WAT PHO (OFFICIALLY KNOWN AS Wat Phra Chetuphon Vimolmangklararm Rajwaramahaviharn) is a 200-year-old royal monastery in
Bangkok, just south of the Grand Palace that attracts visitors for various reasons: the temple is famous for its huge gold Reclining Buddha and its 20 acres of beautiful grounds containing over 1,000 more Buddha images. It's also renowned as the centre for traditional Thai medicinal massage, but a recent accolade relating to both its cultural and medical significance is about to make Wat Pho, and Thai massage, even more famous internationally.
PROUD MOMENT Right Try a traditional
massage at Wet Pho Below The significance
of the inscriptions at
Wat Pho have been recognised by UNESCOInscriptions on marble around the walls of Wat Pho's ceremonial hall and nearby pavillions are all that was known about Thai massage dating from the reign of King Rama III. This art treasure has fascinated visitors who flock to the attraction both to see its historic beauty, and also to indulge in a superb Thai massage. The famed inscriptions have just been registered by the United Nations Education, Science and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Memory of the World (MOW) for Asia and the Pacific region. The letter of recognition was presented to Wat Pho's abbot, Phra Thampanyabodi, on March 31 this year, the anniversary of King Rama III's birth.
Wat Pho also held a grand merit-making ceremony in honour of the king who commissioned the 1,360 inscriptions on marble plates in the 19th century. The plates show Thailand's religious and secular knowledge, ranging from Buddhi precepts and literary works, to traditional medicine and Thai "hermit" yoga postures.
Preeda Tangtrongchit, director Wat Pho's Thai Traditional Medic Massage, says Unesco's recognitk the inscriptions will make Thai
traditional massage better knowr
Thai traditional massage scienc either a herbal massage or it folio, the contorted hermit postures.
Bangkok, just south of the Grand Palace that attracts visitors for various reasons: the temple is famous for its huge gold Reclining Buddha and its 20 acres of beautiful grounds containing over 1,000 more Buddha images. It's also renowned as the centre for traditional Thai medicinal massage, but a recent accolade relating to both its cultural and medical significance is about to make Wat Pho, and Thai massage, even more famous internationally.
PROUD MOMENT Right Try a traditional
massage at Wet Pho Below The significance
of the inscriptions at
Wat Pho have been recognised by UNESCOInscriptions on marble around the walls of Wat Pho's ceremonial hall and nearby pavillions are all that was known about Thai massage dating from the reign of King Rama III. This art treasure has fascinated visitors who flock to the attraction both to see its historic beauty, and also to indulge in a superb Thai massage. The famed inscriptions have just been registered by the United Nations Education, Science and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Memory of the World (MOW) for Asia and the Pacific region. The letter of recognition was presented to Wat Pho's abbot, Phra Thampanyabodi, on March 31 this year, the anniversary of King Rama III's birth.
Wat Pho also held a grand merit-making ceremony in honour of the king who commissioned the 1,360 inscriptions on marble plates in the 19th century. The plates show Thailand's religious and secular knowledge, ranging from Buddhi precepts and literary works, to traditional medicine and Thai "hermit" yoga postures.
Preeda Tangtrongchit, director Wat Pho's Thai Traditional Medic Massage, says Unesco's recognitk the inscriptions will make Thai
traditional massage better knowr
Thai traditional massage scienc either a herbal massage or it folio, the contorted hermit postures.
GET A THAI MASSAGE
A traditional massage at Wat Phc costs THB150 for 30 minutes, TE for an hour and herbal massages available for THB350 an hour. It' possible to take courses to learn traditional Thai massage. These for 30 hours, cost THB4,500, ant be-Spread over 10 to 15 days.