Wat Suthat and the Giant Swing is located at 146 Bamrung Muang Road, accessible from Panfa Leelard Pier.
Wat Suthat is huge and actually one of the most important temples for the Thai people. It’s large size was needed as it was constructed in the early 19th century to house the huge Phra Sri Sakyamuni Buddha image, brought all the way down from Sukhothai by boat. The outer wall of the cloister has more than 150 Buddha images lined up, and as they are currently being re-gilded, they are in various states of repair. Outside is an open courtyard with many Chinese statues. The Giant Swing (Sao Ching Cha) is a huge red frame on the plaza opposite the main entrance of Wat Suthat. The swing was used in an annual ceremony where teams of young men would try to swing high enough to retrieve a sack of gold that was tied to a pole about 25 metres high in the air. The ceremony has been banned since 1932, as many people got injured or died trying. The swing was fully renovated in 2007 and now looks as good as new. Read more
Wat Suthat Thepphawararam is a royal temple of the first grade, one of ten such temples in Bangkok (23 in Thailand). Construction was begun by His Majesty King Rama I in 1807 (B.E. 2350). Further construction and decorations were carried out by King Rama II who helped carve the wooden doors, but the temple was not completed until the reign of King Rama III in 1847 (B.E.2390). This temple contains the Buddha image Phra Sri Sakyamuni or “Sisakayamunee” which moved from Sukhothai province. At the lower terrace of the base, there are 28 Chinese pagodas which mean the 28 Buddhas born on this earth. Wat Suthat also contains Phra Buddha Trilokachet in the Ubosot (Ordinary Hall) and Phra Buddha Setthamuni in Sala Kan Parien (Meeting Hall)
In 2005, the temple was submitted to UNESCO for consideration as a future World Heritage Site.






