Sukhothai Period
Although animistic beliefs remained potent in Sukhothai, King Ramkhamhaeng and his successors were all devout Buddhist rulers who made merit on a large scale. The major cities of the Sukhothai kingdom were, therefore, full of monasteries, many of which were splendid examples of Thai Buddhist architecture. Sukhothai adopted the Ceylonese school of Theravada Buddhism, beginning with King Ramkhamhaeng’s invitation to Ceylonese monks to come over and purify Buddhism in his kingdom. This Ceylonese influence manifested itself not only in matters of doctrine but also in religious architecture. The bell-shaped stupa, so familiar in Thai religious architecture, was derived from Ceylonese models. Sukhothai style Buddha images are distinctive for their elegance and stylized beauty, and Sukhothai’s artists introduced the graceful form of the “walking Buddha” into Buddhist sculpture.

Tags: Buddha,Buddhism,Rama,Thailand
Categories: Buddhism
3 Comments »

Silom – Surawong – Sathon
From end to end, these parallel streets are full of big blocks of multi-story buildings, housing many banks, finance firms, insurance companies, export-import houses, hotels, airlines offices, restaurants, shopping arcades, department stores, and entertainment establishments. This area is busy not only in the daytime, but also in the evening, when people come to eat, to meet buisness friends or to seek enjoyment.

There is a small area in this district which, for about 30 years, has been very well known to foreign visitors for its bars and nightclubs. Known as Patpong, this famous place offers various kinds of entertainment – wine, beer, music, dancing, etc. In this area, there are both skytrain and subway stations.

Tags: Bangkok,Bangna,Downtown,Rama,Siam,Silom,Sukhumvit
Categories: Bangkok
2 Comments »

The Thais call their capital city Krungthep, not Bangkok, as it is know internationally. It is short of what the Guinness Book of World Records dub the longest name for a city – Krungthepmahanakorn Amornrattanakosin Mahintrayuthaya Mahadilokpob Noparat Rajataniburirom Amornpimarn Awatarnsatis Sakatadtiya Wisanukamprasit.

Krungthep, or Krungthepmahanakorn, literally means the City of Angels. Bangkok came from the word Bang Kork, a small district in the city that formed the core of the current metropolis.

Tags: Angels,Bangkok,Grand Palace,King,Krungthep,Rama
Categories: Thailand
No Comments »