Wat Soi Thong – the golden necklace

Wat Soi Thong
the golden necklace

Wat Soi Thong is a Bangkok temple that isn’t even on the sightseeing circuit of tourists to the city. But it’s a beautiful neighborhood temple with a very non-touristy atmosphere and it’s definitely worth a visit.

The temple is on the banks of the Chao Phraya River in Bang Sue district in northern Bangkok along the regular route of the Chao Phraya river boats. You'll pass the temple pier if you're taking a river cruise all the way to Nonthaburi province, that's north of Bangkok.

An old temple built in 1851 in the reign of King Rama IV, Wat Soi Thong or "golden necklace" was built by the descendants of a Thai nobleman, Chao Phraya Sri Phipat. The temple with its glittering spires and gables houses the Buddha image Luang Phor Luea which contains the remains of five Buddhist saints. Here are some photographs of this wat in Bangkok.

Golden spires and gables

During Loy Krathong festivals, temple fairs are held in the grounds of Soi Wat Thong vendors selling food, flowers, krathongs and toys. Temple elders also use this occasion to raise donations for the temple building fund by selling roof tiles. It's in places like these that a visitor gets to see the local flavor and spirit of Thai festivals.

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On Sundays, the temple is a hive of activity as families take the opportunity of a day-off to visit the temple, pray and make offerings, another aspect of daily life in the neighborhood.

The temple is in Pracharat Sai 1 Road, Bang Sue. The easiest way to get there is to take a Chao Phraya river boat, the ordinary service, with no flags, from the Sathorn pier. The express services (with orange and yellow flags) don't stop there.

Careful though, the normal boat service doesn't run on Sundays, it used to. So take the express boat to Bang Po pier, the pier before Wat Soi Thong and then take a taxi or tuk tuk to Wat Soi Thong, just five minutes away.

Enjoy your visit.

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