What tourists can expect when visiting the Reclining Buddha or Wat Pho Temple

Millions of tourists flock Thailand every year.

In fact the number of tourists that arrived in the year of 2012 reached a staggering number of 22 million international guests.

Tourism contributes highly to the GDP of Thailand, in the year of 1997 they have reached a 6.7 growth in GDP.

Realizing this truth, most of the places in Thailand have been redesigned in order to accommodate tourists. 

Tourists have a higher chance of visiting this country due to the peaceful state of economy and political issues.

This is largely due to the fact that Thai people have a " happy-go-lucky" attitude.  

The culture and way of life of Thai people is relaxed and laid back when compared with other countries in Asia like China or Korea. 

One of the major attraction in Thailand is the Reclining Buddha or the Wat Pho Temple. 

It is well advertised all over the internet and thousands of tourists flock here yearly for a good reason.

 The temple is open everyday  starting at 8:00 am to 5pm.

 It would be best to visit the temple from 8:30 am to 10 am before the crowd gets heavy.

If you want a chance to take really good pictures and to have a solemn and peaceful time you need to come early.

How to get to the Reclining Buddha: It will usually depend on where you are coming from.
 But most taxi drivers know the area and would be willing to take you there.

Make sure to get a metered taxi, don't agree if the taxi driver insists that you will pay for a certain fixed amount.

 Avoid taking a cab that is just parked outside the temple, go and try to negotiate with moving taxis, wait for them to stop and tell them where you want to go. 

Tell them it should be metered, avoid those taxi drivers who are willing to give you a cheap price in exchange for you stopping in one Gem Shop or Tailoring Shop.

Usually this Gem shops sell fake jewelry while the Tailoring Shop is only useful to you if you really have plans of getting a suit created before you go home. 

Otherwise do not get this option and find a taxi driver that will  use the meter.

It would be better to try the ferry boat since the port is just a walking distance from the temple.
The fare starts from 7 baht to 15 baht only no matter how far you will go.

Check your map to understand the Chao Praya River navigation system in order to be able to explore  more.

What to expect:

 The Reclining Buddha is 46 meters long and is covered in gold leaf.

• You need to pay a fee of 100 baht per person before you can enter the temple
• There are lots of good temples and icons that you can take pictures of
• You can expect to see a park and lounging area
• In the nearby area  outside there are lots of cheap food and affordable drinks
• Do expect a free drinking water that is included in the ticket inside. In order to get your free water present your stub.

• You can purchase affordable Buddha images made from wood priced at 40 baht and up.
•  This price is cheaper compared to stores that are selling Buddha images and other tourist items. Normally the price of a carved Buddha image will start at 100 baht.
• You can expect to see tourist guides who are willing to provide an English tour for a fee, please ask the tourist guide first how much the tour will cost before agreeing.

• You can expect to see a fortune teller, one is Thai and one is an English translator, just the same, ask the price of the fortune teller before sitting down and listening to what they have to say.
• Expect an array of tokens sold in the area
• Thai massage is also available in the area, prices of the massage will depend on the kind of service and number of hours you like to receive.  Expect to pay 120 baht to 500 baht for various kinds of massage
• Expect to see hundreds of tourists navigating the area from different parts of the world. Yopu can meet all kinds of people from Russia, France, India, Germany, Philippines, Korean, China, Japan, Africa and other countries you did not know existed.
• The Buddha's feet are 5 metres long and exquisitely decorated in mother-of-pearl illustrations of auspicious 'laksanas' (characteristics) of the Buddha. 108 is a significant number, referring to the 108 positive actions and symbols that helped lead Buddha to perfection. 
• You’ll need to take your shoes off to enter, and if you would like a little good luck, we recommend purchasing a bowl of coins at the entrance of the hall which you can drop in the 108 bronze bowls which line the length of the walls. Dropping the small pennies in makes a nice ringing sound and even if your wishes don’t come true, the money goes towards helping the monks renovate and preserve Wat Pho. (http://www.bangkok.com/attraction-temple/wat-po.htm)
• Expect to see lots of dried sea food outside the temple near the port. 

Who should visit the temple?

Not everyone loves the temple atmosphere and not everyone will  understand the solemnity of the place.
 Tourists who are easily bored and do not really value the historical meaning of Buddhism need not explore the area.

 Because frankly if you do not have a mystical belief or respect for the culture of Thailand the Wat Pho temple will just be a place for you to take random pictures and nothing more

It is hard to appreciate the temples if you do not have a spiritual leaning or if you are not really excited in going out.

There are no bars here and there are no major man made attractions.

The temple of Wat Pho is a beauty and is truly magnificent but will also speak for the real traveler who wants to learn more.

Make a wish inside the Wat Pho temple:

At the back of the Reclining Buddha, you will see a volunteer placing small coins inside a bowl. Place a 20 baht donation inside the box and get some of the smaller coins and start placing them on the copper bowls.

You will notice a line of people doing the same thing, although there is no direct explanation as to what will really happen after you process this coin placing exercise inside the bowls.

There is a good chance that you will calm down and relax, there are at least 30 coins more more that you can distribute.
While doing so you can state your wish inside your head and at the same time share your blessings to the monks who are in charge of the area.

Do's and Don'ts 

Do enjoy the scenery and what it has to offer, thousands of people flock the Wat Pho temple every month.

People you will not normally meet in your life if you just stayed in your country are available in this area.

If you want to get a connection to more people on an international scale then this is the way to go.

Don'ts

If you are a woman, avoid requesting for a picture together with a monk.
 This practice is forbidden, while the monk will oblige to avoid being rude, after that the monk would have to be placed in a one week or one month isolation area.

Although the rule is considered weird, it would be best to follow the custom and respect them since you are still in their territory.

It would be better to be respectful when traveling in another area.

Do not in any way use a cigarette when inside the temples, this is very disrespectful and shows that you have a cheap behavior.
Temples should be respected, it is a place for meditation and positive thinking. 

Personal Notes:

When my father was still alive, he was very fond of temples. 
I felt the need to go to where he has been.

 I don`t really know much about my father but it felt good to see some of the places where he has been.


Whenever I visit a temple, it is like being connected to a father that no longer exists in the physical world.

It is a very solemn practice and I feel much more alive inside a temple compared with a shopping mall...

There is something about temples, the chimes inside and the belief that pervades the area..

Temples have a special place in my heart.

 I gazed at my mother as she tried to recall her memories with my father a long time ago.

Perhaps it was 15 years ago when they first came here in the temple as a couple.

Here lies a special place and a special memory for my mother, they had been separated for a long time ago..but I know my father will always have a place in my mother's heart.

For love is something eternal...

Baguio and Thailand: Is there a connection?

Queen Sirikit Park was created in honor of Queen Sirikit Sirikit Kittiyakara (Thai: สิริกิติ์ กิติยากร; RTGS: Sirikit Kittiyakon), is the queen consort of Bhumibol Adulyadej, King (Rama IX) of Thailand. She met Bhumibol in Paris, where her father was the Thai ambassador. 

Marriage of Queen Sirikit of Thailand:

On 4 October 1948, while Bhumibol was driving a Fiat Topolino on the Geneva-Lausanne road, he collided into the rear of a braking truck 10 km outside of Lausanne. 

He hurt his back and incurred cuts on his face that cost him most of the sight in one eye.^[

He subsequently wears an ocular prosthetic. While he was hospitalized in Lausanne, Sirikit visited him frequently.

 She met his mother,The Princess Mother Sangwan, who asked her to continue her studies nearby so that the king could get to know her better. Bhumibol selected a boarding school for her in Lausanne, Riante Rive. 

A quiet engagement in Lausanne followed on 19 July 1949,^[1] and the couple married on 28 April 1950, just a week before his coronation.

August 12: Mother's Day In Thailand:

Queen Sirikit's birthday, as is the king's, is a national holiday, and is also Mothers' Day in Thailand.

 She is particularly revered in the more remote and traditional parts of the country, where the monarchy is regarded as semi-divine. 

Her work in promoting tolerance and understanding for the Muslim minorities in the southernmost provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat have made her especially popular amongst local Muslims. 

The queen has a strong bond with southern Thailand. She spends months in the Muslim-majority provinces every year. The queen is considered to be one of the more quiet diplomats

( Info taken from www.wikipedia.com)

The Queen Sirikit Park:

It was built in 1992 and named after Queen Sirikit to celebrate her 60th birthday.

 It contains many fountains and pools where lotus flowers bloom.

The park can be reached easily from the Mo Chit Station on Sukhumvit Line of the BTS Skytrain, or the Chatuchak Park Station on the MRT Blue Line.

Trivia:

Botanical Garden. A part of the "Chatuchak Discovery Garden", it is a collection of the local plants, the plants named after the royal family, the plants from royal residences and exotic plants from other countries. 

The garden is grouped into several areas to be reached by a walkway. They are "Banana Tree Garden" of over 70 varieties, "Plumeria Yard" showing several colors of charming flower, "Asoke Yard" where a collection of extraordinary beauty of flowering trees are grown, "Ixora Yard" that creates delicate colorful flowers throughout the year, "Hibiscus Yard", a collection of fascinating flower plants.

(http://office.bangkok.go.th)

Personal Notes

I am not a queen, in fact I am just a tourist hoping to get a glimpse of what it feels like to be a queen.

Aug. 12 is also my birthday.

 Being the nature lover that I am instead of going to shopping malls and wasting my money and time, my friends and I decided to celebrate my birthday at Queen Sirikit Park instead.

Since it was the Queen Mother's birthday in Thailand we where able to get a glimpse of the Thai Bonsai contest that was ongoing and we also got the chance to see some musical performances by some jazz singers in Thailand.

Whenever I feel like doing something special I go to the park.
 Nowadays very few people even ponder on doing that. 

Parks are now something rare and people hardly ever think of it.
 Most of the time even if they are in the park they fail to connect with nature because they are too busy looking at their iPhone and gadgets.

For me and some of my friends, nature is the place to connect, it is the place to feel and to dream again.

 It is where you get to relax for free...nature provides beauty that was meant to be free for everyone in the first place.

I applaud the Thai government for funding the Queen Sirikit Park, they had been able to set aside money for the funding and maintenance of the park.

 I could not help but imagine what if this was done in my country too.

What if Mayor Mauricio Domogan would take the time to revive Burnham Park? and when I say revive...it is not to place iron fences...when I say revive I mean can they truly take care of the park and make sure that people can sit and relax without being disturbed...

Burnham Park nowadays is filled with illegal peddlers and people cannot sit in peace and reflect in the park due to the lack of order and discipline.

It used to be one of the best parks in the Philippines, it used to be legendary.

 Today the city government of Baguio is hopelessly putting so many artificial lighting in order to make it presentable..But will it truly revive the beauty of our beloved park?

It is my wish that one day the people in Baguio and the entire country will realize the value of the trees, the flowers and fresh air.

Everything is so congested in the city, people are getting depressed and are looking for ways to express their creativity.
The art community of Baguio is alive more than ever, because the yearning for places to cultivate their soul is lacking.
The only way people can maintain their sanity is to embrace art.

I don't know if Thailanders understand how fortunate they are for having Queen Sirikit park.

 In our hometown Baguio city  this is a right that we have to fight for.

 We have to rally on the streets just so we can save our precious trees.

We are fighting for the remaining open spaces that we have that are being threatened.

While people in Thailand can sit and relax on a free park, we on the other hand have to fight with all our might to gain equal rights for something that people in other countries enjoy without worry.

Residents in Baguio are fighting for clean air, for the remaining Pine trees...for our parks to be maintained, for our open spaces to remain free for public use...

Pine trees..are being cut everywhere in exchange for shopping malls and condominiums, we hardly have any open space where we can freely run and unwind.

It is with the hopes that we are not yet too late, that we can still save our remaining open space and have this kind of joy that people in Thailand experience.

Because Baguio...we deserve this too.... 

Why you should visit Chatuchak Park in Thailand?

It is normal to feel homesick when you are far away from home, the fact that a lot of Pinoy teachers have jobs does not really mean that they are earning enough money to be able to go to anywhere they want in the city of Bangkok.

One of the best ways to reduce the feeling of homesickness is to get yourself moving and to appreciate what Thailand has to offer without necessarily spending too much money.



There are so many temples, museums, bars, amusement centers as well a historical parks that tourists and Filipino workers can go to but most of them will require an entrance fee of 50 baht to 800 baht or more.

For this reason Chatuchak Park or Jatujak Park is a favorite among Filipino teachers.

 The place is filled with so many trees, aside from that people can relax and hang out even if they only have  a few hundred baht in their pocket.

After all, all the best things in life are free.

Tourists about the area, you can feel a sense of oneness and peace while sitting by the man made lake.

You can go to Chatuchak Park by taking the BTS Station, just go down at Mo Chit Station and you will immediately see the view of the park.

If you are coming from Nonthaburi Province, (Ngamwongwan) you can ride the van number 37 or 38, or ride the blue bus no. 134 that will go directly to Mochit where the park is located.

If you are coming from Central BKK, the cost of the BTS fare is at 84 back and forth, but this is relatively cheap considering that you would no longer need to take a cab, after going down the Mo Chit BTS station the park is already accessible.

This place is perfect for people who are saving their money but still want a place to go where they can relax.

I went here a while ago to cure a broken heart.
It is amazing what nature can do for someone who is trying to look for answers.
Instead of going to a shopping mall and splurging on things that I don't really need I decided to go to the park instead.


It felt really wonderful to be able to sit on the park or just stand on the grass with my bare feet, this is something that a lot of people have forgotten to do.
Open spaces are harder to come by this days, almost every piece and parcel of land has been turned into a commercial building.



People will soon realize that what they need is the comfort that nature provides, the truth is if we really wanted to be free...we need not sell water, air and land for money.

In the future we are hoping to find  a way for people to reconnect  with mother nature once again.

You can hire a straw mat for 20 baht  from 7am until 8pm, if you just want to sit and linger on the
park, you can do so.

But you can also bring your own mat if you are really on a tight budget.

If you feel like loving  nature, then you can buy 20 baht food for fishes and birds in the area and get the feel of being one with nature for a few hours.
Not only that, only a few meters away another park is accessible to visitors and that is Queen Sirikit where bicycles about and photographers lounge due to the high number of great photos that can be taken.

Cost for a Single person:

20 baht for straw mat
82 baht for travel cost if you are coming from central BKK, cheaper if you are just near the Mo Chit Station
20 fish food/ bird food
7 baht water
30 baht for snacks ( street foods abound the area)

Total cost: 159 baht

Positive effects: Fresh air, chance to take pictures beside beautiful trees and scenery, deep relaxation for the body and contribution to nature.

This is also a perfect dating place for lovers who just want to be together and avoid the hustle and bustle of the city.












What can you do in Chatuchak area?


Chatuchak is a one stop area for people who want to relax, have a historical knowledge of Thailand, eat amazing and well prepared street foods.




It is the place where people can just rent a 20 baht mat and lie on the grass near the man made lake, it is the place to go when you want to find quirky looking fashion statements.

It has everything that a  tourist would like to have.

 Thailanders also love hanging out in this area because they can just relax and have a good time having a picnic near the trees.

After lounging for quite sometime in the grass, they can just get up and walk towards the bargain centers.




Chatuchak Market ( Open on Saturday and Sunday)

The week-end market is said to be one of the most interesting things in Thailand, in fact every tourist guide would recommend the place.

Tourists love the area because of its personality, it is very rich in beautiful sights and intriguing people walking on the streets.

Saturday is Gypsy night market:

If you are looking for something more artistic, then the Gypsy market is for you. In here you can find amazing antique materials from antique dolls, phones, camera, paintings to replicas of fine chinaware and everything that you can think of.

It is one of the most attractive week-end markets there is, you would be able to take pictures of the wonderful people who abound the area.

It feels like walking into a museum gallery, only that you an actually buy the products, you can touch and feel them and get to go back to the 80s up to the 1900s because of the products being featured.

If you are an art collector, this is the place to go, this is the place to find creative Thailanders who have their own sense of style and flair.

If you are tired of seeing corporate suits and you want to meet genuine people who are creative and love what they do, if you want to see something really cool without having to pay for it...then the Gypsy market is the way to go.

Everyone doesn't have to be the same. Most say,"Well, it's so much easier if we're all the same." And we say, it is not easier when you're all the same; conformity is the thing that thwarts you most. That massive wanting to get you to conform - to all think the same way and want the same things - is what is causing the revolt that is happening within you. You are determined to be freedom-seekers in a Mass Consciousness society that is determined to make you the same.

---Abraham Hicks