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We offer holidays to the four corners of the globe. If you want specialist advise please phone our travel team and we will be happy to help.
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- Destinations
- Asia
- Thailand
- Bangkok
- Wat Suthat and the Giant Swing
Wat Suthat and the Giant Swing
This temple is among the oldest and largest in Bangkok and is
home to the beautiful 14th-century Phra Buddha Shakyamuni, a Buddha
image that was brought from Sukhothai. It is also known for its
exquisite wall paintings which were done during the reign of Rama
III. The enormous arch made of teak outside the wat is all that
remains of an original swing which was used to celebrate and thank
Shiva for a bountiful rice harvest. Teams of men would ride the
swing on arcs as high as 82ft (25m) into the air, grabbing at bags
of silver coins with their teeth. The swing ceremony was
discontinued in 1932 due to countless injuries and deaths, but the
thanksgiving festival is still celebrated in mid-December after the
rice harvest.
Information & Facts
Address
Admission
Language
Thai is the official language, although English is widely
spoken in tourist areas.
Money
The unit of currency is the Baht (THB), which is divided
into 100 satang. Currency can be exchanged at the airport, banks,
hotels and bureaux de change. Banks are open Monday to Friday. ATMs
are available in most cities and tourist resorts. Most large hotels
and shops accept travellers cheques, but a better rate will be
given at banks. Most major credit cards are accepted at hotels and
larger businesses.
Opening Times
Open daily from 9am to 9pm.
Time