Beautiful temple on the banks of the Chao Phraya River

Wat Arun Ratchawararam, or as it is colloquially known as Wat Chaeng or Wat Arun for short, is an ancient temple built in the Ayutthaya period. The name Wat Chaeng came from the fact that King Taksin had just finished his war and returned in the morning. It is said that it was originally called Wat Makok and later became Wat Makok Nok because another temple was built in the same sub-district, but it was on the Bangkok Yai canal. The locals called the newly built temple Wat Makok Nai (Wat Nawanonradit), and then Wat Makok, which was at the mouth of the Bangkok Yai canal, Wat Makok Nok. As for the reason why the name was changed to Wat Chaeng, it is believed that when King Taksin the Great established his capital in Thonburi in 2310, he arrived at the temple at dawn, so he gave it a new name, Wat Chaeng. However, this belief is incorrect because the long poem by Mom Phimsen, an Ayutthaya period literary work that describes his journey from Ayutthaya to Phetchaburi, already mentioned the name of the temple as Wat Chaeng at that time. #MustSeeForMerit #BeautifulTemplesAcrossThailand #OldTemples #TemplesByTheChaoPhrayaRiver