Many of you may have visited the Khaosan road and you may have noticed the long white wall across the street but never had the chance to walk inside. Behind this wall is Wat Chana Songkhram, the old temple that was built long before the founding of Bangkok. The name Wat Chana Songkhram literally translates to “victory over war.” It is said that worship of the principal buddha statue in this temple led the Siamese to victory in three wars between 1785 and 1787, the early days of the establishment of Bangkok, the new capital.
What is the highlight?
1. Phra Phuttha Narasi Trilok Chet
This is the principal buddha statue in the ubosot (ordination hall) renowned for its victory over wars and life obstacles as mentioned earlier. It is a large buddha statue in the Maravijaya posture in Ayutthaya style which is rarely to be seen. If you are facing any difficulty, try praying to Phra Phuttha Narasi Trilok Chet at this temple and you will eventually overcome any obstacle.
2. Unique mural paintings
Inside the ubosot, mural paintings are surrounded on all sides. If you look closely, you will notice translucent angels. These are not traditional paintings in a temple, but rather the renovated and reinterpreted versions. It suggests that angels are not presenting themselves in a physical form but demonstrating their powers and helping the ordinary through their success from somewhere.
Feel free to spend some time and enjoy these paintings.
Opening hours
Wat Chanasongkhram opens daily from 8:00 to 16:00. You are welcome to visit the group of buildings in the front as well as the bell tower. However, behind the bell tower is the monks’ residential area. Visitors should not enter this area without any necessary errands.
Entrance fee
Free for everyone. However, the temple offers donation boxes where you should donate some money for the maintenance. The rate is normally between 5-20 Baht or up to how much you would like to contribute.
How to get there?
If you stay in the Khaosan area, for sure you can easily walk there. In case you did not stay in this area, here are our recommendations.
By Boat
It is a convenient way to get there. Take the Chaophraya Express Boat to Phra Arthit Pier.
Once you exit Phra Arthit Pier, cross the street, turn right and walk for around 200 meters. On your left, there will be a small alley called Chanasongkram Alley, walk inside the alley and you will be at the Ram Buttri street. Walk along the street for about 300 meters, you will be at the intersection of the Chakrabongse main road where Wat Chana Songkhram is on the right.
By TukTuk/Taxi
The driver may offer or charge you an overpriced rate but you can always negotiate for a lower price. It is better to negotiate first before entering the vehicle.
By Car
You can enter the temple from Chakrabongse road. The temple has a parking space for visitors with a parking fee of 10 Baht per hour. It is recommended to get the car out before 20:00 to not disturb the monk’s routine. The parking lot can be very crowded during the day, if you do not have any activities inside the temple, we do not recommend you to park here.
There are many interesting places nearby within walking distance. You can find more information about the transportation in this area from this link
