Chiang-MaiThai: And though you live in a palace of gold, or sleep in a dried up ditch, You could never be poor as the fairies are, and never as rich

The Grand Palace

Ask anyone who has been to Bangkok what their 'must see' list is and without fail they will always include The Grand Palace, which houses a number of attractions including Wat Phra Keow (Temple of the Emerald Buddha).

Warning sign before entering the Grand Palace

On our guard against 'WILY STRANGERS' and dressed accordingly, we enter the Grand Palace. The palace proper is guarded by platoons of soldiers and, they mean business. All are armed to the teeth and their rifles are loaded!

The guard at the entrance - Yes! Real bullets!

Passing through the main gate, we are scrutinised by a soldier who will approach any 'farang' inappropriately dressed, denying entry and directing them to a booth where more appropriate clothing can be hired for a small fee on surrender of a passport.

Visitors are scrutinised for correct dress

His decisions are backed up by an impressive show of force nearby.

Platoons of soldiers are stationed in and around the Grand Palace

Once through the main gate, we join the crowds of Thais and 'farangs' proceeding down the main boulevard toward the palace gates.

The entrance to the Grand Palace

The Hermit Doctor is the father of Thai herbal medicine. For Thais, a hermit is always treated as an important teacher. During his reign, King Rama I ordered the gathering of all the knowledge pertaining to traditional medicines and ancient skills from the Ayutthaya Period at the temple. The founder of the Chakri Dynasty believed the hermit doctor's different exercise poses were relaxing therapeutic exercise that could ease physical pains and aches. The figure below is a seated hermit doctor of Thai Medicine. The statue is behind the ordination hall. It was made during the time of King Rama III.

The 'Hermit Doctor'

Wat Phra Keow , The Temple of the Emerald Buddha or, more correctly Wat Phra Sri Ratana Sasadaram. The Chapel Royal of The Emerald Buddha consists of all the architectural features of a monastery without the residential quarters, for monks do not live here. The Assembly Hall, or Ubosoth, serves as the monarch's private chapel.

The entrance to Wat Phra Keow is guarded by giants

The centerpiece of the Grand Palace complex is the 45 centimeter Emerald Buddha. Carved from just one piece of Jade it is the holiest and most revered religious object in Thailand. The Emerald Buddha is housed within Wat Phra Keow. It is an object of national veneration and crowds come to pay respect to the memory of the Buddha and His Teachings on the days of the week when the temple is open to the public.

The Emerald Buddha sits high up on an altar of gold designed to represent the traditional aerial chariot (Busabok, Sk. Pushpaka) attributed to Hindu gods in murals.

Photographs cannot be taken inside Wat Phra Keow. An allowance is made for visitors who wish to take a photograph of the Emerald Buddha and, that is from an area outside the front doors of the temple. If your camera is good enough, you can capture an image of the Emerald Buddha through the front doors using only the prevailing light inside the temple.

The Emerald Buddha

The Royal Pantheon is where statues of past sovereigns of the ruling dynasty are enshrined.

The Royal Pantheon building, with gilded chedis on both sides

Built in traditional Thai architecture mixed with European designs, The Grand Palace complex, once the official home for the Kings of Siam, is unquestionably one of the Thailand's major tourist highlights. The King still uses the Grand Palace for certain ceremonial occasions and the regal flavor within its enormous royal grounds is still evident.

The Chakri Maha Prasat hall was built by King Chulalongkorn, Rama V (1868-1910) who used it as his principal residence. Only the reception portion is used today. It consists of two wings used for reception purposes which are decorated with galleries containing works of art. In between is the central throne-hall which was formerly used for the reception of foreign envoys.

The Chakri Maha Prasat Hall

The Thailand Military are ever present. In groups of two, three, four or more soldiers in full dress uniforms, they march around the complex with fixed bayonets and will take action agains any 'farang' who breaches protocol.

Soldiers in full dress uniform keep an eagle eye on 'farangs'

In the distance, one can see the Royal Funeral Hall. Currently off limits to visitors other than mourners (Thai citizens dressed in mourning black) of the late Princess Galyani Vadhana, who lies in state inside the building until her funeral in two month's time.