Thailand Travel Info: The Exhibition of the Photographs of Wat Pho’s Mural Paintings

10-31 January 2007 Venue: The Chao Fah Art Gallery, National Museum, Chao Fah Road, Bangkok

Wat Pho’s Mural Paintings

The Sirivadhanabhakdi Foundation realized years ago that Wat Pho’s mural paintings, which were painted about 200 years ago, had faded away, and so decided to fund the restoration of the paintings, which was started in the year 2000. It took almost seven years to complete. Mural paintings inside the vihara of Wat Pho, also known as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha are valuable for Thais in terms of teaching Buddhism through the Lord Buddha’s previous life stories, or Jatakas, and depicting ancient Thai’s ways of life, and houses in a combination of Thai, Chinese, and European styles.

Wat Pho’s Mural Paintings

Since some of the original paintings are positioned high up on the vihara’s walls, it is difficult for people to admire them closely in detail. The foundation therefore cooperated with Wat Phra Chetupon (Wat Pho) and Mr. Nitikorn Kraivixian, a photographer, in arranging the photographing of the mural paintings. Aims are to bring them to a closer look for interested persons and to keep a record of the paintings for any future restorations. The photographs exhibition will be held from 10 to 31 January 2007 at The Chao Fah Art Gallery, National Museum, Bangkok.