Wat Thepthidaram

Wat Thepthidaram Worawihan is a royal temple in Bangkok’s old city, built by King Rama III between 1836 and 1839 for his daughter, Princess Vilas. Entry is free, open daily 08:00-17:00, and the temple is best known as the place where Thailand’s most celebrated poet, Sunthorn Phu, lived as a monk from 1840 to 1842.

A Temple Built for a Daughter

Rama III named the temple “Thepthidaram” — temple of the celestial daughter — for Princess Vilas (also known as Apsorn Sudathep), who helped fund its construction and later took the poet-monk Sunthorn Phu under her patronage. The ordination hall blends Thai and Chinese design: its gable is set with imported Chinese porcelain rather than the gilded stucco typical of Bangkok’s grander royal temples, and it deliberately omits the tiered roof finials (chofah) most Thai temples display, a quieter architectural statement in keeping with Rama III’s well-documented taste for Chinese art. Rama III attended the temple’s opening ceremony on 22 December 1839, marking the formal completion of a three-year build. The temple was registered as a national ancient monument in 1977.

Sunthorn Phu’s Temple

Sunthorn Phu — sometimes called the Shakespeare of Thai literature and honoured by UNESCO — spent the final two years of his second monkhood here, 1840 to 1842, after Princess Vilas took him and his son into her patronage on their return from an unsuccessful prospecting trip to Suphanburi. His former living quarters within the compound now house a small museum tracing his life and best-known works, including Phra Aphai Mani. Just as distinctive is the temple’s Bhikkhuni Viharn, a hall holding 52 statues of female monks — a rare subject for Thai temple art, where imagery almost always centres on male monastics.

Atmosphere & Timing

This is a working, actively used temple rather than a tour-bus stop, which means fewer crowds than Wat Pho or the Grand Palace but also less infrastructure — no ticket booth, no gift shop, just monks going about the day and the occasional visitor tracing Sunthorn Phu’s history. Early morning is quietest, before the midday heat settles over Mahachai Road.

Insider Tip: Combine this with Wat Ratchanatdaram and its cast-iron Loha Prasat spires, then finish at the Golden Mount for sunset — all three are within a 15-20 minute walk of each other in Phra Nakhon.

Watch out: The Sunthorn Phu Museum keeps separate, shorter hours than the temple grounds (typically 10:00-17:00) — turning up outside those hours means the temple itself is open but the museum room is locked.

Practical Information

Wat Thepthidaram is a 10-15 minute walk from Sam Yot MRT station, or reachable via the Khlong Saen Saep canal boat to Panfa Leelard Pier. Dress modestly — shoulders and knees covered, shoes off before entering the halls. Allow 45-60 minutes for the temple, longer if the museum is open.

Getting There

Wat Thepthidaram is at 70 Mahachai Road, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok. View on Google Maps.