Erawan Shrine

The Erawan Shrine is a popular tourist attraction in Bangkok. The shrine houses a golden statue of the four-faced Hindu god Brahma, named Than Tao Mahaprom. The statue is in the middle of offerings of flowers, incense and candles.

The Erawan Shrine can be found by the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel, at the Ratchaprasong intersection of Ratchadamri Road, near Chitlom Skytrain Station. Entrance costs nothing so if you are in the area you should definitely stop by. There are always many people there, day or night.

Built in 1956 it’s not an old shrine. And the story around it is very interesting. It was built because an Astrologer advised it following of a series of delays, mishaps, injuries and even deaths during the building of the old Erawan Hotel. This is said to be because the building of the hotel started on an unfavorable date.

After the shrine was erected the hotel flourished. Over the years this story spread and it became one of the most revered places in all of Thailand. Nowadays people come from all over the world to worship and pay their respects at the Erawan Shrine.

The influence of the shrine became horribly clear in 2006. A mentally troubled man assaulted the statue with a hammer, smashing most of it to pieces. Some bystanders did not react kindly, they beat him to death in broad daylight. The statue was replaced within just 2 months, making use of parts from the first image.