Wat Lat Prao

I lived on Lat Prao Road for my first three years of life in Bangkok. After that, I moved over to the Dusit area on Thanon Sri Ayudhaya. A series of events had led me back to Lad Prao. It's not the most popular area with foreigners, but it's a solidly middle-class neighborhood where food is cheaper, and transportation is convenient. It's really a nice place to live; slightly outside of the city center. Living down Lat Phrao Road gives me easy access to downtown Bangkok, and also gives me a slower, more laid-back lifestyle with a more traditional Thai neighborhood feeling.

a canal near the temple

After a combined four years living in this area, I finally made it to Wat Lat Prao, the neighborhood temple.

Wat Lat Phrao is built along a neighborhood canal 

The temple is located down Lat Phrao Road, a little bit further down the road than the public transportation lines reach, so the best way for me to get there was on foot. The other day. I took a long walk along the road, wandering around to see what I could see. I came across a sign pointing the way to the temple, and went to check it out.

the prayer hall 

Wat Lat Prao is big, and surprisingly impressive for a neighborhood temple. It's not the most grand temple in Thailand, nor the most opulent. It's not a royal-grade temple, but it was bustling and busy when I visited.

Wat Lat Phrao has three tall Buddha statues

What makes Wat Lat Phrao special though are the three tall (maybe 20-foot tall) Buddha statues that stand guard at the entrance.

the main temple building 

Each of the three Buddha statues are standing in a different pose, each representing a different aspect of his teachings. I'm not exactly sure what each one means, however. I haven't been to any temples lately. I've been working really hard in the past few months. Now that I have a three-month visa, I won't need to travel as much. In a way, that's a good thing, as it will allow me to save more money. On the other hand though, it means that I won't be getting out as much. To make up for this, I've decided to try exploring more of Bangkok on my days off. Even after six years, there's still a lot to see... even in my own neighborhood!

tall Buddha statues on the temple 

street art depicting a novice monk