Wat Thewarat Kunchorn Worawiharn

Wat Thewarat Kunchorn Worawiharn is a third-class royal temple on the Chao Phraya riverbank at Thewet, in Dusit district - not, as older listings sometimes claim, in Thon Buri on the opposite bank. It sits where Khlong Phadung Krung Kasem meets the river, at 90 Si Ayutthaya Road, and it’s free to visit daily from 08:00 to 18:00.

The site predates Bangkok itself. Originally called Wat Samo Kraeng - a name possibly tied to the Myrobalan (samor) trees once growing here, or a corruption of a Khmer word for stone - it was restored under King Rama I, then renovated further by Chaofa Kromluang Pitak Montri and later by Kromphra Pitak Thewet (Prince Kunchorn), a son of King Rama II. King Rama IV elevated the temple to royal status, gave it a place in the third tier of Thailand’s royal-temple ranking, and renamed it Wat Thewarat Kunchorn - combining “Thewarat” with “Kunchorn,” the restoring prince’s title.

Insider Tip: The ordination hall was rebuilt during King Rama III’s reign in a style close to Wat Phra Kaew’s, and its walls are fully covered in murals, including a band above the windows depicting an assembly of Buddhist deities - worth the few extra minutes to look up rather than just at the principal Buddha image.

That image, Phra Buddha Thewaratpatimakorn, is a gilded bronze figure in the attitude of subduing Mara. Local custom favours offering a set of monk’s robes here rather than flowers or incense, on the belief that robes generate a double measure of merit.

The temple’s other notable feature is its Golden Teak Museum, a two-storey Sino-Portuguese-influenced building constructed entirely from golden teak - reportedly around 479 years old as timber - with columns thick enough to need two people to encircle them. Museum entry is a separate 30 THB, on top of the free temple grounds.

Watch out: Thewet’s morning market rush and the pier’s boat traffic make the area busiest before 09:00 - fine if you want the neighbourhood at full energy, less so if you want a quiet look at the ordination hall.

Dress modestly and remove shoes before entering the ubosot. Thewet Pier sits right next to the temple, so arriving by Chao Phraya Express Boat is the easiest approach, with Thewet Market for fresh produce right on the doorstep afterward.

For more of Dusit’s temple architecture, Wat Benchamabophit - the Marble Temple - is a short trip away, and the National Library of Thailand sits nearby on the same stretch of river.