Thailand — Media Gallery

Buddahs saying "sawatdee" or hello in Chiang Mai, which has over 300 Buddhist temples.

Cemetery at Kanchanaburi of some of the World War II POWs who died constructing the Burma Railway bridge over the Khwae Yai River ("The Bridge Over the River Kwai").

Burma Railway bridge over the Khwae Yai River at Kanchanaburi (the original "Bridge Over the River Kwai").

Detail of one of the support arches of the Bhumibol Bridge over the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok.

Statues of monks in the Prasart Museum in Bangkok. Monks can be found in many Buddhist temples.

Monkey retrieving coconuts on Ko Samui, an island in the Gulf of Thailand off the East Coast of the Kra Isthmus. Ko Samui is Thailand's third largest island with a population of 62,000; it attracts 1.5 million visitors annually, who are drawn to its pleasant climate and sandy beaches.

Traditional Thai dancer performing at the Silom Village Trade Center in Bangkok.

Standing Buddha at Wat (Temple) Ubtgarawugan in Bangkok.

Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) in Bangkok.

Sleek and colorful boats along a Bangkok canal.

Phra Thian Sanam Chan is a traditional Thai pavilion with a raised platform. Originally portable, it was given a marble base in 1963. It is on the grounds of the Grand Palace in Bangkok.

A view of downtown Bangkok from the roof of the Chateau de Bangkok Hotel.

A view south along the eastern moat of the city center in Chiang Mai.

A view of some of the skyscrapers in Bangkok.

A Bangkok ferry.

The stupa at Wat Bupparam in Chiang Mai.

View within the Grand Palace in Bangkok showing the golden Phra Siratana Chedi. A chedi, or stupa, is a mound-like reliquary containing Buddhist relics. The chedi is on the grounds of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.

A closer view of the entrance to the stupa at Wat (Temple) Chedi Luang in Chiang Mai city.

Courtyard at Wat Pho in Bangkok.

Chiang Mai, the largest city in northern Thailand, is 700 km (435 mi) north of Bangkok and near the highest mountains in the country; this is the Buddha statue in the city.

The Wat Bupparam in the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai.

The entrance to the stupa at Wat (Temple) Chedi Luang in Chiang Mai city.

Phra Mondop (library) at the Royal Palace.

Gateway at Wat Pho in Bangkok.

Prasat Phra Debidorn on the left and Phra Mondop (library) on the right at the Grand Palace in Bangkok.

A chapel in the Burmese style in the Garden of Serenity on the grounds of the Prasart Museum in Bangkok.

A shrine to Thai King Rama IV in Lumphini Park, Bangkok.

Buddhist offerings at Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) in Bangkok.

The Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) in Bangkok is the most sacred Buddhist temple in Thailand.

A roof detail from the Royal Palace in Bangkok.

At the Grand Palace in Bangkok; the Palace complex features brightly colored buildings, golden spires, and glittering mosaics. This close-up highlights the widespread and effective use of mirrored tiles in the construction process.

A spirit house in front of the Chateau de Bangkok Hotel.

Head of a mythological giant at one of the exits at the Grand Palace in Bangkok.

Waterfront property on the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok.

View within the Grand Palace in Bangkok showing the golden Phra Siratana Chedi. A chedi, or stupa, is a mound-like reliquary containing Buddhist relics. The chedi is on the grounds of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.

Barom Piman Hall is a neoclassical residence in Bangkok constructed between 1897 and 1903. The exterior is Western, but the interior is entirely Thai. The structure was sometimes used as a royal residence, but it is now the official guest house for visiting heads of state and their staffs.

A water lily in Bangkok.

The Loha Prasat - a multi-tiered (36 m high) structure with 37 spires signifying the 37 virtues toward enlightenment - at the Wat Ratchanaddaram temple complex in Bangkok.

View of the Bangkok skyline from the Chao Phraya River.

A spirit house in front of Central World Plaza, Bangkok.

Traditional Thai dancer performing at the Silom Village Trade Center in Bangkok.

Decorated building in the Grand Palace Complex in Bangkok.

Guardian figures at the Wat Pho in Bangkok.

Head of the Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho in Bangkok.

A sculpture depicting the Churning of the Sea of Milk in Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Bangkok.

Area comparison map

A view of downtown Bangkok from the roof of the Chateau de Bangkok Hotel.

Wat Surhatt in Bangkok.

A Buddhist altar in Bangkok.

Bhumibol Bridge over the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok.

Wat Pho in Bangkok.

The Grand Palace is a complex of buildings in central Bangkok on the banks of the Chao Phraya River. Construction of the Grand Palace began in 1782 and it served as the official residence of the king and the royal family until 1925. It is still used for official events. Several royal offices are housed on the palace grounds. Shown in this view is the amazingly detailed floral roof of Chakri Maha Prasat Hall.

Chiang Mai is the capital of Chiang Mai Province. The city is considering applying for UNESCO Creative City status and is vying with two other cities in Thailand to host the 2020 World Expo.

The Suhhthai Traimit Golden Buddha image is the largest Golden Buddha image in the world. Made of pure gold, it is 3 m (9.8 ft) tall and weighs 5.5 tons. The Buddha was probably constructed in the 13th or 14th centuries. At some point it was covered in plaster and painted to prevent its theft. Its origins were forgotten and it was brought to Bangkok from a ruined temple in Ayutthaya in the early 19th century. In 1955, the Buddha was dropped while being moved and part of its plaster covering broke revealing the gold underneath. In 2010, a new building was erected at the Wat Traimit Temple to house the Golden Buddha, which is valued at close to $300 million dollars.

View of the Grand Palace in Bangkok.

A statue of Thai King Rama IV in Lumphini Park, Bangkok.

View within the Grand Palace in Bangkok showing the golden Phra Siratana Chedi. A chedi, or stupa, is a mound-like reliquary containing Buddhist relics. The chedi is on the grounds of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.

Buddha in one of the chapels on the grounds of the Prasart Museum in Bangkok.

A Yaksha demon guards the Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) in the Grand Palace in Bangkok.

The new Traimit Witthayaram Temple (Wat Traimit) in Bangkok built in 2010 to house the Sukhotahai Traimit Golden Buddha. It replaced a temple that had housed the Golden Buddha since 1955.

A view of downtown Bangkok from the roof of the Chateau de Bangkok Hotel.

Canal view in Bangkok.

The Suhhthai Traimit Golden Buddha image is the largest Golden Buddha image in the world. Made of pure gold, it is 3 m (9.8 ft) tall and weighs 5.5 tons. The Buddha was probably constructed in the 13th or 14th centuries. At some point it was covered in plaster and painted to prevent its theft. Its origins were forgotten and it was brought to Bangkok from a ruined temple in Ayutthaya in the early 19th century. In 1955, the Buddha was dropped while being moved and part of its plaster covering broke revealing the gold underneath. In 2010, a new building was erected at the Wat Traimit Temple to house the Golden Buddha, which is valued at close to $300 million dollars.

Ayutthaya Buddha head lodged in tree.

Na Muang Waterfall on Ko Samui. The water cascades some 30 meters (98 ft) down purple-hued rocks.

A golden Asura Paksi (half bird, half demon) at Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) in Bangkok.

Statuary at the Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) in Bangkok.