Across from the Royal Palace, on the other side of the Chao Phraya River is Wat Arun. Named for the Indian God of Dawn, this current edifice was constructed in the early nineteenth century by Kings Rama the II and III. It was built over Wat Jang, the site of the palace and royal temple of King Taksin when this was the capital of the empire. The most prominent feature is the 82 meter high prang which is a Khmer style tower. The facade is covered with plaster in which is embedded shards of colorful Chinese porcelain. This material was used in Chinese ships as ballast and off loaded in the area as the boats took on cargo. On some parts of the temple one can see entire dishes. The temple is currently undergoing extensive renovation and visitors are temporarily unable to ascend to the base of the prang where normally one can enjoy a majestic view of the environs of the temple.

I have decided to stay in Thailand and work as a tour guide, reading the tour books the night before each engagement..... just kidding..... I did do a bit of "research" for the above description (and I did actually find the temple- a miracle in itself with my poor sense of direction). I also ran the page through a spell checker for a change!

I hope you enjoy these photos-- it was a really hot and hazy day so some of the pictures wash out a bit.