Wat Pathum WanaramWat Pathum Wanaram is the quiet surprise of the Siam shopping district: a royal temple of white walls, shady trees and ponds tucked between the Siam Paragon and CentralWorld malls, right beneath the Skytrain. Step through the gate off Rama I Road and the noise of traffic and shopping fades fast.
King Mongkut (Rama IV) founded it in 1857 as the temple for his Sa Pathum Palace, the “lotus pond palace”, when the area was still rice fields reached by boat along Khlong Saen Saep. It belongs to the Thammayut order, and its full name is Wat Pathum Wanaram Ratchaworawihan. The ashes of members of the Mahidol branch of the royal family, the line of King Bhumibol’s parents, are interred in a memorial within the grounds, and a sala in the compound was partly rebuilt from the richly carved funeral pyre of the Princess Mother, King Bhumibol’s mother. Dress modestly; it is an easy 20-minute break between malls or after the Erawan Shrine.
Nearby Attractions to Wat Pathum Wanaram#
Weather & Climate near Wat Pathum Wanaram#
Wat Pathum Wanaram's climate is classified as Tropical Savanna - Tropical Savanna climate with consistently warm temperatures year-round. Temperatures range from 21°C to 35°C. Abundant rainfall (1370 mm/year), wettest in September with a pronounced dry season.
| Month | Comfort | Temp | Feels | Rain | Sky | Humidity | Wind | UV | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Excellent | 22° - 32° | 29° | 9 mm | mostly sunny | 67% | 1.8 m/s | 1.8 very high | 11.3h |
| February | Excellent | 23° - 33° | 31° | 15 mm | mostly sunny | 66% | 1.9 m/s | 2.0 extreme | 11.6h |
| March | Excellent | 25° - 34° | 33° | 32 mm | some cloud | 69% | 2.1 m/s | 2.2 extreme | 11.9h |
| April | Very Good | 26° - 35° | 36° | 64 mm | partly cloudy | 70% | 1.9 m/s | 2.4 extreme | 12.3h |
| May | Acceptable | 26° - 35° | 37° | 180 mm | overcast | 76% | 1.6 m/s | 2.3 extreme | 12.6h |
| June | Acceptable | 26° - 34° | 36° | 136 mm | overcast | 79% | 1.7 m/s | 2.3 extreme | 12.8h |
| July | Acceptable | 25° - 33° | 35° | 151 mm | overcast | 80% | 1.8 m/s | 2.3 extreme | 12.7h |
| August | Acceptable | 25° - 33° | 35° | 192 mm | overcast | 80% | 1.8 m/s | 2.3 extreme | 12.4h |
| September | Acceptable | 25° - 33° | 34° | 303 mm | overcast | 83% | 1.4 m/s | 2.1 extreme | 12.1h |
| October | Acceptable | 24° - 32° | 34° | 238 mm | overcast | 84% | 1.3 m/s | 1.9 very high | 11.7h |
| November | Very Good | 23° - 32° | 31° | 44 mm | partly cloudy | 80% | 1.7 m/s | 1.8 very high | 11.4h |
| December | Ideal | 21° - 32° | 26° | 6 mm | some cloud | 71% | 2.0 m/s | 1.8 very high | 11.2h |
How to Get to Wat Pathum Wanaram#
BTS Siam station is a few minutes’ walk; follow the skywalk east past Siam Paragon and come down to Rama I Road. The gate is between Siam Paragon and CentralWorld.
History & Culture of Wat Pathum Wanaram#
In May 2010, during the army’s operation to clear the anti-government “Red Shirt” protest camp at Ratchaprasong, the temple was declared a safe zone for people fleeing the violence. On 19 May six people were shot dead inside its grounds.