The Thai Buddhist temple “Wat Pak Nam (official name: Prague Ma Chedi Maha Ratchamonkong Wat Pak Nam Pasi Chalong)” is a popular Thai Buddhist temple that is also popular as an Instagram spot recently. This temple, which means "Temple of Kawaguchi" in Thai language, has rapidly become known as an emerald temple by the development of SNS in recent years.

Why was such a beautiful temple ever unknown? There are two reasons. First...

Wat Pak Nam｜Instagramable spots that have become much easier to access due to the extension of MRT... Introducing the easiest way to walk even one person can walk

As I will explain later, it is only recently that the pagoda, the highlight of this temple, was completed. And the other is that, unlike the so-called three major temples (Wat Pho, Wat Phra Kaew, Wat Arun), it is located a little away from the center of Bangkok and there was not very good transportation.

However, the recent extension of the MRT to the west has made Wat Pak Nam much easier to reach by walking from the nearest station. There aren't many tourists yet, so now's your chance if you want to go quietly and slowly!

The history of Wat Pak Nam: A pagoda is completed at a temple with a history of honor to commemorate Majesty's Majesty's birthday

Although Wat Pak Nam has a long history and its details are unknown, it is said that it was built around the mid-Ayutthaya dynasty (1488-1629). It is a traditional temple that was designated as a royal temple during the time of King Rama III of Thailand (3 to 1788), and it seems to have become famous nationwide due to the achievements of the former monk, Luang Posod.

Originally, there was nothing in Wat Pak Nam that could be a tourist attraction, including the surrounding area. The destination, the Great Stupa, was built to celebrate the 72nd birthday of His Majesty the Queen and the Queen. A relatively new stupa whose construction started in 2004 and was completed in 2012. That's why the top floor of the tower has a unique world that has never been seen before.

It's within walking distance from MRT station, so you don't need Son Taew, taxi or bus anymore! Easiest way to get to Wat Pak Nam

Then, I will introduce the way to go. The starting point is Sukhumvit Station, in the middle of Bangkok. From here at 9am take the subway towards Faramphong Station and head for Bang Phai Station in the Thonburi area.

Beyond Faramphong Station, the train runs over the ground from just before Tha Phra Station. Immediately before arriving at Bang Phai Station, you can see the big Buddha and the white stupa under construction through the window.

Arrived at Bang Phai station. It takes about 30 minutes from Sukhumvit station. According to Google Map, you can reach Wat Pak Nam by walking about 10 minutes from this station. The total travel time is less than an hour one way.

From the platform of the station. I will walk towards the Great Buddha and the stupa in the center.

As a reminder, I will also post the directions from here to Wat Pak Nam on the Google Maps map.

First, exit the ticket gate and go down the stairs from Exit 1.

Continue walking for a short distance along this road and enter this alley in the right front direction.

From here it's a straight road for a while. Look at a school-like building on your right, then turn this curve to the left...

Drive past the wind-belled temples and continue straight on the local roads.

If you go for a while, you will come to such a plaza, so...

Proceed toward the back right of the square. Beyond that, a bridge with such a characteristic shape...

Go over another small bridge and turn left.

Beyond that is an arcade-like street with a ceiling...

When you pass here, you will see the entrance of a large temple on your left.

Can you see the guide to the Great Stupa on the right side of this image? I'm almost at my destination. As soon as you turn right here...

In Japanese, you can see the guide "Green Glass Stupa 50m". Turn left here to reach the Great Stupa.

Until now, it was common to use Son Taeu (shared bus) or taxi from BTS Silom Line Talat Plu Station or Utakat Station. Both of them had to speak a little Thai, which made it awkward to go.

However, the extension of the MRT made it possible to go by myself without using a bus or taxi. If you have Google Maps and this blog, you should be able to relax and enjoy sightseeing by yourself.

How to visit Wat Pak Nam: Admission is not required, but be careful with your clothes

The inside of the Great Stupa is a five-story building (actually there is a higher floor, but tourists can not enter), and the emerald stupa of the instascopic spot is on the fifth floor of the top floor.

1st floor: Museum of Thai art and cultural heritage
2nd floor: Meeting place for religious ceremonies and meditation
3rd floor: Museum displaying Buddha statues and materials
4th floor: Space where Buddhist statue of Master Luang Posod who taught new Zazen method in Thailand
5th floor: Glass emerald stupa and ceiling painting

Take off your shoes outside the Great Stupa and enter the tower from the 1st or 2nd floor. To reach the top floor of the tower, take the stairs or the elevator (Saturday and Sunday only). Visiting hours are from 8:00 am to 18:00 pm on weekdays and weekends. There is no charge, including the entrance fee, but it is also a place where locals come to pray and meditate, so be sure to observe the etiquette and do not remove too much. At least you should avoid worshiping in rough clothes such as T-shirts and shorts.

Emerald Stupa: Is this a planetarium? The inner space centered on the green tower is one of the different dimension world

It was Saturday when I visited the Emerald Great Stupa, but most of the worshipers were Japanese except local Thais. The impression was that there were many young girls coming in especially with friends. I understand that there are a lot of Japanese who are aiming for Instagram, but why are they only Japanese? Or will people from other countries come soon...

Anyway, the emerald stupa on the top floor looks like this...

Located in the center of the very fantastic interior space is the Buddhist Temple, which is made by precisely matching 800 pieces of green glass. All four sides are protected by as many as 80 glass dragon kings, and a golden Buddha statue is housed on the top.

A mysterious Buddhist legend like a planetarium on the ceiling. The surrounding Bodhi tree and the XNUMX Buddhas seem to represent the life of the Buddha.

The center of the ceiling painting. If you look at it for a long time, you'll almost be sucked...

Colorful stupas and ceiling paintings I have never seen. If it isn't hot, it's tempting to take a moment to sit there and watch for a while. Perhaps at this point, the world-like space of another dimension may appear in textbooks as one of the new Buddhist arts in the time of our descendants.

By the way, you can go out to the terrace from the 5th floor of the pagoda, and you can look down on the cityscape of Bangkok over the entire circumference. A huge Buddha is under construction right next to the stupa, and another few highlights will be completed in a few years.

After spending about 30 minutes in Wat Pak Nam, I returned to Sukhumvit. Follow the road you just came to Bang Phai station. From here, I took an MRT and arrived at Sukhumvit Station at about 12:3 noon. It takes about 1 hours including the stay time. If you leave early in the morning, you'll be fine for lunch, and it's a perfect short trip. Until now, many people would have participated in optional tours of tying with other temples such as pink Ganesha and Wat Pho. But from now on, it's a walk and you can come alone easily.

By the way, I found this on the way back from Wat Pak Nam...

Public telephones that are rarely seen in Japan now. I didn't notice it when I went, but it was at the foot of the first bridge I crossed. A retro telephone booth on the riverside... You can feel nostalgia in such a place casually.

In fact, there is a Japanese temple in Narita, Chiba! Access to Wat Pak Nam Main Hospital is a 10-minute walk from the nearest MRT Blue Line/Bang Phai Station

Now, let's finish with the information about Wat Pak Nam.

Wat Pak Nam
Address: Soi Pak Nam, Thoet Thai Road | Pak Khlong Phasi Charles, Phasi Charles, Bangkok
Phone number: + 66-2-467-0811
Opening hours: 8: 00-18: 00

Actually, it seems that there is a Japanese Betsuin in the suburbs of Narita City in Wat Pak Nam, Chiba. It does not seem to be a tourist/instagram spot like the main temple in Thailand, but it seems that events and festivals will be held according to the Thai annual schedule. If you find out that there is such a connection, I think that if I have the opportunity, I would like to go to the Japanese Betsuin….

That's why I will summarize the information on the Japanese Betsuin.

Wat Pak Nam Beppu Japan
Address: 294-1 Nakano, Narita City, Chiba Prefecture
Telephone number: 0436-73-8090

If you check the directions on Google Maps, it seems that it is about 20 minutes drive north from Narita International Airport. There seems to be no public transportation that runs to the vicinity, so if you do not live nearby you will have to take a taxi.