedaree.
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Wat Hong Thong (วัดหงษ์ทอง)
Thai.
‘Temple of the
Golden
Hong’.
Name of a Buddhist seaside temple in Bang Pakong District of
Chachengsao
Province. The
ubosot
and gilded bell-shaped
chedi
(fig.)
adorned with
Garudas
are built on stilts above the
sea, making this temple a top location for a sea breeze sunset, with
its image reflecting in the water below.
See also TRAVEL PICTURES (1)
and
(2),
and
MAP.
回

Wat Huai Pla Kang (วัดห้วยปลากั้ง)
Thai.
‘Temple of the
Crayfish Creek’ or ‘Temple of the
Dwarf Snakehead Fish Rivulet’.
Name of a Buddhist temple in
Chiang Rai,
which features a
nine-tiered Chinese-style
pagoda
and a 79 meters tall white
Kwan
Yin statue,
said to be the largest image of this goddess of mercy in Thailand.
Inside the statue itself is a lift that takes visitors up 25 storeys,
offering them an amazing bird’s eye view of the city literally
through the eyes of Kwan Yin.
See also
PANORAMA PICTURE,
TRAVEL PICTURE,
THEMATIC STREET LIGHT, and
MAP.
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Wat Hua Khoo (วัดหัวคู้)
Thai.
‘Temple of the
Twisted Head’.
Name of a Buddhist temple of the
Mahanikaai
Sect
in
Samut Prakan.
READ ON.
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Wat
Hua Lampong (วัดหัวลำโพง)
Thai. Name of a third class royal temple in
Bangkok's
Bang Rak district and that
dates from the early Rattanakosin period.
READ ON.
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Wat Intharawihaan (วัดอินทรวิหาร)
Thai.
Name of a Buddhist temple
in
Bangkok, which
contains a
32-meter high
standing
Buddha image
(fig.),
known
as
Luang Pho Toh.
READ ON.
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Wat Jaeng (วัดแจ้ง)
Thai.
‘Temple of dawn’. Old name of, and synonym for
Wat Arun.
See also POSTAGE STAMPS.
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Wat Jong Kham
(วัดจองคำ)
Thai. Name of a temple located on the bank of the Nong Jong Kham (หนองจองคำ)
city lake in
Mae Hong Son, adjacent to
Wat Jong
Klang (fig.).
Both temples and their environment are a popular postcard picture (fig.)
often used by the
Tourism Authority of Thailand
in their promotion of Thailand as a picturesque holiday destination.
The temple was built in 1827 by
Singha Nat Racha
(fig.)
as the first temple of Mae Hong Son and is in the Burmese-Thai Yai style. Between 1932 and 1936 the artisan Sla Po Tong Te-Chagomen
(สล่าโพโต่ง เตชะโกเมนต์) built a
wihaan with three facades to house
a large Burmese style Buddha statue with a lap width of 4.85 meters
and called Luang Pho Toh (หลวงพ่อโต). It is
equal in size to
Phra
Sri
Sakyamuni, the
Phra prathaan or principal Buddha
image in the royal wihaan of
Wat Suthat
in
Bangkok and the oldest remaining Buddha image from the
Sukhothai
period. Also
transcribed Wat Chong Kham.
See MAP.
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Wat
Jong Klang (วัดจองกลาง)
Thai. Name of a temple in Burmese-Thai Yai style, located on the bank of the Nong Jong Kham (หนองจองคำ)
city lake in
Mae Hong Son, next to
Wat Jong
Kham (fig.).
It is located in picturesque surroundings and often features,
together with its neighbouring temple, in holiday brochures. The
temple contains a
wihaan that houses a gilded replica of the Sihing (สิหิงค์)
Buddha image. It also has 33 wooden human and animal figures
representing scenes from the
Vessantara jataka, carved by
Burmese
craftsmen and taken from Burma in 1857 AD. The temple also has
stained-glass windows depicting scenes from the life of prince
Siddhartha and once again from
prince
Wetsandorn, as well as the
way of folk life in the past. According to a record they were made
by Burmese artisans from Mandalay. Recently also a
Bamboo Buddha,
i.e. a style of
Buddha image
from
Myanmar,
has been added (fig.). Also transcribed Wat Chong Glang
or similar.
See MAP.
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Wat Jong Mahkkaeng (วัดจองหมากแกง)
Thai-Shan.
Former
name of
Wat Sri Boon Reuang,
a temple in Mae Sariang, in
Mae Hong Son
province (fig.),
in which the word
mahkkaeng (หมากแกง)
is a Shan word that means
‘tamarind’
(in Thai called
makhaam) and that refers to the fact that
the temple grounds once used to have many tamarind trees.
回
Wat Jong Soong (วัดจองสูง)
Thai.
Temple situated in the
tambon
Mae
Sariang, in the
homonymous
amphur
Mae
Sariang, and in the province of
Mae Hong Son.
Like many temples in this region, it is built in a mixture of Burmese
and
Shan
art styles. The temple compound is
located in the centre of town and features several Shan-style
chedi,
as well as some wooden monastic buildings. The temple is located
adjacent to
Wat Sri Boon Reuang.
Also transcribed Wat Jong Sung and alternatively known as Wat
Utthayarom (วัดอุทธยารมณ์).
See MAP.
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Wat Kaew Phichit
(วัดแก้วพิจิตร)
Thai. Name of the very first Buddhist temple
of the
Thammayut sect in
Prachinburi. It was
built in 1879 by a local
millionaire. In 1918,
Chao Phraya Aphaiphubet,
a relative to the
Bunnag family,
had a new
ubosot constructed,
replacing the old building that was by
then in disrepair. The new ordination hall
has an architectural design of mixed styles
of Thai, Chinese, Cambodian and European art.
回
Wat Kanlayanamit Woramahawihaan (วัดกัลยาณมิตรวรมหาวิหาร)
Thai. Name of a first class
Buddhist
temple of
royal rank, located
on the west bank
of the
Chao Phraya
River
in
Thonburi.
READ ON.
回
Wat Ket Karam (วัดเกตการาม)
Thai. Name of a Buddhist temple
in
Chiang Mai,
of which the main
stupa
houses a hair relic of the
Buddha.
READ
ON.
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Wat Ketu Madi Sri Warahrahm
(วัดเกตุมดีศรีวราราม)
Thai. Name of a
Buddhist
temple in
Samut Sakon,
which was built in 1963 AD and claims to have the tallest
wihaan
in the nation.
READ
ON.
回
Wat Khao Bandai It (วัดเขาบันไดอิฐ)
Thai. Name of a Buddhist temple
in
Phetchaburi,
which is located on a 121 meter tall hill named Khao Bandai
It, from which it gets its name.
READ ON.
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Wat Khlong Suwannakhiri (วัดโขลงสุวรรณคีรี)
Thai. ‘Crowd of the Golden Mountain
Temple’. Name of the ruins of a former Buddhist temple in
Khu Bua,
a
tambon
as well as an archaeological site in
Ratchaburi. Its made of bricks on a
laterite
base.
Overgrown with trees and enshrined on the temple's cement platform
with wooden columns yet without a roof, three stone
Buddha images
were discovered, which were made in accordance with the iconographic
style and characteristics of the early
Ayutthaya
period. Hence, it was initially
assumed that the temple also dated to this period, though later
evidence showed that the temple is much older and actually dates to
the
early
Dvaravati
period, i.e. from around
the 6th century AD.
Also transliterated Wat Klohng Suwankhiri
or similar.
回
Wat Khrua Khrae (วัดขัวแคร่)
Thai. Name of a Buddhist temple
in
Chiang Rai,
which is also known as Wat Mangkhon Thawararahm (วัดมังคลถาวราราม),
oftentimes transliterated Wat Mangkol Thawararam. This quiet temple
features many nicely decorated buildings and its prayer hall houses a
giant white
Buddha image with dark crystal eyes,
seated in the
half
lotus position and
performing a
dhammachakka
mudra.
See also TRAVEL PICTURES (1),
(2),
(3),
(4),
(5)
and
(6),
PANORAMA PICTURES (1)
and
(2),
and MAP.
回
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Wat Khuan Inthanin Ngam (วัดควนอินทนินงาม)
Thai. Name of a Buddhist temple
in
Trang,
of which the
ubosot
has a roof that has been painted into the
thong chaht,
i.e. the National Tricolour of Thailand.
READ ON.
回
Wat Laht Phrao (วัดลาดพร้าว)
Thai. Name of a Buddhist temple in
Bangkok's
Chokchai 4 area, located on Laht Phrao Wang Hin Road.
READ ON.
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Wat Lahn Kuat (วัดล้านขวด)
Thai. ‘Temple of a Million Bottles’. Buddhist temple complex located
in the
amphur
Khun Hahn of
Sri Saket
province. This temple was constructed in 1981 and is decorated with
innumerable glass bottles and bottle caps, that glitter and sparkle
in the sunlight and were donated by the people. The majority of the
empty bottles used in the construction of the temple are large-sized
green or brown bear bottles, said to have been acquired during a
major cleanup of the litter in the area. They are used in each and
every building within the complex, including even the water tower,
the monks quarters or
kuti,
bathrooms, and the crematorium or
Phra
Meru.
It is also called
Wat
Maha
Chedi
Kaew, i.e. the ‘Temple of the Great
Crystal (or Glass) Pagoda’ (fig.).
It is sometimes referred to as a forest temple (wat
pah). Also
transcribed Wat Lan Kuat.
See MAP.
回
%20Temple%20of%20a%20million%20bottles,%20Sri%20Saket%202_small.jpg)
Wat Lan Kuat (วัดล้านขวด)
See
Wat Lahn Kuat.
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Wat Lat Phrao (วัดลาดพร้าว)
See
Wat Laht Phrao.
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Wat Leng Hok Yi (วัดเล่งฮกยี่, 龙福寺)
Thai-Tae Chew.
‘Buddhist temple (wat/yi)
of the
dragon
(leng) of
good fortune (hok, as in
Hok Lok Siw)’.
Name of a Chinese-style
Mahayana
Buddhist
temple in
Chachengsao.
It is located in the
tambon
Ban Mai,
about a kilometer from the city centre and is an extension of Wat
Leng Ney Yi (วัดเล่งเน่ยยี่) in
Bangkok. It was built in 1906 during
the reign of King
Rama V.
When the latter visited the area in order to inaugurate the Bangkok-Chachengsao
railway track, he gave the temple the Thai name Wat Jihn Pracha
Samohson (วัดจีนประชาสโมสร), i.e. ‘Chinese Temple Citizens' Club’.
Amongst the temples' buildings is
a 7-storey
pagoda.
See MAP.
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Wat Lohk Molih (วัดโลกโมฬี)
Thai.
Name of a Buddhist temple in
Chiang Mai,
located in the area just North of the old city moat. It was built in
the first half of the 16th century, presumably by command of
Phaya
Meuang Kaew, who ruled
the city from 1495 to 1526 AD. See also
lohk and
molih. Sometimes
transcribed Wat Lok Molee.
See MAP.
回
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Wat Lokayasutharam (วัดโลกยสุธาราม)
Thai.
Name of an ancient Buddhist temple in
Ayutthaya,
which features a
42 meter long and 8 meter high outdoor
reclining Buddha.
Hence the temple is also referred to as
Wat Phra Non,
i.e.
‘Temple of the Reclining Buddha’.
It was presumably built somewhere between the later half of the
early to middle Ayutthaya Period and was allegedly commissioned by
Somdet
Phra
Nakhon Inthrathirat (1409–1424
AD), while some
sources mention roughly the year 1452 AD as the date [of the
completion?] of its construction.
See
MAP.
回

Wat Luang (วัดหลวง)
Thai. Another name for
Phra Araam Luang,
i.e. a Buddhist
temple that a King or a member of the royal family had built or
restored.
回
Wat Mahaeyong (วัดมเหยงคณ์)
Thai-Singhalese.
Name of
an ancient Buddhist temple in
Ayutthaya,
which
was built in
1438 AD and commissioned by King Borommarachathiraat II (1424–1448).
READ ON.
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Wat Mahawan (วัดมหาวัน)
Thai.
Name of a
Buddhist temple
in
Chiang Mai
built in a mixture of
Lan Na
and Burmese styles.
READ ON.
回
Wat Mahathat (วัดมหาธาตุ)
1. Thai. Name given to
temples in Thailand that house a relic of the
Buddha,
hence temples with this name are found in many locations throughout
the nation, e.g. in
Ayutthaya (map
-
fig.),
in
Sukhothai (map),
etc. See
also
that.
See POSTAGE STAMP (1),
(2),
(3) and
(4),
TRAVEL PICTURE, and
THEMATIC STREET LIGHT.
回
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2. See
Wat Mahathat Yuwaraja Rangsarit.
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Wat Mahathat Wachiramongkon (วัดมหาธาตุวชิรมงคล)
Thai. Name of
a Buddhist temple
complex in
Krabi, which is
also
known as
Wat Bang Thong.
READ
ON.
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Wat Mahathat Wora Maha Wihaan (วัดมหาธาตุวรมหาวิหาร)
Thai. Name of a temple in
Nakhon Sri Thammarat
which is over a thousand
years old, dating back to the
Srivijaya
period.
READ
ON.
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Wat
Mahathat
Yuwaraja Rangsarit (วัดมหาธาตุยุวราชรังสฤษฎิ์)
Thai.
Name of one of the few temples
in Thailand that is bestowed with the highest possible
royal title of
Rajavora
Maha Vihaan.
READ ON.
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Wat Ming Meuang (วัดมิ่งเมือง)
Thai. ‘Temple of the City's Cherished
Possession’. Name of an
important and prosperous
Buddhist temple in the city of
Chiang Rai.
It is a former
Thai Yai
temple which was reportedly founded by
Nang
Ua Ming Jom Meuang (fig.),
the mother of King
Mengrai (fig.),
and renovated by
Chao
Nang
Talamae Sri
(fig.),
the wife of King Mengrai (fig.)
and daughter of a
Mon King from
Hongsawadih.
Hence the temple was under royal patronage. The temple's
Burmese-style
architecture and
iconography
are mixed in with local
Lan Na-style,
and houses a statue of King
Mengrai seated besides his Queen. Sometimes transliterated Wat Ming
Muang.
See also TRAVEL PICTURES (1),
(2) and
(3).
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Wat Na Phra Men
(วัดหน้าพระเมรุ)
Thai. A temple in
Ayutthaya,
located on the bank of the
Chao Phraya
River, to the North of the
former palace.
READ ON.
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Wat Neramit Wipatsanah (วัดเนรมิตวิปัสสนา)
Thai. ‘Temple of creative
meditation
or
Enlightenment
(wipatsanah)’. Name of a picturesque temple (fig.)
located on a hillside near Phrathat Sri Song Rak
in the
amphur Dahn Saai
(Dan
Sai) in the
Isaan
province
of
Loei. Its
gates, surrounding walls and buildings
are
constructed in
laterite,
giving the place an ancient, yet very natural look (fig.). It has a large
ubosot
(fig.) that
is surrounded by a verdant garden with tropical plants and trees, and houses three
replicas of the
Phraphutta Chinnarat
Buddha image, a large one flanked by two smaller. The ubosot's roof
is supported by large pillars that are painted black and decorated
with golden
kranok-style
designs. Its interior also has several colourful murals and
paintings, depicting both scenes from the
chadok and
the Buddha's life. The gable on the back of the ubosot has a
detailed relief of monks out on
thudong.
On the left side of the
bot
is a
mondop with a
nicely adorned interior,
dedicated to the late
phra kruh Phawanawi Suttiyahn (ภาวนาวิสุทธิญาณ)
and which houses a shrine, the coffin, a bronze statue and a wax
figure of this venerated monk (fig.). Both its walls and ceiling are
decorated with colourful angels and golden thepada.
See MAP.
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Wat Nikon Rangsarit (วัดนิกรรังสฤษดิ์)
Thai. Name of a
rural Buddhist temple in
the
tambon Yan Ta Khao (ย่านตาขาว), located
in the
amphur
of the same name, in
Trang
province, i.e. in southern Thailand.
READ ON.
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Wat Niwet
Tham Prawat (วัดนิเวศน์ธรรมประวัติ)
Thai. ‘Temple Estate of the
Dhamma Chronicles’. Name of a
Buddhist temple in
Bang Pa-in,
cleverly disguised as a Gothic church, down to stained glass windows
and the spiky eaves. It is located on a small island in the
Chao Phraya River, opposite of the Bang
Pa-in Summer Palace. The temple was built in 1878 on
the orders of King
Rama V. It is only accessible by boat or by a
cable-car that goes across the river (fig.)
and which is operated by
the monks of the monastery. The temple garden also houses an ancient
sundial and several
Buddha images.
See MAP.
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Wat Nong Nok Chum (วัดหนองนกชุม)
Thai. ‘Swamp Bird Community
Temple’. Name of a quiet Buddhist countryside temple
in the
tambon
Thung Sai (ทุ่งทราย) of Sai Thong Watthana (ทรายทองวัฒนา) district,
in
Kamphaeng Phet
province.
READ
ON.
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wat pah (วัดป่า)
Thai.
‘Forest temple’. Popular Thai name for temples in the jungle where
monks stay to live and meditate in tranquility. Also known as
aranyawasi
and the
practice of clergy
dwelling in caves and forests is referred to as the
Thai Forest Tradition, and
was established by
Phra Ajaan Man
(fig.).
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Wat Pah Daet (วัดป่าแดด)
Thai. ‘Sunlight Forest Temple’.
Name of a Buddhist temple in
Chiang Mai,
yet not an
aranyawasi-style
forest temple, as the inclusion of
wat pah in
the name
might suggest, but an
ordinary Buddhist temple located in the
amphur
meuang
of Chiang Mai. The temple has a large and striking
wihaan,
and features a mural that is depicted on a Thai postage stamp issued
to commemorate the Thai Heritage Conservation Day
in 2017 (fig.).
Also transliterated Wat Pa Daed.
See MAP.
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Wat Pah Dong Rai (วัดป่าดงไร่)
Thai. Name of a Buddhist
temple in
Udonthani
of which the
ubosot
is built in the form of a giant
lotus
and located in a small lake. It is fully known as Phutta Uthayaan
Wat Pah
Dong Rai (พุทธอุทยานวัดป่าดงไร่), i.e. ‘Jungle Farm Forest Temple Buddha Park’,
yet is also referred to as
Wat Pah
Santi Wanaraam (วัดป่าสันติวนาราม), and nicknamed
Lotus Temple.
Initiated in 2003
and entirely funded by
donations, it was completed only in early 2019 after a 16 year long
period of construction. Its
design is inspired by that of the Lotus Temple in Delhi, India (fig.).
See
also
TRAVEL PICTURES
and
MAP.
回

Wat Pah Khlong 11 (วัดป่าคลอง
๑๑)
Thai.
‘Canal 11 Forest Temple’.
Name of a Buddhist
wat pah or forest
temple in
Pathum Thani.
READ ON.
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Wat
Pah Lahn Kuat (วัดป่าล้านขวด)
See
Wat Lahn Kuat.
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Wat Pahk Nahm Phasi Chareun
(วัดปากน้ำภาษีเจริญ)
Thai. ‘Phasi Chareun Estuary
Temple’. Name of a royal temple in
Bangkok's
Phasi Chareun district.
READ
ON.
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Wat Pathum Wanaraam Rachaworawihaan
(วัดปทุมวนารามราชวรวิหาร)
Thai. ‘Royal
Lotus
Hall Abode Temple’. Name of a
royal temple of
the class
Phra Araam Luang
in
Bangkok's
Pathum
Wan district.
READ ON.
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Wat Phanan Choeng (วัดพนัญเชิง)
Thai. Name of a Buddhist temple
in
Ayutthaya.
READ ON.
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Wat Phitchaya Yahtikarahm Worawihaan
(วัดพิชยญาติการามวรวิหาร)
Thai. Name of a royal Buddhist temple
in
Bangkok's
Thonburi
District.
READ ON.
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Wat Phnom (វត្តភ្នំ)
Khmer.
‘Hill
Pagoda’
or ‘Mountain Temple’. Name of a temple on a 27 meter tall hill,
called
phnom in
Khmer,
and built by a wealthy
lady, called
Penh (fig.).
It is located in the
Cambodian
capital
Phnom Penh, which
derives its name from this place.
Statues of lady
Penh can today be found in and around Wat Phnom (fig.).
See also
wat and
MAP.
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Wat Phra Borommathat Chediyaram (วัดพระบรมธาตุเจดียาราม)
Thai. Name
of a Buddhist temple in
Kamphaeng Phet, situated on the west side of the
Ping
river.
READ ON.
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Wat Phra
Chetuphon (วัดพระเชตุพน)
See
Wat Poh.
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Wat Phra Chetuphon Wimon Mang
Khalahrahm (วัดพระเชตุพนวิมลมังคลาราม)
See
Wat Poh.
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Wat Phra Dhammakaya (วัดพระธรรมกาย)
See
Wat Phra Thamma Kaay.
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Wat Phra Kaew (วัดพระแก้ว)
1. Thai.
‘Temple of the Jewelled Buddha’. The most
important temple in
Bangkok and Thailand, housing the
Emerald Buddha
(map
-
fig.).
It is a royal temple without a
Sanghavasa, built
next to the old royal palace
Phra
Rachawang in Phra Nakhon
(fig.). The inner walls of the gallery
that encloses the temple have elaborate murals depicting the complete story of the
Ramakien.
They were initially painted during the rule of
Rama I, but restored
several times afterwards. The temple is much publicized. The main
pagoda and the outer wall is shown on the one
baht coin
(fig),
as well as on several Thai postage stamps (fig.),
the
mondop and a
mural are depicted on the
2nd Series of
the 2008 Amazing Thailand postage
stamps
(fig.), while the
gilded Chinese-style
portal guardians carved on the wooden door panels of the Southern
Porch (fig.)
feature
on a Thai postage stamp issued in 2008
(fig.),
and its belfry, i.e. the
ho rakhang (map
-
fig.),
was printed on a postage stamp in 1967 (fig.).
The temple's official name is
Wat Phra Sr Rattana Sahtsadahrahm.
See also
PANORAMA PICTURE
and
MAP.
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2. Thai.
‘Temple of the Jewelled Buddha’. Name of
the temple in
Chiang Rai that initially possessed the
Emerald Buddha. The Buddha
image was discovered in 1434 when lightning struck the
temple's octagonal
chedi
revealing the statue. The current temple complex consists of several
edifices. The
ubosot,
i.e. the main prayer hall, is home to Phra Chao Lan Thong, i.e. a bronze
Buddha image
seated in the
maravijaya pose.
When the original Emerald Buddha
was removed and housed
in
Wat Phra Sr Rattana Sahtsadahrahm
in
Bangkok
(fig.),
the temple
produced a replica
(fig.),
which is also known as
Phra
Yok
Chiang Rai, i.e. the
‘Chiang
Rai
Jade
Buddha Image’.
Today, it not enshrined in a
stupa
but on display in a small, elevated,
Lan Na-style
building in the back of the temple complex. The complex also has a
museum, in Thai fully known as
Phiphithaphan
Hohng Luang Saeng Kaew (พิพิธภัณฑ์โฮงหลวงแสงแก้ว),
literally the ‘Principal Palace of the Shining
Crystal Museum’, yet in English usually referred to as Saeng Kaew Museum
(map
- fig.), which focuses
on the history and development of Wat Phra Kaew, with ample displays
of Buddhist and Lan Na artifacts. The original name of the temple was Wat Pa Yia, a local dialect meaning ‘bamboo forest temple’.
See also TRAVEL PICTURES (1),
(2) and
(3), and
MAP.
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3. Thai.
‘Temple of the Jewelled Buddha’. Name of a
temple in
Kamphaeng Phet adjacent to a former royal palace. Many of the Buddha images in
this temple are now tarnished by weather conditions and corroded by the ravages
of time, but are because of this even more impressive.
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4. Thai.
‘Temple of the Jewelled Buddha’. Name of a
hilltop temple at
Phra Nakhon Khiri Historical Park, in
Phetchaburi.
See also POSTAGE STAMP.
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Wat Phra Kaew Don Tao (วัดพระแก้วดอนเต้า)
Thai.
‘Temple of the Jeweled Buddha on the highland of palm fruits’. Name of a
temple in
Lampang that was built by order of
King
Anantayot and
where between 1436 and 1468 the
Emerald Buddha was housed.
Legend tells that a senior monk of the temple one day found an
emerald stone in a watermelon which he had carved into a precious
Buddha image. A watermelon in Northern-Thai dialect is called ‘mahk tao’, hence the etymological origin of the temple's name
(map
-
fig.). The temple architecture is a mixture of styles and influences from
Haripunchai,
Burma and modern Thailand, with images and art in Mandalay and
Lan Na styles,
among others.
See MAP.
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Wat Phra Non
(วัดพระนอน)
1. Thai. ‘Temple of the reclining Buddha’. Buddhist
temple at the foot of the hilltop temple
Wat
Phrathat Doi Kong Moo
(fig.)
in the
amphur
meuang of
Mae Hong Son.
It houses a 12 meter long reclining Buddha image in
Thai Yai style which was cast in
1875 AD, commissioned by the wife of
Singha Nat Racha,
the city's first ruler (fig.).
The temple also features a herbal garden and in the yard behind the
temple's wihaan is a
naga-staircase leading to a
Shan
style Buddha image, seated in the
bhumisparsa
pose (fig.).
See MAP.
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2.
Thai. ‘Temple of the reclining Buddha’. Buddhist temple in
Kamphaeng Phet.
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3.
Thai. ‘Temple of the reclining Buddha’. Another name for
Wat Lokayasutharam,
a Buddhist temple
in
Ayutthaya
(fig.).
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Wat Phra Phai Luang (วัดพระพายหลวง)
Thai. Name of a large and
important temple complex in the northern section of
Sukhothai
Historical Park, which was
likely constructed during the reign of the
Khmer
King
Jayavarman VII.
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Wat Phra Phut Sri Wilai (วัดพระพุทธศรีวิไล)
Thai. ‘Temple of the
Brave Buddha’ or ‘Temple of the Beautiful Buddha’. Name of a Thai-Chinese Buddhist
temple in
Samut Prakan.
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Wat Phra Phutthabaat
(วัดพระพุทธบาท)
Thai.
Temple in the province of
Saraburi that houses a footprint of the Buddha in a small nicely decorated
mondop.
This giant footprint was discovered during the
rule of king
Song Tham (1610-1628) and bears the 108 auspicious signs of a
buddha.
The temple is one of the only few
throughout Thailand conferred with the highest royal title
Rajavora
Maha Vihaan
and as one of nation's landmarks, a scale model of the iconic mondop earned itself a spot (map
- fig.)
in Mini
Siam
in North
Pattaya
(fig.).
It is also the location of the annual
Flower Offering
Ceremony during the
Tak Baat
Dokmai
Festival, in
which devotees offer the clergy
Weeping Goldsmith
flowers (fig.),
in Thai called
dok khao phansa,
literally ‘entering
Buddhist Lent
flowers’.
See also POSTAGE STAMPS (1),
(2)
and
(3),
as well as
MAP.
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Wat Phra Singh (วัดพระสิงห์)
See
Wat Phra
Singh Woramahawihaan.
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Wat
Phra Singh Woramahawihaan (วัดพระสิงห์วรมหาวิหาร)
Thai.
Full name and title of a first class Royal temple (Woramahawihaan)
in the city of
Chiang Mai,
built in 1345 AD by command of
Phaya
Phayu (fig.),
the seventh
king
(1337-1355)
of the
Mengrai
Dynasty (eight reign), to
house the ashes of his father Phaya Kham Fu (1328-1337).
It is an important Buddhist monastery, accommodating about 700 monks
and novices, as well as the ancient Phra
Singh (fig.)
or ‘Lion Buddha’,
a Buddha statue in Singhalese style after which the temple is named
and that is housed in a small
wihaan with
antique murals. This
Buddha image was
installed in this temple in 1367 and is one of three Buddha statues
in Thailand, that are claimed to be the
Phra Phutta Sihing.
The temple is usually referred to by its abbreviated name, without
the royal title, i.e.
Wat Phra Singh.
See MAP.
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Wat Phra Sri (วัดพระศรี)
Thai. Popular name for
Wat Phra Sri Rattanamahathat in
Phitsanulok.
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Wat Phra
Sri Maha Uma Devi (วัดพระศรีมหาอุมาเทวี)
Name of an temple in
Bangkok which is commonly nicknamed Wat Kaek
Silom, the
‘Indian Temple of Silom’ and devoted to the goddess
Uma. It was built in the
Rattanakosin period, around 1879 by a group of Indian people who lived in
Bangkok and purchased a plot of land on Silom Road where they
initially built a small
sala
named Sala Sri Mari Amman. It was looked
after by a group of Indian Tamils who introduced their culture here,
as they did in other parts of Asia. Later, Indian settlers who lived
in Bangkok contributed in building the temple and in
installing the principal image of the goddess Uma in the
ubosot, in addition to images of
many other Hindu deities, some imported from India. Annually the
temple holds the ancient festival of
Navaratri (Dushera), a festival dating from
Vedic times
and in which rituals are performed worshipping Uma as well as other
deities (fig.). The festival continues for ten days and
nine nights, and on the
last day ends with the feast of
Vijayadazaami in which images
of different forms of the goddess
Uma, such as
Kali
and other deities, such as
Kanthakumara, are
carried around in a chariot procession,
outside the temple (fig.).
See MAP.
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Wat Phra Sri Rattanamahathat (วัดพระศรีรัตนมหาธาตุ)
1. Thai. Important temple in
Phitsanulok that houses the
Phraphutta Chinnarat Buddha image (fig.).
Abbreviated the temple is called Wat Phra Sri
(วัดพระศรี), but it is also referred to as
Wat Yai (วัดใหญ่). Besides housing one of the
country's most revered Buddha images, the temple's
pagoda
contains a relic of the
Buddha, hence the word
Mahathat in its name.
See MAP.
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2. Thai. Name of a temple
at
Meuang
Chaliang (เชลียง), i.e. the former name of Meuang
Sri Satchanalai, in present-day Sri Satchanalai
Historical Park, in
Sukhothai
Province, and which is
depicted on a Thai postage stamp as part of a set of
four stamps, issued in 1993 to
mark the annual
Thai Heritage Conservation
Day
and to promote the
Sri Satchanalai Historical Park
(fig.).
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3. Thai. Name of a temple in
Lopburi.
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4. Thai. Name of a temple in
Suphanburi.
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Wat Phra
Sri Rattana Sahtsadahrahm (วัดพระศรีรัตนศาสดาราม)
The official Thai name of
Wat Phra Kaew in
Bangkok.
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Wat Phra Sri
Sanphet (วัดพระศรีสรรเพชญ์)
Thai. The remains of a royal temple in
Ayutthaya with three distinctive
chedis.
READ ON.
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Wat Phra Thamma Kaay
(วัดพระธรรมกาย)
Thai. Name of a Buddhist temple in
Pathum Thani, located in the
tambon
Khlong Sahm of the
amphur
Khlong Luang.
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Wat Phrathat Cho Hae (วัดพระธาตุช่อแฮ)
Thai. A well-known place of pilgrimage about 10 kms from the city centre of
Phrae,
where worshippers wrapped a satin cloth named Cho Hae, around the 33 meters high
gilded chedi
(fig.).
This satin fabric, after which the temple is named, is believed to have come
from
Sipsongpannah.
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Wat Phrathat Doi Kong Moo
(วัดพระธาตุดอยกองมู)
Thai. A hilltop temple in the
amphur
meuang of
Mae Hong Son.
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Wat Phrathat Doi Tung (วัดพระธาตุดอยตุง)
Thai. Name of a Buddhist
temple in
Chiang Rai
province, located on
Doi Tung
mountain, to the Northwest of the town, near the Burmese border and
reportedly built in 911 AD by
King Achutarat of
Chiang Saen.
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Wat Phrathat Haripunchai
(วัดพระธาตุหริภุญชัย)
Thai. Name of a Buddhist temple
in
Lamphun.
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Wat Phrathat Lampang Luang (วัดพระธาตุลำปางหลวง)
Thai. Name of a temple in
Lampang with an
enclosing wall in
Lan Na style. The
wihaan,
probably built in 1476, has a wooden roof in three layers and is
supported by pillars made of
teakwood. It is believed to be the oldest wooden
building in Thailand.
The temple is built on the site of an eight
century fortress (wiang) and has several wihaan.
Vihaan
Luang, the main wihaan, is an open-sided building
with a three-tiered roof. It houses five seated Buddha images and
has partly faded murals depicting ancient village life and scenes
from the
jataka. A special facet of this
temple is its
chedi
(fig.) which
through a small hole in the wooden
fronton
above the door of the temple's
mondop (fig.)
is reflected in reverse (fig.)
on the inner wall, and through a crack in the wooden sidewall of its Vihaan
Phra Phut
is also reflected on a piece of cloth (fig.)
by the penetrating light. The phenomena is
similar to the principle of the camera obscura (literally ‘dark
room’), a simple box with a pinhole through which light is passed,
reflecting any image in its path upside down on the opposite wall of
the box, a discovery that led to the invention of photography and
which explains the etymology of the word camera.
Annually in April, the
Boon Song
Nahm
Phrathat Lampang Luang
festival is celebrated in which the people pour water over the
temple's chedi,
using a bucket attached
to a
golden
naga, the protector of the earthly waters
(fig.).
Adjacent to the ancient temple complex, a new
wihaan was built in 2009 (map
- fig.).
See MAP.
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Wat Phrathat Phanom Woramahawihaan
(วัดพระธาตุพนมวรมหาวิหาร)
Thai. Name of a revered temple
in
Nakhon Phanom, with a
distinct
stupa in
Laotian style.
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Wat Phrathat Pha Son Kaew
(วัดพระธาตุผาซ่อนแก้ว)
Thai. ‘Temple on the Hidden
Glass Cliff’ or ‘Stashed Chrystal Cliff Temple’. Name of a Buddhist temple
hidden away high up in the hills of
Phetchabun,
at an elevation of about 830 meters above sea level.
The temple features
a gilded
stupa in the
form of a
lotus
bud (fig.) and a
wihaan which
is
topped by a collection of five
ice-white
Buddha images
of
increasing heights. They are nested on the
wihaan's roof and
arranged in a row, with the
largest one, seated in the back, being a
crowned Buddha.
The images are all seated
in the
pahng samahti
or
meditation pose,
also known as
dhyani,
on a lotus
base and
overlooking the valley. Though
their meaning remains unclear, it is presumed that they may
represent
either
the
Five Great Buddhas,
i.e. emanations
and representations of
the
five qualities of the
Adi-Buddha,
also referred to as the
five transcendental
dhyani buddhas,
with the largest image
then possibly representing
the Adi-Buddha and the smaller
statues his
emanations,
or
alternatively, the
Sakyamuni
Buddha
with
some
of the traditional
buddhas
of the past, perhaps even including the future
Maitreya Buddha.
Also
known as Wat Phrathat Pha Kaew,
and sometimes
transliterated Wat Phra That Pha Son Kaeo.
Construction was mostly completed in 2004, yet it was elevated to
the status of temple only in 2010.
See MAP.
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Wat Phrathat Sri Chom Thong Wora Wihaan (วัดพระธาตุศรีจอมทองวรวิหาร)
Thai. An important and charming temple (fig.)
on Doi Din Thong hill in
Chiang Mai
province, that houses a
sahrihrikathat, a relic believed to
be a part of the right side of the Buddha's skull. The relic was
found in 1452 AD and subsequently a gilded
chedi
was built for it. Although, king Meuang Kaew,
who reigned the
Lan Na kingdom from 1495 AD to 1526 AD,
later had a
wihaan built, where the relic is kept today. Interestingly, it is
not buried underground, but kept in a container within the wihaan,
allowing it to be brought out for bathing and blessing. The assembly
hall is extensively decorated with wood carvings and gold paint.
A museum-like room in the back of the
Phra prathaan contains a collection of Buddhist art and valuable Buddha
images. The temple yard has a large
ficus religiosa or
bodhi tree with its branches
symbolically supported by large beams and sticks named
mai kham (fig.), a custom believed to prevent hardship
and prolong life, and a part of the northern Thai
seubchatah ceremony.
See MAP.
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Wat
Phrathat Suthon Mongkon Khiri (วัดพระธาตุสุโทนมงคลคีรี)
Thai.
Temple in the
tambon Den Chai in the province of
Phrae with
exceptional decorations and remarkable images (fig.). The temple
was founded in 1984 by Phra Athikaan Montri (Phra Kruba Montri Dhamma), who
sculpted his first
Buddha image when he was only 5 years old. Today this monk
is the abbot and a top artist and scholar in Buddhist art. The temple-monastery
was built on an 20 meter high hill covering an area of 25
rai and is associated
with the nearby northern Third Army base. It has an
ubosot in
Lan Na style, which houses a replica of the
Phraphutta Chinnarat Buddha image
(fig.), and an impressive stupa in
early
Chiang Saen style with multiple peaks.
On the outside, in front of the temple complex, lies a giant
reclining Buddha (fig.),
which is very similar to the Chauk Htat Gyi reclining Buddha Image
in Yangon,
Myanmar (fig.).
See MAP,
TRAVEL PICTURES (1),
(2) and
(3), and
PANORAMA PICTURE (1) and
(2).
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Wat Phumin (วัดภูมินทร์)
Thai.
Temple in the city of
Nan whose
wihaan was previously
depicted on the one
baht
banknote. According to city chronicles the temple was founded in
1696 AD by
Phra Chao Chetabutpromin, the then ruler of Nan, and initially
bore his name. The wihaan is important as it is the only one the
biggest image of the goddess of mercy Guan Yin in Thailand
built in jaturamuk style, i.e. four
entrances, one for each point of the compass. Inside are four large Buddha
images, called
Phra Prathaan
Jaturathit, seated
with their backs against each other (fig.),
so that every visitor, no matter through which door he enters, is always greeted
by a Buddha image. The murals in the wihaan depict the historical life of Nan,
folk tales and scenes from the
jataka.
See
MAP.
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Wat Phuthaisawan (วัดพุทไธศวรรย์)
Thai.
Temple located on the southern bank of the
Chao Phraya River, across from Somdet
Phra Sri Nakarin Park on the main island of
Ayutthaya. The temple is
built in an area formerly named Wiang Lek (เวียงเล็ก
or เวียงเหล็ก), purportedly on the place
where
King
Ramathibodi
I (fig.)
in 1350 founded the city, when he moved
the central power of his empire from the town of
U-Thong.
Today, the temple's main attraction is the
Three Kings Monument,
which features three important kings of the Ayutthaya Period (fig.),
i.e. King
Naresuan (fig.),
King Ramathibodi I, and King
Ekathotsarot
(fig.),
which are erected on the river bank facing North towards the river
and Ayutthaya island.
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Wat Poh
(วัดโพธิ์)
Thai. Temple of the
reclining
Buddha
in
Bangkok
(map
-
fig.),
officially known
Wat Phra
Chetuphon.
It is the
oldest and largest temple in Bangkok, and the first educational centre. It is
also an important training centre for
traditional massage (fig.)
and reflexology
(map
- fig.),
in the past taught on the basis of didactic pictures and figures (fig.).
The temple Wat Poh already existed since the 16th century, but its
real history starts only in 1781, when the old monastery was completely rebuilt.
The temple
(fig.) is situated near the old Chinese district of Banglamphu and several
figures and statues indicate a Chinese influence of old (fig.).
The temple
houses the most important reclining Buddha image in Thailand, with a length of 46 meters and a height of 15 meters (map
-
fig.).
The temple has four large
chedis
erected
in honour of the first three monarchs of the
Chakri dynasty, with two chedis honouring
Rama III.
There are also 91 smaller chedis, an ancient
Tripitaka library, a large
bot (map
-
fig.) with 152 marble relief panels depicting the Thai
Ramakien (fig.),
a gallery with Buddha images, and four
wihaans.
Many of the temple's gates are flanked by
large
stone sculptures from
China,
among them Chinese
warriors (map
-
fig.), similar
‒yet bigger in size‒ to those found at
Dusit Maha Prasat
(fig.).
These heavy granite statues
are said to have been brought
to
Siam
as ballast to
weigh down the otherwise empty ships. The temple
is one of the few throughout Thailand conferred with the highest royal
title of
Rajavora
Maha Vihaan. Its
full name followed by this title is Wat Phra Chetuphon Wimon Mang Khalahrahm Rajavora
Maha Vihaan.
See MAP.
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Wat Pong Sunan
(วัดพงษ์สุนันท์)
Thai. Name of a
Buddhist temple rich in decorations and statues, and with Burmese
influences. It is located in the city center of
Phrae
and features a large
reclining Buddha
as well as a giant
tortoise,
with a
carapace
decorated with large Buddhist
amulets and
a standing
Buddha image
on top. Underneath
the tortoise, between its four legs, is
a statue of
Phra Upakhut,
and to the front side of it a statue of
Thoranih,
the goddess of the earth.
Also transliterated Wat Phong Sunan.
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Wat Prayun Wongsahwaht (วัดประยุรวงศาวาส)
Thai. Name of a
Buddhist temple in
Bangkok's
Thonburi
District, adjacent to the
Memorial Bridge.
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Wat Prok (วัดปรก)
Thai. ‘Overspreading Temple’. Name of a non-governmental, private
Mon temple in
Bangkok's Sathorn
district. It was built in 1927 by people from
Pegu, who settled in Thailand and
wished to have a spiritual place to practice their religion, as well
as a social centre for Mon people to meet. Ancient culture and
traditions are still preserved, e.g. monks pray and preach in the
Mon language and male visitors often wear
longyi
(fig.).
The temple also operates a school that teaches both Mon and English,
free of charge and to anyone with an interest. Its buildings are in
the
Hongsawadih style, the ancient capital
city of Pegu before it became part of
Burma,
and its main
chedi
is in Sri Lankan style. The temple houses a white
jade Buddha image. Its decorated outer
wall and gate shows the
Hamsa
or
hongse, the Mon national symbol. On Mon
National Day, annually on the first day of the waning moon of the
third lunar month, Mon history is recited and people take part in
Mon ceremonies, as well as offer food to their monks. Officially
called Wat Prok Yahnnahwah.
See MAP.
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Wat Phuak Chang (วัดพวกช้าง)
Thai.
‘Temple
of a Crowd of
Elephants’.
Name of a small
Buddhist temple in
Chiang Mai.
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Wat Rakhang (วัดระฆัง)
Thai.
‘Temple of the Bell’.
Name of a
Buddhist temple, located on the west bank of the
Chao Phraya
River in
Thonburi.
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Wat Ratchabophit (วัดราชบพิธ)
Name of a Buddhist temple, just off
Rattanakosin Island in
Bangkok,
located along the north-south canal that runs parallel with the
Eastside of Suan Saran Rom, the palace garden or park in Phra Nakhon.
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Wat Ratchaburana (วัดราชบูรณะ)
1. Thai. Name of an ancient
Buddhist temple in
Ayutthaya.
It was built in
1424 by King Borommaracha II (1424–1448) to house the ashes of his
elder brothers Chao Aai Phraya (เจ้าอ้ายพระยา) and Chao Yih Phraya (เจ้ายี่พระยา),
who both died at Saphaan Pah Thaan
(สะพานป่าถ่าน)
battling each other on
war elephants
over the
succession of the throne, after King
Inthrathirat or Phra Inthracha (1409
-1424)
had passed away.
The temple's main
prang
is depicted on a Thai postage stamp issued in 1994, as part of a set
of four stamps to commemorate the annual
Thai Heritage Conservation
(fig.).
See MAP.
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2. Thai. Name of a temple in
Bangkok (fig.), which is officially known as
Wat Ratchaburana
Rachawora
Wihaan
(วัดราชบูรณะราชวรวิหาร).
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Wat Ratchanaddah (วัดราชนัดดา)
Thai. ‘Temple of the Royal
Granddaughter’. Name of a Buddhist temple
(fig.)
in
Bangkok's
old part of
Rattanakosin.
It is home to the
Lohaprasat
(fig.),
a unique seven floor edifice
that was commissioned by
King
Rama III,
in order to commemorate his granddaughter princess
Sohmanat
Watana Wadih, who later became the first queen of
Rama IV,
and hence stands at the origin of the name of this temple. In
full, it is known as Wat Ratchanaddahraam Worawihaan (วัดราชนัดดารามวรวิหาร), though
it is usually transliterated Wat Ratchanaddaram Worawihan.
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Wat Ratcha Orasaraam (วัดราชโอรสาราม)
Thai. Name of a temple
erected
in the
Ayutthaya
Period and located on the western bank of
Khlong
Sanam Chai (คลองสนามชัย)
in
Thonburi.
READ ON.
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Wat Ratchapradit (วัดราชประดิษฐ์)
Thai. Name of a small Buddhist
temple on
Rattanakosin
Island, located opposite of the royal cemetery of
Wat Ratchabophit.
It was commissioned by King
Rama IV,
who had it built
in dedication to the
Thammayut
Buddhist Sect. It is built mainly in
grey marble
and the main
chedi
has a golden spire. The inside features ten stone columns
that are reportedly inscribed with
religious verses in Pali and Thai, composed by King
Mongkut himself,
the ashes of whom are today
kept underneath the
principal Buddha image in the
ubosot.
As a memorial to this king, the murals inside the ordination hall
depict 12 royal ceremonies and a solar eclipse, a reference to his
1868 journey to
Wako (หว้ากอ)
in
Prachuap Khirikhan
to a observe a solar eclipse, which he had
predicted himself according to his own calculations, but where he
also attracted the
malaria that
killed him. The
temple's full name is Wat Ratchapradit Sathit Mahasimaram
Ratchaworawihaan (วัดราชประดิษฐ์สถิตมหาสีมาราราชวรวิหาร).
See POSTAGE STAMP
and
MAP.
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Wat Ratchathiwat (วัดราชาธิวาส)
Thai. Temple located on the
east bank
of the
Chao Phraya
River in
Bangkok's
Dusit
area.
It is the first
aranyawasi
temple or forest
monastery
from the
Thammayut
Buddhist Sect and presumably dates back to the
Lavo
Period. It was re-established in the
Rattanakosin
Period by
Somdet Phra
Bowon Raja Chao Maha
Surasinghanat
(fig.),
a younger brother of King
Rama IV.
As a
monk, prior to becoming the Siamese monarch,
King
Mongkut lived in
this temple.
The temple's existing
ubosot
was refurbished
in
Khmer-style
by
Prince
Narisara Nuwattiwong,
who also designed the temple's
wihaan
made entirely from
teak.
Inside, the ordination hall houses the
Phra Sam Phuttha Phannih
Buddha image
(fig.),
eponymous to one of the principal Buddha images in the ubosot of
Wat Phra Kaew,
and the walls
are decorated with
frescoes
depicting the
Wessandon
chadok
(fig.),
painted by the Italian artist Prof. Carlo Rigoli.
Initially, the
temple was known as Wat Samorai (วัดสมอราย), but since it became a second class
royal temple its name has been changed to Wat Ratchathiwat Ratchaworawihaan
(วัดราชาธิวาสราชวรวิหาร).
The pronunciation is Wat Rajaathiwaat.
See also POSTAGE STAMPS
and
MAP.
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Wat Reuang Saeng (วัดเรืองแสง)
Thai.
‘Phosphorescent Temple’
or ‘Glowing Temple’.
Nickname of a Buddhist temple
in
Ubon Ratchathani
and which is officially known as
Wat Sirinthon Wararaam Phu Phrao.
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Wat Roi Phraphutthabaht Phu Manorom
(วัดรอยพระพุทธบาทภูมโนรมย์)
Thai.
‘Mount Manorom's Temple
of the Buddha's Footprint’.
Name of Buddhist temple
located on a hilltop in
Mukdahan.
Besides a large
Muk-coloured,
i.e. pearl white,
Buddha image
seated in the
bhumisparsa
pose, and a giant statue of a 120 meter long
naga
known as
Phaya Sri Mukda Mahamuni Nihl Palanakaraat
(fig.),
the
hilltop temple offers a
panoramic view of the area, including Mukdahan Town, the
Mekhong
River with the Second Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge, and the Laotian
town of Savannakhet.
See also
Phraphutthabaht.
See also TRAVEL PICTURES
(1),
(2),
(3),
(4)
and
(5),
MAP,
and
WATCH VDO.
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Wat Rom Phothiyaan
(วัดร่มโพธิญาณ)
Thai.
‘Temple of the umbrella,
or parasol, of
Enlightenment’.
Name of a countryside Buddhist
temple in the
tambon
Wang
Thong (วังทอง), i.e.
‘Golden
Palace’,
in the
amphur
meuang
of
Kamphaeng Phet.
See also
rom,
Photiyaan,
and
MAP.
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Wat Rong Khun (วัดร่องขุ่น)
Thai. Temple in
Chiang Rai's Pah Oud On Chai district. Its still ongoing construction started in 1998 and is
supervised by Chalermchai Kohsitphiphat (Kositpipat), a renowned artist connected to
Silpakorn University
in
Bangkok, who also designed the golden clock tower (map
-
fig.)
and the nearby golden street lights (fig.),
as well as the silver lantern poles found all over the city centre
of Chiang Rai. The temple features a
bot made of bright and white building
materials ornamented with small pieces of glass, giving it an overwhelming,
crystal-like appearance and the English designation
White Temple. The white colour represents purity and
religion, like in the
thong
chaht,
the Thai national flag (fig.).
Since 2010, the temple also features the Chalermchai
Kohsitphiphat Hall of Masterwork
(map
- fig.),
an adjacent museum that displays many of the original works of the
named artist,
featuring both sculptures (fig.) and paintings
(fig.).
In contrast to the silvery white colour of the
ubosot,
other buildings are constructed in overall yellowish gold. In the
back garden of the premises a huge shrine in honour of the popular
Hindu
god
Ganesha was recently added (fig.).
See also
Yattana Pontha.
See MAP,
PANORAMA PICTURE,
TRAVEL PICTURES (1),
(2),
(3),
(4),
(5),
(6),
(7)
and
(8), as well
as
THEMATIC STREET LIGHT.
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Wat Rong Seua Ten (วัดร่องเสือเต้น)
Thai.
Name of a
modern Buddhist temple
in
Chiang Rai,
which is
distinguished by its vivid blue
colouring and elaborate carvings.
This
monumental and ornate blue-toned
temple, located in Rim Kok district, just to the north of the
Kok River,
is
also commonly referred to as
the Blue Temple. It was purportedly built upon the ruins of an
ancient temple, that was abandoned about a century earlier.
The temple was designed by
Phuttha Kabkaew, a protégé of
Chalermchai Kohsitphiphat (Kositpipat),
who built
Wat Rong Khun
(fig.). The entrance gate
(fig.)
is guarded by giant creatures
half-human half-naga,
with
snake-like
tails, reminiscent of
the
naga-king
Phayanaag
(fig.),
some semi-human forms of the
mythical snake
naga
(fig.),
the
serpent-like lower bodies of
Naak Ganyah
or
Naak Galyah
(fig.),
the winged serpent-daughter of the
Hindu
god
Shiva, as
well as of the
Chinese
dragon-deities
Nu Wa
and
Fu Xi
(fig.). The
guardians are
standing on a
lotus
base adorned with
decorative flame-like ornaments called
kranok and the
front of the pedestal located
on
the left side is decorated with the head of a
tiger
(fig.),
which represents
magnificence, as well as power and strength, and thus also
destruction. The base on
the right has the fierce head of a buck or male
goat
with silver lotuses sprouting from the sides of its open mouth.
These animals correspond to the
third (fig.)
and
the eight
(fig.)
sign of the
Chinese zodiac
respectively. Both
sentinels are holding some lotus
flowers, and while the
greenish-blue giant standing on the
left side is holding a blue ball, the
bluish grey creature on
the right side clutches a white
conch
(fig.).
The stairs of the prayer hall are decorated with both
nagamakara (fig.)
and legged
nagah
(fig.),
i.e.
Burmese-style
dragons
(fig.),
while against its outer back wall
is a white standing
Buddha image
with an
abhaya
mudra
performed with the
left hand, and facing a blue pagoda
with a golden dome and peak, which is adorned with
characters from Thai and Burmese
Buddhism,
such as
Shin Thiwali
(fig.).
Inside, the
ubosot
houses a white
Buddha image
seated in the
lotus position
with a
bhumisparsa
mudra.
The courtyard includes a water basin with a statue of
Shin U Pagok
(fig.),
a statue of the
Buddha
giving his first sermon to the five
panjawakkih,
a pool with naga fountains, Buddha images according to the
Phra prajam wan geut
system, etc.
See also MAP,
TRAVEL PICTURES (1),
(2),
(3),
(4),
(5),
(6),
(7),
(8),
(9)
and
(10), as well as
PANORAMA PICTURE.
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Wat Saam Phraan (วัดสามพราน)
Thai. ‘Temple of the Three Hunters’. Name of a Buddhist temple
in
Nakhon Pathom
and named after the
tambon
Saam Phraan (fig.),
as well as the
amphur
of the same name, in which it is located.
READ ON.
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Wat Saen Fang (วัดแสนฝาง)
Thai. ‘Temple of a Hundred
Thousand Indian Redwood Trees’. Name of a Buddhist temple
in
Chiang Mai.
READ ON.
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Wat Saensuk (วัดแสนสุข)
Thai. ‘Temple of Extreme
Happiness’. Name of a large Buddhist temple
in
Bangkok's Minburi District.
READ ON.
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Wat Saket (วัดสระเกศ)
Thai. Temple in
Bangkok on the artificial mount Phu Khao Thong or
‘Golden Mount’ (fig.).
READ ON.
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Wat Samaan Rattanaraam (วัดสมานรัตนาราม)
Thai. Name of a Buddhist temple in
the
Tambon
Bang Kaew (บางแก้ว) in
Chachengsao Province, located on
the banks of an island (fig.)
in the Bang Pakong River (fig.),
halfway between
Ampheu
Meuang
and Bang Khla, and which
is best known for
housing Thailand's largest statue
of a reclining
Ganesha. The
statue is 16 meters high and 22 meters long, and is represented with
a pink complexion (fig.). The Hindu deity lies on a large square base that is in
turn adorned with another 32 depictions of Ganesha in different poses,
displayed as
colourful
bas-reliefs.
Besides this, the temple has a collection of other −often
large-sized− statues and objects from religion and mythology,
including characters from Thai, Indian and Chinese belief and
legend, such as two giant
naga;
a statue of
Indra
seated on
Erawan;
the largest statue in Thailand of the demon
Rahu (fig.);
Kuan
Yin; the
Three Star Gods
Fu, Lu and Shou;
a gigantic
krathong-like
(fig.)
lotus
flower floating on the adjacent
Bang Pakong river; etc.
This province is also home to a 39
meters tall bronze statue of Ganesha in
a standing pose (fig.)
located at
Thevasataan Uthayaan Phra Phi
Kaneht
(map
-
fig.),
which in turn is also the name used for a
park in
Nakhon Sawan
(map
-
fig.), in English equally referred
to as Ganesha Idol Park, which features a large Ganesha statue, also
with a pink complexion, but in a seated pose.
See MAP.
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Wat Sap Bon (วัดซับบอน)
Thai. Name of a Buddhist temple
in the
amphur Kaeng Khoi
of
Saraburi
Province.
READ ON.
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Watsawalahok Thep (วัสสวลาหกเทพ)
Another name for
Thep Patchanna.
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Wat Sawang Arom (วัดสว่างอารมณ์)
Thai. Name of a Buddhist temple
in
Kamphaeng Phet.
READ ON.
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Wat Sirinthon Wararaam Phu Phrao
(วัดสิรินธรวรารามภูพร้าว)
Thai. Name of a Buddhist temple
in
Ubon Ratchathani
which is nicknamed
Wat Reuang Saeng,
i.e. the
‘Phosphorescent Temple’ or the ‘Glowing Temple’.
READ ON.
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Wat Sorasak (วัดสรศักดิ์)
Thai. Temple located within and alongside the northern part of the
city wall of
Sukhothai, close to Sahn (Sala)
Tah Pah Daeng (ศาลตาผาแดง). According to
a
sila jahreuk
stone inscription found at Wat Sorasak, a commoner with the name Inthara Sorasak (อินทร
สรศักดิ์) in 1960 BE (1417 AD), asked the
Oukyah
Dhammaracha,
i.e. Phaya Sai Leu Thai or Phra Maha Dhamma Racha III (พญาไสลือไท -
พระมหาธรรมราชาที่ ๓), the 1400-1419 AD ruler (Chao
Meuang) of Sukhothai, for a piece
of land measuring 15 by 30
wah,
in order to construct a temple in his honour. After the temple was
completed, the venerated monk
Phra
Maha Thera
Dhamma
Trailohk (พระมหาเถรธรรมไตรโลกฯ)
from the
tambon
Dao Khon (ดาวขอน), an uncle of the
king, was invited to reside at the temple. The temple is
noticeable for its bell shaped
pagoda or
chedi,
of which the square base is surrounded by
24 caryatid-like figures in the form of
White Elephants.
The auspicious
elephants lifting the burden of the chedi
are believed to stand as a metaphor for
Buddhism,
which was firmly upheld throughout time. The temple, named after the
commoner who initiated the land deal for its construction, is
sometimes referred to as
Wat Chang Lom, i.e. ‘Temple of the Encircling
Elephants’, though this is in fact also the name of another
temple with an elephant-surrounded pagoda in nearby
Sri Satchanalai
(fig.),
and reminiscent of
Wat Mahaeyong
in
Ayutthaya
(map
-
fig.).
The elephant-surrounded pagoda was
particularly favoured in the Sukhothai period and was probably
inspired by pagodas of a similar style in
Sri
Lanka. They
were built in many towns, both within and beyond the Sukhothai
region.
See MAP.
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Wat Sothon
(วัดโสธร)
Thai. Temple in
Chachengsao housing the famous
Sothon Buddha image
(fig.), one of the most sacred images in the
nation, associated with the
Legend of the Five Floating Buddha Statues
(fig.)
and with the noted Buddhist monk
Phra saksit
Luang Po Sothon.
According to reports this monk foretold his own exact time of death,
causing thousands of spectators to flock to the temple to watch him die, seated in the
dhyani meditation pose.
The full name of this temple is Wat Sothon Wararam Worawihaan.
See MAP.
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Wat Sri Boon Reuang (วัดศรีบุญเรือง)
1. Thai.
Temple located in the
tambon
Mae
Sariang, in
Mae Hong Son's
homonymous
amphur
Mae
Sariang. It was established in 1907 and features a mixture of
Burmese and
Shan
art styles.
It was
formerly named
Wat Jong Mahkkaeng, a name that
indicates that the grounds at that time used to have many
tamarind trees. Today
there is a
sala tree (fig.) at the temple grounds and inside the
temple there is a
Jambupati Buddha Image,
as well as a row of Buddha images used in the
Phra prajam wan geut-system,
in typical
Burmese-Shan
style. There is also
a school which was added to train Buddhist
monks and novices in the
dhamma, and the pavilion for dhamma
practice houses a
Buddha image
made of
jade. Annually in
the month of April, the local villagers celebrate
Poi Sang Long
at the temple. Often transcribed Wat Sriboon Ruang.
It is located adjacent to
Wat Jong Soong.
See MAP.
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2. Thai.
Temple located along
Khlong Saen Saeb
(fig.)
in Hua Mahk in the
khet
Bangkapi,
Bangkok.
This temple has a
vihaan
that houses the
Phra prathaan
and
which
outdoors is sided by a gallery of
Buddha images
seated in different poses.
Beside this,
the temple has several statues
and images from Chinese and
Burmese religion and mythology, such as
the Chinese goddess
Kuan Yin
(fig.)
and the
Burmese
nat-like
deity
Bo Bo Gyi
(fig.).
See MAP.
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Wat
Sri Chum (วัดศรีชุม)
1. Thai. Ancient temple
ruin just outside the main domain of old
Sukhothai's historical park, featuring a
mondop which houses the 15 meter high Phra Atchana
Buddha image, seated in the
maravijaya-pose
with a lap width of 11.3 meters. A hidden staircase in the southern wall leads to the top of the building, ending
at a railing behind the head of the Buddha image. From here a monk could address
his flok making them believe the voice they were hearing was actually the
Buddha's.
Today monks still use a fan called
pad yot or
talapat during ceremonies when they preach in name of the Buddha and not themselves, a fan often with a picture of the Buddha on it. The staircase
is nowadays closed to the public to protect the inner
jataka inscriptions and murals.
See MAP.
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2. Thai.
Name of a Buddhist temple
in the northern
province of
Phrae,
where in the beginning of the 19th century AD the monk
Kanchana Aranyawasi
(fig.)
started his religious career.
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Wat Sri
Ihyam (วัดศรีเอี่ยม)
Thai.
‘Majestic Fresh
Temple’.
Name of a Buddhist temple in
Bangkok's
khet
of Bang Na.
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Wat Sri Kohm Kam (วัดศรีโคมคำ)
Thai. Temple in
Phayao housing the Ton Luang Buddha image (fig.),
the
kuh bahn kuh meuang of this city. This
large gilded Buddha image is seated in the
maravichaya position and is the symbol
portrayed on
the escutcheon of the province of Phayao (fig.).
See MAP.
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Wat Sri Sawai (วัดศรีสวาย)
Thai. Name of an ancient temple in
Sukhothai Historical Park.
It is a former
Hindu shrine
which was transformed into a Buddhist temple with an enclosing wall.
It has three
prang
in
Lopburi-style,
which imitate the Hindu zikhara vimana or shikhara vimana (शिखर
विमान), i.e. ‘summit shrine’,
‘peaked sanctuary’
or ‘crested sanctum sanctorum’,
the towering superstructure above the garbhagriha (गर्भगॄह),
the small unlit shrine of the Hindu temple, whereas their
architectural style has been influenced by that of the
Khmer. These
prang are reminiscent of those of
Phra Prang Sahm Yod
(fig.)
in Lopburi.
See
MAP.
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Wat Suan Dok (วัดสวนดอก)
Thai. ‘Flower Garden Temple’.
Name of a Buddhist temple in
Chiang Mai.
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Wat Suthat (วัดสุทัศน)
Thai.
Temple in
Bangkok, of which construction was started
during the reign of
Rama I,
but that was completed only during the rule of
Rama III.
READ ON.
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Wat Suthat
Thepwarahrahm (วัดสุทัศนเทพวราราม)
Official and
full Thai name of
Wat Suthat. Often
followed by the highest possible title
conferred by the King,
i.e.
Rajavora
Maha Vihaan.
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Wat Suwandararam (วัดสุวรรณดาราราม)
Thai-Pali.
‘Golden Star Monastery’ or ‘Golden Star Temple’. Name of a first
class royal Buddhist temple located on the city island of
Ayutthaya.
READ ON.
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Wat Suwannaram (วัดสุวรรณาราม)
Thai.
‘Golden Monastery’ or ‘Golden Temple’. Name of a royal Buddhist temple
of the second class in
Thonburi's
Bangkok
Noi district.
READ ON.
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Wat Ta-khe (วัดตะเฆ่)
Thai. ‘Sledgehammer Temple’.
Name of an
archeological site
in
Saraburi,
located
on the
eastern bank of
the
Pa Sak River which flows towards
Ayutthaya.
It
consists of the
ruins of an
ancient Buddhist
temple, and its
name derives
from two
sledgehammers
that were found
here during
excavations.
It comprises mainly of
two stupas that stand
side by side, sharing
the same base, and which
in Thai are known as
Chedi Tham Jindah,
which translates as
‘Stupa(s)
of the
Dhamma
Gem’
(fig.).
The temple dates from the 18th century AD, possibly
from the end of the
Ayutthaya period,
though —as suggested from the
style— the
redented chedis
(fig.)
probably date from the early
Rattanakosin
period,
as the type of stupa and the
techniques used for the
stucco
decorations became
popular
only in
Rattanakosinsok.
Also transliterated Wat Takhae.
See MAP.
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Wat Tantaya Phirom Phra Araam Luang
(วัดตันตยาภิรมพระอารามหลวง)
Thai. Name of a third
level royal temple of the
Buddhist
Mahanikaai
sect. It is the
kuh bahn kuh meuang of
Trang
province, in southern Thailand, and is located in Trang's
amphur
meuang.
READ ON.
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Wat Tham Khao Krabok (วัดถ้ำเขากระบอก)
Thai. A famous, but controversial temple in
Saraburi, where
opium and heroin
addicts are treated for their addiction using a treatment based on herbs and a
strict regimen, combined with education from the
Dhamma.
Also called Samnak Songtham Krabok (สำนักสงฆ์ถ้ำกระบอก) and Wat Tham Krabok
Co Inter (วัดถ้ำกระบอกโกอินเตอร์).
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Wat Tham Khao Noi (วัดถ้ำเขาน้อย)
Thai.
‘Small hill temple cave’. Thai-Chinese
Mahayana Buddhist temple (fig.),
located about 15 kilometers south of the city of
Kanchanaburi,
constructed on a hill over a number of small caves and adjacent to the Thai temple
Wat Tham Seua (fig.).
The top of the temple offers a good view over the area (fig.).
See MAP.
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Wat Tham Krabok (วัดถ้ำกระบอก)
See
Wat Tham Khao Krabok.
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Wat
Thammongkon (วัดธรรมมงคล)
Thai. Name of a temple in
Bangkok's
Phra Khanong district. It was founded in 1962 by
Phra
Ratchatham Jatay
Ajaan (พระธรรมเจติยาจารย์)
and has a
stupa in the style of the
Maha Bodhi pagoda in
Bodhgaya
in India and which is counted amongst the some of the tallest in
Thailand. This stupa, called Phra Viriya Mongkon Maha
Chedi
(พระวิริยะมงคลมหาเจดีย์),
houses relics of the Buddha which were brought from Bangladesh. Its
spire consists of a
chat made of 1,133
baht (17.27 kilogram)
pure gold and is adorned with 1,063
diamonds. In the night the top of the stupa is illuminated and
becomes a beacon in the neighbourhood. The temple also houses two
jade images. One is a Buddha image,
named Phra Buddha Mongkon Tham Sri Thai (พระพุทธมงคลธรรมศรีไทย)
which was sculpted from a massive boulder from Kings Mountain
in Canada. The other is a large image of the Chinese goddess of
mercy
Phra Mae Kwan Im,
reportedly the biggest ever made from jade. The temple's full name
is Wat Thammongkon Thao
Boon Nontha
Wihaan (วัดธรรมมงคลเถาบุญนนทวิหาร).
See MAP.
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Wat Thamniyom (วัดธรรมนิยม)
Thai. ‘Temple
of the Adored
Dharma’.
Name of a
Buddhist temple in
Ayutthaya,
which on its courtyard features a large statue of the
Hindu
deity
Brahma,
in a standing pose. The time of
the initial construction of the temple is unclear. According to some
sources it was built by
Phraya
Yommaraat
Sang,
Regent of
Nakhon Ratchasima
in the reign of King
Narai
the Great (fig.),
and the temple is hence by locals also referred to as Wat
Yom. The
principal
Buddha image,
located at the
ubosot
of the temple, is black in colour and is known as
Luang Pho
Dam (ดำ), literally the ‘Black
Revered
Father’.
See MAP.
回
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Wat Tham Pah
Acha Thong (วัดถ้ำป่าอาชาทอง)
Thai. ‘Golden Horse Jungle Cave Temple’. Name of a forest temple in
Chiang Rai
province whose monks and novices set out to go
bintabaat
(alms begging) on horsebacks (fig.).
See
MAP.
回

Wat Tham Pha Daen (วัดถ้ำผาแด่น)
Thai. ‘Pale Spotted Cliff Face Cave Temple’. Name of a temple in
Sakon Nakhon.
It is located on a cliff overlooking the area and which
besides various religious
bas-reliefs
carved out into the bedrock of the
cliff also
features the Maha
Rajanahkahb Rirak (มหาราชานาคาบรีรักษ์)
Buddha image
which is seated in the
pahng nahg prok
pose on a coiled seven-headed
naga. From the head
to the tail tip, the naga is 139 meter long
and the tail runs along the rocks of the cliff over a
large part of the complex. The tail passes
by several rock carvings, including a large
Buddhapada and
bas-reliefs
of the
Buddha
and the
Hindu
deity
Shiva,
and ends up in the temple's lush, tropical, landscaped
garden. It
passes another giant bolder topped with a rock
reminiscent of the Golden Rock in
Myanmar (fig.)
and with carvings on all sides, including of senior
monks,
a
reclining Buddha
and a
Garuda.
See
also
TRAVEL PICTURES (1) and
(2),
WATCH VIDEO,
and
see
MAP.
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Wat Tham Seua (วัดถ้ำเสือ)
1. Thai.
‘Tiger cave temple’. Temple complex (wat)
in Ta Mameuang about 15 kms South of the city of
Kanchanaburi,
constructed around a small cave (tham) housing a tiger statue (seua).
It is built adjacent to the Thai-Chinese temple
Wat Tham Khao
Noi (fig.).
See MAP.
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2. Thai. ‘Tiger cave temple’.
Buddhist temple compound in
Krabi
located at the foot of a mountain which also belongs to the temple
complex and which at its summit has a gilded chedi, a large gilded
Buddha statue seated in the meditation pose, and several smaller
Buddha statues, such as those
of
the
Phra prajam wan
system
(fig.),
and other images related to religion and mythology. Here many
visitors stick coins onto rocks as an act of
pae riyan. The summit
offers a panoramic view of the Kiriwong Valley and can be reached by
climbing a strenuous flight of stairs with 1,237 steps. There are
several caves and according to legend a monk meditating in the caves
witnessed a huge tiger roaming the area, which led to the temple's
name.
See also PANO PICTURE
and
TRAVEL PHOTOS (1),
(2),
(3) and
(4),
and
MAP.
回
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Wat Tham Sila Thong (วัดถ้ำศิลาทอง)
Thai. ‘Golden Rock Cave Temple’.
A Buddhist temple in
Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat).
This small forest temple is
located near a cave and its courtyard features several religious
sculptures, many in Burmese style. In the
bat-dwelling
cave is a small statues of a
reusi
(fig.),
known as Reusi Pah Kae (ฤาษีป่าแก่), i.e. the
‘Old Forest Hermit’. At dusk, the microbats can be
seen leaving
this limestone cave from a
large nearby opening at the top of the mountain
in which they live during the day, in order to hunt for insects
during the night. Flying out in an elongated flock of thousands ─if
not millions─
of bats, birds of prey are awaiting them, disturbing the otherwise
unbroken flow of bats as they hunt these creatures for prey
in real aerial battles reminiscent of WW1 aerial combat maneuvers.
See also
VIDEO and
MAP.
回

Wat Tham Sri Mongkhon (วัดถ้ำศรีมงคล)
Thai. Name of a Buddhist temple
in
Nong Khai
which is home to
Tham Din Phiang, a tunnel cave that
has been formed by water erosion and which is situated in a valley
within the temple's compound. The cave is associated with the
naga
and is also referred to as
Tham
Phaya
Naak (fig.).
The path descending to the cave is hence lined on either side with
statues of nagas coiling onto rocks. Opposite of the cave's entrance
is a balcony with a large gilded Buddha image overlooking the cave
valley and seated in the
pahng samahti
pose. The entrance to the balcony is flanked by two
Khmer
style
singh
guardian
lions.
Wat Tham Sri
Mongkhon's
large prayer
hall is located on the hilltop near the main entrance gate of this
temple complex.
See MAP.
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Wat Tham Thong (วัดถํ้าทอง)
Thai.
‘Golden Cave
Temple’. Name of a Buddhist temple
in
Uthai Thani
which has a huge outdoor pristine white
Buddha image that
is seated
in the
half lotus position
whilst
performing
a
vitarka
mudra
(fig.).
The temple's entrance gate is flanked by two giant guardians, known as
yaks, of
which one
has
a red complexion and has features that resemble both Banlaikan
(บรรลัยกัลป์) and Kumphakaat (กุมภกาศ),
while
the
other one has a green complexion and has features that resemble both
Phiphek
(fig.)
and Mahothon (มโหทร).
See
MAP.
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Wat That Noi (วัดธาตุน้อย)
Wat That Thong (วัดธาตุทอง)
Thai. Name of a royal
monastery and funeral temple in
Bangkok's
Sukhumvit area.
READ ON.
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Wat Thaton (วัดท่าตอน)
Thai. Name of a
hilltop temple in the sleepy town and
tambon
of
Thaton.
READ ON.
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Wattana Nakhon (วัฒนานคร)
Thai. ‘City Development’
or ‘City Prosperity’. Name of
an Airbus A340-600
in the fleet of
Thai Airways International, which was given
its name by King
Bhumiphon. It was taken into service
on 29 September 2005, making a short test flight for VIPs
from Don Meuang to
Suwannaphum.
It
appears on the last of a set of four Thai postage stamps issued in
2010 for the occasion of the airline's 50th birthday anniversary (fig.).
See also
nakhon.
回
watthanatham (วัฒนธรรม)
Thai. ‘Culture’.
回
watthasongsaan (วัฎสงสาร)
Thai.
‘Life cycle’. The cycle of life, death and rebirth. Perpetual suffering.
See also
thevathut sie.
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Wat Thawon Wararam (วัดถาวรวราราม)
Thai.
‘Temple of Permanent Excellence’. Temple (wat)
located on the left bank of the Kwae Yai River, off Saeng Chuto (แสงชูโต)
Road, between Ban Tai (บ้านใต้) and Ban Neua
(บ้านเหนือ) districts of
Kanchanaburi city, just North of where the
river
confluences with the Kwae Noi River to form the (Mae) Klong River,
about 2.5 kilometers downriver from the Bridge over the River Kwae
(fig.). Its main feature is a
pagoda modeled after the
Tian Tan tower (fig.) in Beijing,
China.
See also
wararam.
See MAP.
回
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Wat Traimit
(วัดไตรมิตร)
Thai.
‘Temple of the three friends’. Temple built in the 13th century AD, founded by
three friends (trai mit) in
Bangkok's Chinatown,
who donated the land for the temple to be build, to house a 3.5 meter high and 5.5 ton Buddha image, made of solid gold,
usually referred to as the Golden Buddha (fig.).
During the siege of
Ayutthaya this image was covered with plaster to hide it from the Burmese
invaders. The statue cast in
Sukhothai style was moved from Ayutthaya to Bangkok after the city was destroyed by the Burmese in 1767. Over time this plaster
casing was assumed to be the original. Only recently was the original
rediscovered when a crane moving the statue within the temple complex dropped
it breaking open the plaster
revealing the solid gold. The Golden Buddha, officially named
Phra
Phutta Maha Suwan Patimakon, was until 2009 housed in
a small
mondop
at the
temple's compound. At the end of that year it was moved to a newly
constructed high-rise building (fig.).
The shrine is open to visitors year-round. The temple's
ubosot
(fig.)
however, is only occasionally open to the public (fig.), most likely on Buddhist
holidays, such as
Visakha Bucha. The temple's full and
official name is
Wat
Traimit Witthayarahm Worawihaan.
See MAP.
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Wat Traimit Witthayarahm Worawihaan (วัดไตรมิตรวิทยารามวรวิหาร)
Thai. Full name of
Wat Traimit.
回
Wat Uposatharaam (วัดอุโปสถาราม)
Thai. Name of an
idyllic Buddhist temple located at the foothills of Sakae Krang
Mountain in
Uthai Thani,
which is home to the hilltop temple Wat Sankat Rattana Khiri, that
houses a statue of the father of King Rama
I, who was
born in Uthai Thani. It is situated along the shores of the Sakae
Krang River on which visitors can make a relaxing boat ride in an
old
rice barge
that has been remodeled as a tour boat. The temple's name is a
compound that derives from the words ubosot and araam, and it is
also referred to as
Wat
Boht.
See
also
TRAVEL PICTURE
and
MAP.
回
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Wat Wang Wiwekaram
(วัดวังก์วิเวการาม)
Thai. ‘Wang
[Ka]
temple of the desolate
araam’. Name of a temple situated on a hill side near the banks
of
the Khao Laem reservoir
in
Sangkhlaburi.
READ ON.
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Watwin (ဝါတွင်း)
Burmese. Name for the
Buddhist Lent
in
Myanmar, which
usually start in the month of July.
See also
Thadingyut.
回
Wat Wongsamoon Wihaan (วัดวงศมูลวิหาร)
Thai. Name of a small
Buddhist temple, located at the
western end of a large dry-dock at
the
Naval Dockyard, within the compound of the
Royal Thai Navy
base
in
Thonburi.
READ
ON.
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Wat Yahn (วัดญาณ)
Thai. Buddhist temple complex in Huay Yai district in
Chonburi
province , with
a pagoda similar to the
Maha Bodhi pagoda
in
Bodhgaya, the place where the
Buddha attained
Enlightenment.
It is one of two pagodas in Thailand that are built similar to the
Maha Bodhi
pagoda in India. The other one is that of
Wat Wang Wiwekaram (fig.)
in Sangkhlaburi
(fig.)
in
Kanchanaburi province. Its full name is
Wat Yahn Sangwarahrahm Woramahawihaan.
See MAP.
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Wat Yahnnahwah (วัดยานนาวา)
Thai. ‘Boat Vehicle Temple’. Name of a third class royal temple (fig.)
in Sathorn district in
Bangkok.
READ ON.
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Wat Yahn Sangwarahrahm Woramahawihaan (วัดญาณสังวรารามวรมหาวิหาร)
See
Wat Yahn.
回
Wat Yai Chai Mongkon (วัดใหญ่ชัยมงคล)
Thai. ‘Great Temple of the
Auspicious Victory’. Name of a temple in
Ayutthaya,
which was presumably built in the reign of King
U-Thong,
not so long after the founding of the capital in 1351.
READ ON.
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Wat Yai Suwannaram (วัดใหญ่สุวรรณาราม)
Thai. Name of a
Buddhist temple in
Phetchaburi
which dates back to the
Ayutthaya
Period. Located against the wall
behind the principal
Buddha image
in the
ubosot
is a Buddha statue with a
maravijaya
mudra.
It is
seated in the
half lotus position
and the visible foot uniquely has six toes,
symbolizing the Buddha's six senses, i.e. the eyes, ears, nose,
tongue, body, and mind. Also transliterated Wat Yai Suwannaraam.
See MAP.
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waw (ว่าว)
Thai for ‘kite’ or ‘kite’, which
in Thailand are usually made of a skeleton of
thin bamboo sticks and tensioned yarn, covered with some lightweight
paper (fig.).
The kites can be
fashioned in any shape of ones likening,
including that of animals, such as
buffaloes
(fig.)
or
snakes
(fig.),
though for competition, the
chula
or ‘male’ kite
(fig.)
and
pak pao
or ‘female’ kite (fig.)
are typically used. The term waw
is used in
conjunction with any of these specific kites, e.g. waw chula, i.e. a
‘chula kite’, or
waw kwai,
i.e.
‘buffalo kite’, etc.
See also
kite flying and
kite
flying fights. See also
chak waw
and
krabeuang waw.
回

Waw (ဝေါ)
Burmese. Small town in
Myanmar's
Mon
State, which is home to the
Bago-Sittaung
(Pegu-Sitong/Sittoung)
Canal, that connects the city of Bago with the
Sittaung River. Along the canal, just north of this town, is a
sun-dried fish production area, which sells much of its produce
along the side of the road. The name is actually pronounced Wo.
See MAP.
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waw kwai (ว่าวควาย)
Thai. ‘Buffalo
kite’. Name a kind of kite that originates from southern
Thailand, where
kite flying
is practiced
after
the harvesting season.
READ ON.
回
Wax Candle Festival
Annual nationwide festival at the beginning of the
Buddhist Lent in which large candles
(fig.)
are beautifully moulded (fig.)
or carved in
all kinds of shapes and sizes, and paraded in a procession (fig.)
of adorned pick-ups (fig.),
called
rot kraba in
Thai. This festival is
celebrated most exuberantly in
Ubon
Ratchathani where annually a parade takes place in which large
floats carry massive wax candles and wax works displaying traditional
characters and scenes from Buddhism and mythology (fig.). In 2009, the Thai
Post Company Limited, issued a set of four stamps with different
floats of the Wax Candle Procession at Thung Si Meuang in
Ubon Ratchathani
province (fig.). In Thai called
Praphenih Hae
Thian
Pansa.
回

Wax Castle Festival
Festival in
Sakon Nakhon to mark the ending of the
Buddhist Lent. Tradition has
it that local people at this time of year formerly had a wax tree built, which
was carried to the temple in a procession. This over time evolved into the
making of wax castles, a local heritage now handed down to make merit for the
late ancestors. The wax castles symbolize the ideal spiritual dwelling place
which Buddhists want as their final destination. To reach this heavenly place
they are required to be eager and energetic in the making of merit, an act
generally known as
tamboon. Locals
divide themselves into different community groups, comprising of farmers,
merchants and governmental officials, each group donating money according to
their own enthusiasm and striving to build the most beautiful castle. Also
called Wax Prasat Procession and in Thai Praphenih Hae Prasat Pheung.
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Wax Rose
Common name of a large evergreen
shrub, with the botanical designation Pereskia bleo. It grows up to
five metres tall and blooms all year round, bearing showy orange
flowers. However, despite
its name the Wax Rose is not a rose, but a deciduous, leaved cactus,
that grows to a woody, prickly shrub, with a stem that is not
succulent and hardly resembles the typical desert cacti, nor is it
as drought resistant. Also commonly known by the names Rose Cactus
and Leaf Cactus, and in Thai called
Kulaab
Pukaam
(กุหลาบพุกาม), i.e.
‘Burmese Rose’.
回
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Wayabud (ไวยบุตร)
Thai-Sanskrit.
Name of a monkey-warrior character in the epos
Ramakien.
READ ON.
回
wayang golek
Indonesian-Javanese.
‘Traditional performance of puppets’ or simply ‘puppet show’.
A kind of puppet theatre
from Java, that uses wooden
puppets.
READ
ON.
回
Wayubud (วายุบุตร)
Thai-Sanskrit.
‘Son of
Vayu’. Another name for
Hanuman.
See also
Bhima.
回
Weasel Olive
Common name for a marine
gastropod mollusc in the family Olividae.
READ ON.
回
Weaver Ant
Common name of an in Southeast Asia living genus of ants
with the scientific designation Oecophylla
smaragdina.
READ ON.
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Weeping Goldsmith
Nickname given
in
Myanmar
to a kind of
ornamental plant in the ginger family that bears white flowers with long yellow pistils,
that grow in drooping clusters underneath large green leaves, and
that are the floral offering of choice in Buddhist temples
nationwide. The name refers to the fact that the shape of these
flowers is so intricate that they cannot be copied, not even by the
local goldsmiths, considered to be among the most skilled of artisans,
who were hence brought to tears and weeped because none of their own
creations could rival this flower's exquisiteness. In Burmese, known as
panhtain ngo
and in Thai called
dok khao phansa,
literally ‘entering
Buddhist Lent
flower’, as it is used in the
Tak Baat Dokmai
Festival for one, in the annual
Flower Offering Ceremony at
Wat Phra Phutthabaat
in
Saraburi.
See also POSTAGE STAMP.
回

Wei Tuo (韦驮, อ้วยโท้)
Chinese-Thai. Name for the general-bodhisattva,
who according to legend vowed to protect the members of the
Sangha when they are disturbed by
Mara, and to guard and preserve the teachings
of the
Buddha.
READ ON.
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Weiqi (围棋)
Chinese. Literally ‘encircling
game’. Name for the ancient board game of
Go.
回
wen fang si
bao (文房四宝)
Chinese. Literally ‘Four Jewels of the Writing
House’, but more commonly referred to as the ‘Four Treasures of the
Study’. It is the name for a pen tray containing a set of
writing brushes (fig.),
an ink stick (fig.),
an inkstone
(fig.)
and natural paper, four essential objects used in
Chinese
calligraphy (fig.).
In addition to these tools also paperweights, a brush rest, a
Chinese seal
(fig.)
and seal paste are used, and often included in larger trays.
回

Wen Shu (文殊)
Chinese. ‘Unique Culture’. Name for the
bodhisattva
of
learning and wisdom in
Mahayana Buddhism, who
is in Sanskrit known by the name
Manjushri (fig.).
In Chinese
iconography, he
is often depicted riding a
lion and holding a
lotus flower, or a
ruyi,
which is often in the form of a lotus, from which it initially
derived its shape.
Whereas the lotus is a symbol of wisdom
and
Enlightenment, the
bodhisattva riding the lion represents him using wisdom to tame the
mind. His consort is Biancai Tian (辩才天), i.e.
Sarasvati,
whose Chinese name translates as
‘Heavenly Eloquence’, who in
Tibet also has a wrathful form known as
Vajra
Sarasvati or
Magzor
Gyalmo in Tibetan, which means
‘Queen
of the Weapon Army’
(fig.).
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Wessandon
See
Wetsandorn.
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Western
Crowned-pigeon
Name of a large species of pigeon, that can grow up to 75 centimeter
tall. It is largely greyish-blue in colour, with a dark purple
throat and breast, an horizontal white and purple-brown bar on its
wings, and a light grey horizontal bar at the end of its tail. It
has red eyes and a greyish-blue beak. Its legs and feet are mixture
of salmon, white and brown. On its head there is a typifying crown
of grey-white feathers (fig.). Its is also known as
Victorian Crowned Pigeon, Common Crowned Pigeon and Blue Crowned Pigeon, and by the scientific names Goura cristata
and Goura victoria. In Thai it is called
nok phiraab ngon, meaning ‘crowned pigeon’
or ‘crest-combed dove’.
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West Indian Cherry
Common name of a tropical shrub or
small tree, with the botanical designation Malpighia emarginata,
which is also commonly known as Barbados Cherry. It originates from South and Central America,
where it is known as Acerola. Its fruit is edible and high in vitamin C
content. They are juicy, green to bright red in colour, and sour to
sweet in taste. In Thailand,
this fruit-bearing tree is commonly called Cherrih Thai (เชอร์รี่ไทย),
that is ‘Thai
Cherry’, but it
is scientifically referred to by its Spanish designation Acerola
Cherry (อะเซโรลาเชอร์รี่). In
Vietnam, it is known as sori (sơ ri).
回
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West Indian Lantana
See
phakah krong.
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wetih muay (เวทีมวย)
Thai name for
‘boxing
ring’,
though the term is often used more generally to refer to a
boxing
arena or boxing stadium as well,
which is
officially known as sanam muay.
In Thailand, the term wetih muay most frequently refers to boxing
rings used in
muay thai (fig.).
In
Bangkok, there are two main such indoor boxing rings for muay
thai, i.e. in
Lumphini
Stadium on
Rama IV
Road, and in Ratchdamnoen Arena on Ratchdamnoen Road.
回
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Wetsandorn (เวสสันดร)
Sanskrit. Name of the
bodhisattva in his tenth and last
jataka as son of the king of Sivi, before his final incarnation as
Buddha. His
story is written down in the
Wetsandornchadok and deals with the
merit of charity. Also called
Vessantara and
Vishvantara.
Also spelt Wessadon.
回
Wetsandornchadok (เวสสันดรชาดก)
Sanskrit.
Chadok of
Wetsandorn, the
Buddha in his tenth and last incarnation as
bodhisattva. A story that emphasizes the merit of
‘giving’. Wetsandorn was born
the son of king Sanjaya and queen Pusati who ruled over the kingdom of Sivi and
from an early age he enjoyed giving things away. Also called
Vessantara jataka.
MORE ON THIS.
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Wetsuwan (เวสสุวัณ)
Thai. A
deity
and guardian of the North. As such he is
depicted on the coat of arms of
Udonthani
(fig.),
which literally means
‘Northern City’ or ‘City of the North’.
He is depicted as a
yak or giant, sometimes with a green complexion. He is also
known as
Thao Wetsuwan and
Phra Paisarop. In Sanskrit,
he is referred to as
Vaisravana.
See also
Kuperan (fig.).
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Whale Shark
With a length of up to about 17 meters, the
largest living fish species on the planet. Its
upper body is mostly brownish grey, with pale yellow spots and
stripes, that are different in each animal, making them as unique as
a fingerprint and allowing for accurate identification. It has three
prominent ridges that run along each side of the body and a white
belly. It has five large pairs of gills and two small eyes, that are
located towards the front of the wide, flat head.
Despite its common name, the
Whale Shark is not a whale, as that is
a mammal, but a slow moving, filter feeding shark, feeding mainly,
though not exclusively, on plankton. It moves its
entire body for swimming, making it an inefficient swimmer, with an
average speed of only around 5 kilometers per hour.
Whale Sharks live in the open sea and are
found in tropical and warm oceans,
including the coastal waters of Thailand. They may live for up to
70 years. It has the scientific name Rhincodon typus and in Thai it
is known as
pla
chalaam waan.
See also POSTAGE STAMP.
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Wheel of Fire
Standard means of transportation
of the
Taoist
child-deity
Nezha,
which allows him to freely travel through the sky at great speed and
which is able to carry him to whichever place he wishes to go.
READ ON.
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Wheel of Law
Iconographic symbol of the
dhamma, the
teachings of the
Buddha,
which are never ending. See also
dhammachakka
and
Wheel of Fire.
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Whip Scorpion
Common name for a member of an order of terrestrial invertebrate
arachnids.
READ ON.
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wishing gem
See
chintamani.
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White-bellied Minivet
Common name for an extended species of an up to 16 centimeter tall,
black, white and orange bird in the family Corvidae. Its scientific
name is Pericrocotus erythropygius. Its appearance is strikingly
similar to the slightly smaller, 13-14 centimeter tall, male
Stonechat (fig.).
The White-bellied Minivet is found mostly in dry, deciduous forest,
as well as in scattered trees in semi-desert, dry lowland
cultivation. In Thailand, this uncommon bird is known by the name
nok kalaad sih chomphoo-khao (นกขลาดสีชมพู-ขาว),
i.e. ‘timid pink-white bird’.
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White-bellied
Sea Eagle
Name
for a very large bird of prey, with the scientific name Haliaeetus
leucogaster.
READ ON.
回
White-breasted Kingfisher
Common name for a species of wood or tree kingfisher, with the
scientific name Halcyon smyrnensis. It is widely distributed and
there are several subspecies, the one common in Southeast Asia being
Halcyon smyrnensis perpulchra, which has a dark chestnut head and
belly, and a white throat and breast (fig.). Its upper tail feathers and
wings are mostly turquoise (fig.), apart from chestnut and black wing
coverts, and a whitish shoulder patch. Its bill, legs and feet are
reddish-orange (fig.).
This widespread species has a variety of habitats, always in the
vicinity of water and with ample
trees or other perches, such as wires or fence posts (fig.). It is also known as White-throated Kingfisher and in
Thai it is called nok ka-ten ok khao (นกกะเต็นอกขาว) or nok kra-ten
ok khao (นกกระเต็นอกขาว).
See also POSTAGE STAMPS,
WILDLIFE PICTURES,
and
TRAVEL PICTURES.
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White-breasted Waterhen
Common designation for a waterbird, with the scientific name
Amaurornis phoenicurus. It is is widely distributed across South
Asia (fig.) and
Southeast Asia. They have mainly dark slate-grey upperparts and
flanks, and a white face, neck, breast and upper belly. The lower
belly, vent and under-tail are rufous-chestnut coloured. They have
long toes, a short tail and yellow legs, as well as a yellowish bill
with a red spot at the upper mandible's base. They use their bill to
probe in mud and shallow water, in search of food, which includes
insects, aquatic invertebrates, small fish and seeds. Its body is
flattened laterally, allowing it easier passage through reeds and
undergrowth. Sexes are similar, but females are smaller, and
immature birds are duller and have only traces of white on the front
(fig.). In Thai,
this bird is called
nok kwak.
See also WILDLIFE PICTURES.
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White-browed Prinia
Another common name for the
Plain Prinia.
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White-browed Shortwing
Name for a bird with the scientific name Brachypteryx montana,
distributed from India in the West, over Nepal, Bhutan, China and
Taiwan in the North, to most of Southeast Asia, including Thailand,
where it is a resident bird, found in the high mountains of the
North, especially on the upper slopes of
Doi Inthanon. Its natural habitat is
subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. The male is
distinctly different from the female, i.e. indigo-black, with a
prominent white stripe over the eyes, that sometimes seem to join
across the forehead, whereas the female is olive-green to brown,
with a reddish brown forehead and a short supercilium. In Thai known
as
nok pihk
san sih nahm ngun, i.e. ‘blue short-winged bird’.
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White-browed Wagtail
Common name of a species of bird with the scientific name Motacilla
maderaspatensis. With a size of about 21 centimeters, it is the
largest member of the wagtail family Motacillidae.
It has black upperparts, a black head and black breast, white
outer-tail feathers,
white underparts and
white primaries, and a long white supercilium. This bird is endemic to the
Indian subcontinent and a resident breeder in parts of Nepal and
India, where it is found South of the
Himalayas (fig.),
East of the Indus River, and to the West of Bangladesh. Also known
as Large Pied Wagtail (fig.).
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White-cheeked Gibbon
See
Gibbon.
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White-crested Laughingthrush
Common name of a passerine bird with the scientific name Garrulax
leucolophus. It is characterized by a conspicuous snow-white crest,
throat and chest, that stands out against the black mask and beak.
Its upperparts and belly are bright reddish-brown, and its legs are
greyish. This common forest resident (fig.) has distinguished call that
sounds like hysterical laughter. In Thai it is known as
nok kraraang hua ngok, or
alternatively
nok karaang hua ngok.
See also
WILDLIFE PICTURES.
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_small.jpg)
White-crowned
Hornbill
A
species of
hornbill,
with the scientific names Aceros comatus and Berenicornis comatus, and
also commonly known as the White-crested Hornbill. It is about 90 to
101 centimeters large. Adult males (fig.) have blackish upperparts, whitish underparts, a whitish head, neck and tail, and white-tipped flight
feathers. In addition, they have a shaggy crest, a greyish bill, and
pale blue facial skin (fig.). Adult females are similar, but their neck and underparts are blackish (fig.). It is found in subtropical and tropical
forests on the Thai-Malay Peninsula, on Sumatra and in Borneo.
Unlike most hornbill species, that make a loud, whooshing sound as
they fly, this species' flight is almost noiseless. Like owls,
silent flight might help the White-crowned Hornbill sneak up on
prey, such as lizards,
snakes, insects and even small birds.
Therefore, it is also different from other hornbills, because it is
carnivorous, rather than frugivorous (fruit-eating). In Thai, it is
known as nok ngeuak hua ngok (นกเงือกหัวหงอก), meaning
‘silver-grey-headed hornbill’.
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White Dragontail
Common name for a species of
swallowtail butterfly found in parts of southern
China,
South Asia and Southeast Asia.
READ ON.
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White-eared Bulbul
Common name for a species of bulbul in the family Pycnonotidae, with
the scientific designation Pycnonotus leucotis. It is found in the
eastern parts of southern Asia. This songbird is ashy grey above
with a black face and white cheek-patches, and a lighter grey below,
with a yellowish-orange vent. The sexes are alike. Its white
ear-patches make it somewhat reminiscent of the
Red-whiskered Bulbul (fig.),
though some of its features also resemble those of the
Himalayan Bulbul (fig.)
and the
Sooty-headed Bulbul (fig.).
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White Elephant
Brownish
pink to white
Asian Elephant.
READ ON.
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White-eyed River Martin
Common name for a species of
rare passerine bird, with the Latin scientific designation
Pseudochelidon sirintarae. Adults have a mostly glossy
greenish-black plumage, a white rump, and a tail with two elongated
central tail feathers. It has a white eye ring and a broad, bright
greenish-yellow bill. The sexes are similar in appearance, but
juveniles lack the tail ornaments and are generally browner than
adults. In Thai, this species is known by the names nok chao fah
ying sirindhorn (นกเจ้าฟ้าหญิงสิรินธร) and nok naang aen tah phong (นกนางแอ่นตาพอง).
This bird is depicted on a Thai postage stamp issued in 1975 as part
of a set on Thai birds (fig.).
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White-handed Gibbon
Common name for a kind of
gibbon, i.e.
a species of primate in
the family Hylobatidae, with the scientific designation
Hylobates lar, and hence also
commonly known as Lar Gibbon. There are several morphs, which
have either a light fur
and a dark face (fig.)
or a dark fur with a white rim around its face, yet all morphs have
white fur on their hands and feet. They
occur in all of Southeast Asia and spend most of
their life in treetops (fig.),
as they are rather clumsy on the ground (fig.).
They live in small family groups consisting of a male and female
with up to four young. They feed on fruits and insects alike and
might occasionally even eat squirrels and small birds which they,
through their speed, are said to pick from the air. They have a
lifespan of about 25 years. In Thai, they are called
chanie,
a word which can also be used
derogatory for women, since the White-handed Gibbon
call sounds like ‘phua’, the Thai word for husband, thus indicating
a gibbon sounds like a woman who is calling for her husband. This
distinctive call can be heard from up to two kilometer away.
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White-headed
Bulbul
Common name for a species of medium-sized songbird, with a body
length to 26 centimeters. It belongs to the family of bulbuls (Pycnonotidae)
and has the scientific designation Hypsipetes thompsoni. It has a
dark grey to chestnut body and tail, with a white neck and a rather
large white head. Its legs, as well as its slightly elongated
bill, are orange. Its eyes are brown or red. It has a long tail and
short, rounded wings, and an overall compact appearance, especially
compared to the
Black
Bulbul, of which certain subspecies also have a
white head (fig.). Its natural habitats are subtropical
to tropical moist highlands and lowland forests, especially the edge
of evergreen forests, in secondary growth, scrub and clearings. It
usually dwells between 900 to 2,000 meters, but occasionally
descends to foothills. It is known to occur from
Burma to
Vietnam and in Thailand it is an
uncommon resident, which numbers may perhaps be augmented by some
winter visitors. Its harsh call is varied, with short, scratchy or
squeaky sounds, including a distinctive, rhythmic chit-chiriu sound.
In Thai it is called
nok parod thao hua khao.
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White-lipped Pit Viper
A venomous and dangerous species of
pit viper, that ranges from India through
Burma, Thailand, Indochina and southern China to Malaysia and large
parts of Indonesia, including Borneo, Sumatra and Java. It has a short
and stout body with strongly keeled scales and its head has a
distinctive triangular shape. Its dorsal side is green, whilst the
ventral side is yellow and the tail brownish (fig.)
but, though unusual, it may occasionally be overall yellowish (fig.). Generally
its eyes are yellow (fig.), yet some species have brownish red eyes (fig.). In addition, males have a
thin white ventrolateral stripe that runs along the body and which is
sometimes visible on the first row of body scales. As with all pit
vipers,
it is distinguished by the presence of a heat-sensing pit organ located
between the eye and the nostril on either side of the head. The designation
‘white-lipped’
comes from the fact that the side of its head, below the eyes, is
much lighter than rest of the head, i.e. white, pale yellow or pale
green (fig.). It
occurs in forest and open grassland, as well as in urban areas. This
snake is
nocturnal and feeds on a variety of vertebrates, including small birds,
rodents, frogs and lizards. When aroused it is quick to bite, though its
venom is seldom fatal to humans. By day it is less aggressive. Also
called White-lipped Tree Viper and White-lipped Bamboo Viper, and in
Thai known as
ngu khiaw hahng mai thong leuang.
See also WILDLIFE PICTURES.
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%20งูเขียวหางไหม้ท้องเหลือง_small.jpg)
White Mulberry
Common name for a short-lived, fast-growing shrub or
medium-sized
mulberry
tree, with the botanical name Morus
alba.
READ ON.
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White-naped Crane
Common name of
a large bird in the crane family Gruidae, with the scientific name Grus
vipio. It is found in China, breeding
from northeastern Mongolia to the northeastern regions, and wintering
near the Yangtze River, as well as in Taiwan, Korea and Japan. It
grows up to around 130 centimeters
tall, is mostly slate grey, with a
white nape and
hindneck, pinkish legs, and a red face patch, that extends from around
the eyes. In Thai, it is known as nok
krarian kho khao (นกกระเรียนคอขาว), i.e. ‘White-necked Crane’.
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White-necked Laughingthrush
Common name for a bird with the binomial name
Garrulax strepitans.
It has an overall dark appearance with a dark brown, near-black
breast, throat and face, a white neck, and a brown spot on both sides of
the neck. Its vent is also slightly brownish, and it has a warm brown
crown and rusty ear-coverts. It is found in evergreen forests, between
500 and 1,800 meters, and is an uncommon to common local resident. In
Thai, it is known as nok kraraang ok sih nahm tahn mai (นกกระรางอกสีน้ำตาลไหม้)
or nok karaang ok sih nahm tahn mai (นกกะรางอกสีน้ำตาลไหม้).
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White Orange Tip
Common name for a species of butterfly, with the
scientific designation Ixias marianne. The upperwings of the male are
white with an orange patch on the upper-apex of the forewings, and broad
black margins on the apical half of the forewings, as well as on the
terminal margin of the hindwings. Females are similar, but the orange
patch is narrower and it bears four black spots. There underside of both
sexes is sulphur-yellow and is covered with reddish-brown markings and
minuscule dots. The wet-season form
is more heavily marked on the forewings. This butterfly is very similar
to the
white form of the
Yellow Orange Tip
(fig.).
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White Pelican
Common name for a bird in the pelican family, with the scientific
designation Pelecanus onocrotalus. It is also commonly known by the
names Eastern White Pelican and Great White Pelican, and is one of two
species that occur in the region of Southeast Asia, the other one being
the
Grey Pelican
(fig.).
The White Pelican is mainly whitish,
with a greyish-brown bill, a yellowish pouch, pinkish legs and feet,
which are webbed, and a bare pink facial patch around
the eye, whilst the underside of the flight feathers is black. In the breeding season, the plumage has
a pinkish tinge, the
facial patch is pinkish in males and
yellowish-orange in females,
the pouch is bright deep yellow, it has a yellowish-buff patch on the
breast, and it has a tufted crest at the back of the nape (fig.).
Immature birds are greyish-brown and have dark flight feathers.
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White-rumped Munia
Name of a 10-11 centimeters small passerine bird
with the scientific name Lonchura striata. It has light underparts, a
white rump (fig.) and largely brown upperparts, with both its neck and breast
speckled with lighter brown spots. Its stubby bill and legs are greyish
black, whereas its tail is black. It is also known as Striated Finch and
in Thai as
nok kratid tapohk khao.
See also WILDLIFE PICTURES.
回

White-rumped Shama
Common name for a passerine bird, with the
scientific name Copsychus malabaricus, of which in Thailand two
subspecies are prevalent, i.e. Copsychus malabaricus interpositus and
C.m. pellogynus. Adult males are
blackish-blue, with a white rump and orange-rufous underparts (fig.). Their
long tail is blackish, with white outer feathers. Males grow up to 28
centimeters tall. The dark parts of females are greyer, while the underparts are paler and the tail shorter. Juveniles
(fig.) are brownish with
buff speckles, and a buff throat and breast which is dark scaled. This
bird has a highly varied, melodious song, which includes mimicry.
See also WILDLIFE PICTURES
and
TRAVEL PICTURES.
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White-shouldered Starling
Common name for a passerine bird in the family Sturnidae, with the scientific designation Sturnia sinensis.
READ ON.
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White-spotted Guitarfish
Common name for a
species of fish in the Rhynchobatidae family, with the scientific
designation Rhynchobatus djiddensis and in Thai called Pla Roanan Jud
Khao (ปลาโรนันจุดขาว), i.e.
‘White-spotted rohnan fish’.
It has a
distinctive wedge-shape and tiny white spots on an otherwise olive-grey
upper body, whilst the lower body is white.
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White-tailed
Fighting Cock
See
Yellow White-tail Fighting Cock.
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White Temple
English name for the Thai temple
Wat Rong Khun
in
Chiang Rai
(fig.),
as well as for the
Ava temple
Yattana Pontha in
Inwa (fig.).
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White-throated Babbler
Common name for a species of bird, with the
scientific designation Turdoides gularis, and which is endemic to
Myanmar. Adults have a very long tail and in whole they measure
about 25.5 centimeters in size. It is rich buff below and streaked with
grey above, and –as its name suggests– it has a white throat.
See also WILDLIFE PICTURES
and
TRAVEL PHOTOS.
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White-throated Fantail
Common name for a species of fantail,
a passerine bird in the family Rhipiduridae, with the
scientific designation Rhipidura albicollis.
READ ON.
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White-vented Myna
Common name for a species of starling in the
Sturnidae family and with the scientific name Acridotheres grandis. It
is mainly black with a prominent crest, a yellow to orange bill and
legs, and white under wings and undertail-coverts (fig.). It is found in
Thailand,
Malaysia,
Cambodia,
Laos,
Vietnam,
Myanmar, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and
China.
It prefers open countryside and cultivated areas, where it is sometimes
found perching on the back of cattle, ridding them of parasites (fig.). In
China,
the White-vented Myna is often bred and held as
a pet (fig.).
Like
its
relative
the
Talking
Hill
Myna
(fig.),
it
is
also
able
to
mimic
human
speech. In Thai
it is called
nok ihyang
ngon. Compare to the
Common Myna
(fig.).
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White Wagtail
Name for a small passerine bird, with the scientific name Motacilla
alba and belonging to the wagtail family Motacillidae. There are several
subspecies, with quite a number of them dwelling in southern Asia,
including Swinhoe's
Wagtail (Motacilla alba baicalensis),
the Streak-eyed
Wagtail
(Motacilla alba ocularis), the Black-backed Wagtail
(Motacilla alba lugens),
the Black-eared or Hodgson's Wagtail (Motacilla
alba alboides),
the Masked Wagtail (Motacilla alba personata), and the Amur Wagtail
(Motacilla alba leucopsis).
The latter
is black above, with broad white fringes to its
wing-coverts and tertials, and white outer-tail feathers (fig.). The male
has a white head and underparts, a black hindcrown, nape and an
isolated black breast patch, which in the breeding season extends to
the lower throat and joins the black of the mantle. The female is similar, but light gray above and with
a narrower breast patch (fig.). Females also have some very light yellow colouring on the face
(fig.), around the eyes.
The male
Masked Wagtail in non-breeding plumage is grey above and has a black
hood, with a white forecrown, eyering and upper throat (fig.).
The White Wagtail is a winter visitor to Thailand and in Thai it is called nok um
baat
(นกอุ้มบาตร),
the
‘bird
that
carries an
alms bowl’,
referring to the black patch on it's breast, which is reminiscent of
a Buddhist monk's alms bowl (fig.).
See also WILDLIFE PICTURES.
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White-winged Wood Duck
Name for a species of duck, with the
scientific names Asarcornis scutulata and Cairina scutulata.
Males have a body size of up to
81
centimeters, whilst females are no larger than about 66 centimeters.
Males are mostly dark, with white lesser and median coverts and
inner edges of tertials, and bluish-grey secondaries. The whitish
head and upper neck are speckled with black, and the bill is mostly
dull yellowish. The irises are a brownish-orange. In flight, the
white wing-coverts contrast with the rest of the wings. Besides
being smaller, females usually have a more densely mottled head and
upper neck. Juveniles are overall duller and browner. The bird is
somewhat similar to the female
Comb Duck, though the latter has
mostly whitish underparts and all dark wings. In the past,
this species was widely distributed from northeastern India and
Bangladesh, through Southeast Asia to Java and Sumatra, but since
both the bird and its eggs are hunted for food, as well as an
ongoing habitat loss, it is now endangered with an estimated
population of less than a thousand, spread over India, Bangladesh,
Burma, Indochina and Thailand, and only a few on Sumatra.
This species is also known as simply
White-winged Duck, and
in Thai it is called pet kah (เป็ดก่า).
A male and
female White-winged Wood Duck are depicted on a postage stamp which
was issued in 1996 as part of a set of four stamps on ducks found in
Thailand (fig.).
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wiang (เวียง)
Thai for a walled city. Also transcribed viang or even vien, as in
Vientiane.
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Wiang Kum Kahm (เวียงกุมกาม)
Thai. Name of an ancient settlement in
northern Thailand, that was founded by king
Mengrai after his victory over
Haripunchai, and predates
Chiang Mai.
It existed along the
Ping River until it was flooded and
eventually abandoned, some 700 years ago. Wat
Kuh Kham (วัดกู่คำ), a temple that was built around 1287 AD −but is
nowadays referred to as Wat Chedi Liam (วัดเจดีย์เหลี่ยม)− is the
only edifice of that period still standing, though archeological
excavations conducted in the area have revealed more remnants and
ruins of the former community.
See MAP.
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Wichai
Prasit (วิไชยประสิทธิ์)
Thai. Name of a fort in
Thonburi,
on the banks of the
Chao Phraya river, at the mouth of Khlong
Bangkok Yai canal. It was built by the
French in the reign of king
Narai and is now occupied by the
Royal Thai Navy. It was previously named Wichayen Fort and Bangkok Fort
and in the Thonburi period it was the rear of the palace compound of
King
Taksin, who was later also executed here. Today his
statue stands in front of the fort, facing the river (fig.).
See MAP.
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Wichian, wichian (วิเชียร)
1.
Thai. Another name for
wachira, meaning ‘diamond’,
‘lightning’ or ‘thunderbolt’, the weapon of the god
Indra. In Sanskrit called
vajra.
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2.
Thai. Name of a kingdom in the
Ramakien,
located on the slopes of the Universe and ruled over by the
yak
Vayuphak.
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wichian maat
(วิเชียรมาศ)
Thai. ‘Golden Thunderbolt’ or ‘Golden Diamond’. The Thai designation
for the Siamese
cat. See also
wichian.
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Wichitmahwan (วิจิตรมาวรรณ)
Thai. Name of one of the seven
guardian spirits that looks out for children and that are generally
known as
Mae Seua.
This
thevada guards all the children that are born on a
Sunday and is represented with a red human-like body and the head of
a
lion
(singh).
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Wichudah (วิชุดา)
1. Thai.
Name of a female
yak
and one of the seven
protector-demons in the
Ramakien,
including also
Phi Seua Samut
(fig.),
who live in the coastal waters
around
Langka, the
city-state of the demon-king
Totsakan,
which they
patrol and guard. Also
transcribed Witchuda.
回
2. Thai.
Name of a remotely
operated, unmanned underwater vehicle
(UUV) used by the
Royal Thai Navy
for surveying the sea and named
after the female
yak
from the
Ramakien,
who patrols the ocean around the island of
Langka.
Also transcribed Witchuda.
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wih (วี)
Northern Thai term for a kind of large fan, woven from bamboo
strips. It is round in shape and has wooden handle, which in the
middle runs over the total length of the fan, as well as a rim for
strength. They are always used in pairs, as a tool for winnowing
rice,
i.e. to fan the chaff from the grains, after it has been threshed.
They are used habitually over a large threshing basket, known as a
piyad.
Also known as
kah
and kah wih (ก๋าวี).
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%20fan%20tool%20for%20winnowing_small.jpg)
wihaan (วิหาร)
See
viharn.
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Wihaan Phra Mongkon Bophit (วิหารพระมงคลบพิตร)
Thai. Name of a
viharn
located to the south of
Wat Phra Sri Sanphet in
Ayutthaya.
It houses a large bronze
Buddha image,
named Phra Mongkon Bophit
and
seated in a
virasana with
a
bhumisparsa
mudra
(fig.).
The
Buddha image,
which dates from the 15th century, was originally enshrined outside
the Grand Palace, which lays to its East. King
Song Tham later had it transferred
to the West, where it was enshrined in a
mondop.
In the reign of
Phra Chao Seua,
the mondop (fig.) was hit by lightning and burned down. The king
consequently commanded that a new building be built in the form of a
wihaan. In 1767,
during the fall of the capital
to the Burmese, the building and the image were once again badly
damaged by fire, eventually resulting in the present edifice.
See
MAP.
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Wihaan Sadet Pho Phra Siwa
(วิหารเสด็จพ่อพระศิวะ)
Thai.
‘Viharn
of His Highness
Lord
Shiva’
or ‘Father
Shiva Temple’.
Name of a Thai
Hindu
sanctuary in
Bangkok's
Khoo Bon area,
dedicated to the god
Shiva.
READ ON.
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Wihaan Sian (วิหารเซียน)
See
Anek Kuson Sala. The
name is a compound of the word
wihaan and sian (xian).
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Wihaan Thep Sathit Phra Kiti Chaleum (วิหารเทพสถิตพระกิติเฉลิม)
Thai. Name of a Thai-Chinese
temple complex dedicated to
the
Taoist
child-deity
Nezha
San Taizi.
READ ON.
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wihlah (วีล่า)
Thai name for the Vila, i.e.
Slavic versions of nymphs who have power over wind and delight in
causing storms. In Thailand, they are described as creatures
half-human half-spirit who manifest themselves as beautiful yet
jealous girls with a bright skin, who have the power to make any boy
or man fall in love with them, but turn into gruesome demons when
angered. Also transliterated Weelah.
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Wild Boar
Common name of a species of a
boar, i.e.
a
pig, with the binomial name Sus scrofa
and belonging to the biological family Suidae. It is the wild
ancestor of the domestic pig. It is often simply referred to as a
boar, though that designation is also used for a male wild pig or an
uncastrated male pig. Likewise, it is sometimes called Wild Hog, a
term normally reserved for a castrated male wild pig. This species
has a dark body, narrow pointed nozzle without warts or bumps, and a
mane of black hair that stretches halfway down back. The young
are dark brown to blackish, often with lighter stripes along the
body. One of
Vishnu's
avatars is a boar, known by the name
Varaha. Wild Boars are distributed
throughout many parts of the world, including Europe, North Africa, North
America, as well as South, East and Southeast Asia.
In Thai it is called
moo pah.
See also WILDLIFE PICTURES (1)
and
(2),
TRAVEL PICTURES,
and
WATCH VDO.
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Wild Hog
See
Wild Boar.
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Wild Peanut Flower
Common name for a kind of
ornamental grass, belonging to the botanical species Arachis. It
blooms bright yellow flowers, that strongly
resemble those of the Peanut Plant (Arachis hypogaea -
fig.) and
the Perennial Peanut (Arachis
pintoi),
hence the name.
The grass however consists of more rounded leaves and it bears no
peanuts under the ground.
Even though this is a wild plant, it is often used in oriental
gardens, especially as a ground cover for lawns and at the base of
trees. See also
thua lisong.
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Wimala (วิมาลา)
Thai. Name of the wife of the
large
crocodile
Chalawan in the
Thai classical story of
Kraithong.
READ
ON.
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Winayok (วินายก)
Another name for
Phra Wikhanesuan,
i.e.
Ganesha.
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wine fly
See
malaeng wih.
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winery
The first Thai vines were planted at Château de
Loei (fig.) in
1991 and its first commercial harvest was in 1995.
READ ON.
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Win Ga Bar (ဝင်္ကပါ)
Burmese. ‘Maze’ or ‘Labyrinth’.
Name of a brick Buddhist temple structure in
Inwa,
located adjacent to and to the west of
Myinmo Taung.
READ ON.
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Winged Calabash
See
tihn pet farang.
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wipatsanah (วิปัสสนา)
Thai term that
properly means ‘Enlightenment’,
but in popular speech may also refer to ‘insight’
or ‘meditation’.
Also transcribed
vipassana.
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Wiphawadi Rangsit (วิภาวดีรังสิต)
Thai. Name of a princess
of the
late
Rattanakosin
Period,
who was born on 20 November 1920
as the eldest daughter of Prince
Phitayalongkorn.
READ ON.
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Wire-tailed Swallow
Common name for a 13.5 centimeter tall swallow, with the scientific
name Hirundo smithii. Adults have a chestnut crown and very blue
upperparts. Below they are snowy-white,
including the throat. They have a more or less square tail, with very
long streamers. Together, the tail and streamers are more than 12.5
centimeters in length. Juveniles have no streamers and are more brownish
above, with a paler crown, a dark patch around the eyes, and a
vaguely buffish throat.
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Wirun (วิรุณ)
Thai. Name of a submarine,
usually referred to as the HTMS Wirun, i.e. a U-boat of the type
Madchanu that was once
used by the
Royal Thai Navy
(fig.),
and which is named after the
yak
Virunchambang,
i.e. a giant
with a navy blue complexion (fig.).
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Wirunchambang (วิรุฬจำบัง, วิรุณจําบัง)
Another spelling for
Virunchambang.
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Wirunhok (วิรุฬหก)
1.
Thai. Name of a giant or
yak
character
in the
Ramakien (fig.).
He is usually described as having a dark blue
complexion (fig.)
and wears a
chadah-style
crown, which is topped with the figure of a
naga,
similar to
Mangkonkan (fig.).
He is the ruler of the underground city of Maha Anthakaan (มหาอันธการ)
and likes to adorn
himself with jewelry in the form of nagas. He is also described as a
lokaban,
i.e. a guardian,
of the South. In a later
incarnation,
he was born as the monkey-warrior
Geyoon
(fig.).
Wirunhok
is one of the twelve
yak characters
from the
Ramakien that
stand guard at
Bangkok's
International Airport
Suwannaphum
(fig.),
as well as
one of the 12
giants, set up in 6 pairs, that guard the entrances in the enclosure
of the Temple of the
Emerald Buddha
(fig.),
i.e.
Wat Phra Kaew
in
Bangkok (fig.),
where he is erected in pair with
Mangkonkan (fig.).
His name is also transcribed Virunhok.
See LIST OF RAMAKIEN CHARACTERS.
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2.
Thai name for
Virudhaka
or
Zeng Zhang Tian
(fig.),
one of the
Four Heavenly Kings from
Mahayana Buddhism, and as such, he is
typically found at the entrance of
Chinese-Taoist
temples. Also transcribed Virunhok.
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Wirunjambang (วิรุฬจำบัง)
See
Virunchambang.
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Wirupak (วิรูปักษ์)
Thai. Name of a deity that
appears
in the
Ramakien.
READ ON.
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Wisakha Bucha (วิสาขบูชา)
See
Visakha Bucha.
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Wisantrahwih (วิสันตราวี)
Thai name of a monkey-warrior character
from the
Ramakien. He
is from the city Meuang Chomphoo (เมืองชมพู) and is described as having a fur in the colour of
lychees
(fig.),
i.e. dark-pink. He wears a golden
taab, a
decorative and protective neckpiece,
as well as
a golden
kabang-style
crown.
He is usually
depicted with his mouth open.
He is one of the eighteen
Wahnon Sip-paet Mongkut,
who in his previous
chaht
or
incarnation,
was the deity
Phra Angkahn,
the Thai god of Tuesday, as well as the god of war (fig.).
Also
transcribed Wisantrawih, Visantrawee and Visantraavee, or similar.
See also LIST OF RAMAKIEN CHARACTERS.
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Wisdom Eyes
Name for the giant pair of eyes that are present on virtually every
Buddhist
stupa in Nepal, and
most famously
on the Bodnath
Stupa
in Kathmandu (map
- fig.). They are painted on the four sides of the stupa, looking out in the four directions to symbolize the
omniscience of the
Buddha. One eye is said to
represent Wisdom, the other Compassion. Underneath and between
the eyes, where the nose would be, is a curly symbol that looks like
a question mark without a dot (१). This is the