Wat Phra Kaew – Unknown Thailand

Rattanakosin 244 Years Anniversary

Congratulations to the City of Bangkok on the 244th anniversary of the foundation of Rattanakosin as the capital of Siam!

Bangkok City Foundation Day 21 April

From an era of difficulty, to today’s vibrant modern city, Krungthepmahanakorn (Bangkok) has become one of the most impressive cities of the 21st Century.

In 1782, King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke the Great (Rama I) performed a ceremony to erect the City Pillar and established Krung Rattanakosin as the royal capital, moving it from Thonburi to the eastern bank of the Chao Phraya River.

History and Significance:

King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke the Great (Rama I), became the first king of the Chakri Dynasty, and conferred the Royal Name on the city of “Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit,” which means a vast and prosperous city.

Reason for the Move:

The Thonburi side of the river had a fragmented and cramped layout, so it was relocated to Rattanakosin island on the opposite bank, which offered superior strategic geography, and offered superior defences against the ongoing threat from Burmese forces.

On the day of the declaration, the Grand Palace was already under construction along with Wat Phra Kaew, which was built to house the sacred Emerald Buddha.

The Follow Up:

The following years emphasised building fortifications, cultural restoration, as well as wars to secure Siam’s territorial boundaries. This pushed Siam towards being a regional power.

The city authorities are holding a number of celebratory evening cultural and fun events across Phra Nakorn district open to all, running from 22-26 April.

As a side note, the long form name of the city, as declared on Foundation Day, is still the official name of the city, however for official and legal purposes it’s normally referred to as Krunthepmahanakorn, or informally as Krungthep.

(All images generated by AI)

Grand Palace and Angkor Wat

What’s the connection between these two places from different eras and different countries?

Before we get into it, where ever you live, remember that empires and kingdoms have risen and fallen throughout history, and borders changed frequently as a consequence, and are still doing it in modern times.

So what’s the link between these two famous places, and what has this photo got to do with it?

The picture shows a scaled down model of Angkor Wat, an incredibly important historical temple complex which between 1794–1907 lay inside Siamese territory.

The model has been on display at the north side of Wat Phra Kaew’s main pavilion, within the Grand Palace complex, since it was carved during the reign of King Rama IV circa 1866-7.

What’s It’s Significance?

It was created as a representation of an important Siamese monument inside Siam’s most important Royal Palace, and was a kind of show of strength.
It could inspire citizens to take the long and tough journey to see the night and grandeur Angkor Wat, even though much of it was still overgrown.

After French Indochina took control of the area from Siam, any one from Siam (now Thailand) who wanted to visit Angkor Wat would have had their arduous journey seriously complicated by crossing a mountainous and unfriendly border.

The beautifully hand crafted replica meant that the people could now take a short journey to Wat Phra Kaew, and still marvel at the details of such a magnificent monument, despite the actual place being sadly lost to them.

It is an intricately crafted replica of the Angkor Wat temple with five spires, standing on a square base measuring 12.70 meters wide and 14.25 meters long, and remains there for all to view.

So, next time you plan to visit Bangkok’s beautiful Grand Palace complex, make sure you check out this historical gem.