cultural life of BangkokThe most important cultural feature of Bangkok is the wat. There are more than 300 such temples, representing classic examples of Thai architecture. Most are enclosed by walls. Many wats have leased a portion of their grounds for residential or commercial use.
importance to Tai peoplesMost Tai are Buddhists of the Theravāda school. Among the different groups, however, there is much variation in this type of Buddhism. In the villages of many Tai groups the wat (temple compound or monastery) is both the social and the religious centre. Most young men spend a period as monks. Along with the Buddhist tradition there exist pre-Buddhist animistic beliefs; shrines are...
Thai artsBuddhism has had a major influence on Thai art, architecture, sculpture, and painting. Some of the most beautiful older wat structures are to be found in Ayutthaya, the capital from the 14th to the 18th century, and in Chiang Mai. The framework of a wat is usually made of wood, while its walls consist of brick and...
Simply begin typing or use the editing tools above to add to this article.
Once you are finished and click submit, your modifications will be sent to our editors for review.