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JARUK glossary

The Thai cultural heritage terms used in JARUK entries, with a short definition and the entries in which they appear.

A

Abhidhamma
The part of Buddhist teaching that analyses the mind and phenomena.
In : Wat Chak Daeng Temple Plastic Recycling Center
Amphoe
District, the tier of Thai territorial administration between the province and the subdistrict (tambon); in Bangkok it is replaced by the khet.
In : Phra Nakhon District · Samphanthawong District
Amulet
A small object worn or kept for its protective value.
In : Ayutthaya Gold Treasure Exhibition Building · Wat Chak Daeng Temple Plastic Recycling Center
Ancient monument
In Thailand, a legal category (boran sathan) that places a building or site under State protection as heritage.
In : Wat Arun · Mahakan Fort · Central Post Office · Bumblebee · Phra Nakhon District
Apostolic vicariate
A missionary jurisdiction of the Catholic Church, entrusted by the Pope to a bishop who governs it in his name, pending the possible establishment of a diocese.
In : Tha Rae Catholic Village
Applied Thai
A contemporary Thai architectural style that takes up and adapts forms from traditional Thai architecture.
In : Ayutthaya Gold Treasure Exhibition Building
Asalha Bucha
A Buddhist festival commemorating the Buddha’s first sermon.
In : Wat Chak Daeng Temple Plastic Recycling Center
Awakening
In Buddhism, the state of understanding and clarity reached at the end of the spiritual path, which frees one from ignorance and suffering.
In : DIB Bangkok · Wat Pho · Wat Saket (Golden Mount Temple) · Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall
Ayutthaya period
Period of Siamese history, from the mid-fourteenth century to 1767, during which the kingdom had Ayutthaya as its capital.
In : Wat Arun · Wat Pho · Pak Khlong Talat Flower Market · Khon Learning Center
Ayutthaya Period
Era of Siamese history during which the kingdom had Ayutthaya as its capital, from 1351 until the fall of the city in 1767.
In : Wat Saket (Golden Mount Temple) · Chakri Maha Prasat Throne Hall
Azulejo
A glazed and decorated earthenware tile, emblematic of Portuguese and Iberian architecture, used to clad interior walls and façades.
In : Scratching the Surface by Vhils

B

Bai raka
Row of serrated elements set along the barge boards of a Thai roof.
In : Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall
Bai sema
Thai term for the solid merlons, often leaf-shaped, that crown the parapet of walls and forts.
In : Phra Sumen Fort
Baisri
A Thai ritual arrangement made of folded banana leaves and flowers, used as an offering during ceremonies.
In : Pak Khlong Talat Flower Market
Banyan
Tropical fig tree whose aerial roots form new trunks; it is often regarded as sacred in Asia.
In : Mahakan Fort
Beetle-wing marquetry
Decorative technique using elytra, the hard, shiny wings of certain beetles, cut and assembled to form surfaces with a metallic sheen.
In : Arts of the Kingdom Museum
Bencha
Decorated pedestal on which the royal funerary urn is placed.
In : Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall
Bib Gourmand
Michelin Guide distinction that indicates a good-quality establishment offering food at a moderate price.
In : Chinatown Night Market
Bodhi Tree
Sacred fig tree under which, according to Buddhist tradition, the Buddha attained Enlightenment; it is venerated as a symbol of that event.
In : Wat Pho
Bodhisattva
In Buddhism, a being destined to become a Buddha, who pursues the path to Awakening over the course of successive lives.
In : The Grand Palace of Bangkok
Brahmin
In Thailand, an officiant heir to the Hindu tradition, attached to the court, who conducts or assists royal rites of Brahmanical origin alongside the Buddhist clergy.
In : Wat Phra Kaew
Buddha-king
Conception of kingship that likens the figure of the sovereign to that of a being on the path to Awakening, or even to a future Buddha.
In : Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall
Buddhist cosmology
Buddhist representation of the universe, organised around Mount Meru and made up of continents, oceans, mountain ranges and superimposed worlds.
In : Wat Arun · The Grand Palace of Bangkok
Bueng
Thai term for a large natural body of water, such as a lake or a large pond.
In : Red Lotus Lake (Kumphawapi)
Busabok
Thai throne in the form of a small pavilion, covered by a tapering spired roof.
In : Arts of the Kingdom Museum · Wat Phra Kaew · Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall
Busabok mala
Throne in the form of a small pavilion topped by a spire, framing the person of the sovereign during audiences or royal appearances.
In : Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall

C

Catechumen
In Christianity, an adult receiving the religious instruction that prepares them for baptism.
In : Tha Rae Catholic Village
Chada
Tall, pointed and ornate headdress of Siamese court and theatre costume, worn notably by royal and divine characters in the Thai performing arts.
In : Chakri Maha Prasat Throne Hall
Chaturamuk
Thai architectural plan with four faces, whose gables face the four directions; the term, of Sanskrit origin, means ‘four-faced’.
In : Dusit District
Chedi
A bell-shaped reliquary monument, the Thai version of the Indian stupa.
In : Ayutthaya Gold Treasure Exhibition Building · Wat Pho · Wat Saket (Golden Mount Temple) · Wat Phra Kaew
Choeng bat
Moulded plinth in Thai architecture, often doubled, with profiles rounded like those of an alms bowl.
In : Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall
Chofa
Curved finial, often shaped like a bird’s beak, that crowns the apex of the gables of Thai roofs.
In : Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall
Crypt
A closed masonry chamber built beneath a monument, in which relics and offerings are deposited.
In : Ayutthaya Gold Treasure Exhibition Building

D

Damascening
Metalworking technique, called khram in Thai, which consists of inlaying threads of precious metal into a metal base to form a pattern.
In : Arts of the Kingdom Museum
Department of the Ten Crafts
Royal Siamese department grouping court artisans specialised in traditional arts and crafts, responsible for major construction and decoration works.
In : Wat Pho
Dhamma
Buddhist doctrine, that is, the teaching of the Buddha.
In : Wat Chak Daeng Temple Plastic Recycling Center

E

Ecclesiastical province
A grouping of Catholic dioceses placed under the authority of a principal archdiocese, governed by an archbishop.
In : Tha Rae Catholic Village
Enamel
Coloured vitrified substance applied to metal; in Thai, the technique is called long ya si, literally ‘applying the colour’.
In : Arts of the Kingdom Museum
Enshrinement
The ritual deposit of relics at the heart of a monument, often accompanied by precious objects.
In : Ayutthaya Gold Treasure Exhibition Building
Erawan
Celestial elephant associated with Indra, known as Airavata in the Indian tradition. In Thai art he is frequently shown with three heads, although the traditions also describe other forms.
In : Wat Arun
Eye-opening
Buddhist ritual performed on a newly made Buddha image, preceding or accompanying its consecration and making it fit to receive veneration.
In : Dusit District

F

Farang
Thai word commonly used to refer to a Westerner, that is, a person of European origin or Western culture.
In : Chakri Maha Prasat Throne Hall
Finial
Carved ornament, often shaped like a bud or flower, placed at the top of a pillar, pinnacle or roof.
In : Phra Sumen Fort
Footprint of the Buddha
Object of worship representing the imprint of the Buddha’s foot, often decorated with symbolic signs, and venerated as an evocation of his presence.
In : Wat Arun
Four continents
In Buddhist cosmology, the four lands set at the cardinal points around Mount Meru.
In : Wat Arun

G

Garuda
Mythical bird from the Indian tradition, the mount of the god Vishnu. In Thailand, it is the emblem of the monarchy and of the State.
In : Central Post Office · TCDC Bangkok (Thailand Creative & Design Center)
Gilded lacquer
A coating combining a layer of lacquer with gold leaf, used to cover and protect statues, objects and architectural elements.
In : Wat Pho
Gold sheet
A thin sheet of gold that can be cut and stamped to depict a motif or an image.
In : Ayutthaya Gold Treasure Exhibition Building · Wat Saket (Golden Mount Temple)
Gyotaku
Japanese technique of making an ink print of a fish.
In : The Corner House Bangkok

H

Hae Pha Khuen That
Thai rite in which a long cloth is carried in procession and taken up to a reliquary to wrap it, in homage to relics of the Buddha.
In : Wat Saket (Golden Mount Temple)
Hang hong
Upturned end at the base of the barge boards of a Thai roof.
In : Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall
Himavanta
Mythical forest of Buddhist cosmology, located at the foot of the Himalayas and inhabited by fabulous creatures.
In : Arts of the Kingdom Museum · The Grand Palace of Bangkok
Historic urban landscape
Approach to urban conservation, adopted internationally in 2011, which views the city as a layering of historical, cultural and natural strata rather than as a collection of isolated monuments.
In : Dusit District
Ho rop
Thai term for the combat tower that crowns a fort and overlooks its defensive terraces.
In : Phra Sumen Fort
Hokkien
Chinese group originating from the south of Fujian province, many of whose members emigrated to Southeast Asia, notably as merchants.
In : Samphanthawong District
Holy Year
A jubilee year of the Catholic Church during which the faithful are invited to go on pilgrimage to designated churches.
In : Tha Rae Catholic Village

I

Inao
Major drama of Thai court literature, inspired by the Javanese Panji tales.
In : Arts of the Kingdom Museum
Indra
Deity of Vedic origin, king of the gods in the Hindu tradition and also present in Buddhist cosmology. In Thai iconography he is often shown riding the celestial elephant Erawan.
In : Wat Arun
Intangible cultural heritage
Practices, knowledge, expressions and skills passed down from generation to generation and recognised by communities as part of their cultural heritage.
In : Wat Pho · Khon Learning Center
Inverted lotus base
Moulded base, called bua khwam in Thai, whose profile evokes an upturned lotus flower, used in Thai architecture.
In : Phra Sumen Fort

J

Joss paper
Offering paper, often decorated with patterns or metallic leaf, burnt in Chinese rites for the deceased and the deities.
In : Samphanthawong District

K

Kapi
A fermented and salted shrimp paste, a staple condiment of Thai cuisine.
In : Pak Khlong Talat Flower Market
Kathin
Annual ceremony at which robes are offered to monks, after the rains retreat.
In : Wat Arun
Khet
Thai name for the administrative districts of Bangkok, equivalent to the districts of the provinces; each khet is subdivided into khwaeng, or sub-districts.
In : Dusit District · Phra Nakhon District · Samphanthawong District
Khit
Traditional Thai decorative patterns, used in particular in bamboo basketry.
In : Arts of the Kingdom Museum
Khlong
Canal or waterway, natural or man-made, which long played a major role in transport, irrigation and the organisation of settlements and territories in Thailand.
In : DIB Bangkok · Wat Arun · Phra Sumen Fort · Mahakan Fort · Pak Khlong Talat Flower Market · Wat Chak Daeng Temple Plastic Recycling Center · Wat Saket (Golden Mount Temple) · Warehouse 30 · Bumblebee · Phra Nakhon District · Samphanthawong District
Khon
Masked dance drama of the Thai court tradition, which stages the Ramakien.
In : Arts of the Kingdom Museum · Khon Learning Center · TCDC Bangkok (Thailand Creative & Design Center) · Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles
Khwaeng
An administrative subdivision of Bangkok, ranking below the district (khet), the urban equivalent of the tambon in the provinces.
In : Pak Khlong Talat Flower Market · Asiatique The Riverfront · Dusit District · Phra Nakhon District · Samphanthawong District · Sampheng Market (Chinatown)
Kong Tek
Chinese Buddhist funerary rite performed for the deceased.
In : Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall
Kot
Funerary urn in which the body of a king or a high-ranking member of the royal family is placed.
In : Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall
Kuay chap
Soup of Teochew Chinese origin made with rolled rice noodles, served in a peppery broth, often with pork and pork offal.
In : Chinatown Night Market
Kuti
Cell or dwelling of a Buddhist monk within the precinct of a monastery.
In : Wat Chak Daeng Temple Plastic Recycling Center

L

Lak Mueang
Foundation pillar of a Thai city, erected when the city is founded and regarded as the seat of its guardian spirit; it is housed in a dedicated shrine.
In : Phra Nakhon District
Lion’s-paw base
Base moulding in Thai architecture whose profile recalls the foot of a lion.
In : Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall
Loose infill
Building technique consisting of filling the space between two facings with brick rubble or salvaged materials in order to raise thick walls quickly.
In : Phra Sumen Fort
Loy Krathong
Thai festival held at the full moon of the twelfth lunar month, usually in November, when small floating offerings are placed on the water.
In : Wat Saket (Golden Mount Temple)

M

Mae kong
Thai term denoting the person in charge of directing a building project, equivalent to the master builder.
In : Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall · Chakri Maha Prasat Throne Hall
Mahanikai
One of the two main branches, or orders, of the Buddhist clergy of Thailand.
In : Wat Chak Daeng Temple Plastic Recycling Center
Makerspace
A collective workshop equipped with shared machines and tools, where users can design and make objects and prototypes themselves.
In : TCDC Bangkok (Thailand Creative & Design Center)
Mara
In Buddhism, the demon of illusion and desire who tried to prevent the Buddha from attaining Enlightenment.
In : Samphanthawong District
Maravijaya
Posture of the seated Buddha, the right hand touching the ground to call the earth to witness his victory over Mara.
In : Samphanthawong District
Materials library
A collection of material samples made available to creators, designers and manufacturers, who can consult and handle them in order to select materials for their projects.
In : TCDC Bangkok (Thailand Creative & Design Center)
Memory of the World
UNESCO programme devoted to the preservation of and access to documentary heritage; it maintains international and regional registers of documents deemed of major significance.
In : Wat Pho
Merit
In Buddhism, the benefit accumulated through virtuous acts, which structures the religious practice of lay people.
In : Wat Chak Daeng Temple Plastic Recycling Center · Central Post Office
Merlon
Solid section of a crenellated parapet, between two embrasures, behind which defenders take cover.
In : Phra Sumen Fort
Michelin Plate
Michelin Guide mention indicating an establishment that serves good food, without awarding it a star or a Bib Gourmand.
In : Chinatown Night Market
Monastic enclosure
An enclosed space, usually surrounded by walls, that brings together the places of worship and the living quarters of a monastic community.
In : Wat Pho
Mondop
Small sacred building or pavilion, often square in plan, which may house a sacred image, a Buddha footprint, relics, scriptures, ashes or another sacred object.
In : Wat Arun · Wat Pho · Wat Phra Kaew
Monthon
Regional administrative division of Siam grouping several provinces, introduced by the administrative reforms of the late 19th century and abolished in 1933.
In : Phra Nakhon District
Mother-of-pearl inlay
Decorative art consisting of inlaying pieces of mother-of-pearl into a ground, often black lacquer, to adorn furniture and objects.
In : Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall
Mount Meru
Cosmic mountain at the centre of the universe in Buddhist and Hindu cosmologies.
In : Wat Arun
Mukh det
Projecting porch of a royal hall, intended for the sovereign’s appearances before his subjects.
In : Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall

N

Naga
Mythical serpent of the Hindu and Buddhist traditions, common in the decoration of Thai architecture.
In : Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall
Nak sadung
Ornament in the form of a naga serpent decorating the lower slopes of a Thai roof.
In : Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall
Nam manet
Thai word derived from the English “lemonade”, formerly used for fizzy drinks in general.
In : The Corner House Bangkok
Naphasun
Metal trident crowning the summit of a prang.
In : Wat Arun
National historic monument
Legal status granted by the State to a building recognised for its historical value, placing it under the protection of the heritage administration.
In : Phra Sumen Fort
Neo-Renaissance
Historicist architectural style that revived the forms of the Italian Renaissance in the 19th century and around the turn of the 20th century.
In : Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall · Chakri Maha Prasat Throne Hall
Neoclassicism
Artistic and architectural movement drawing on the forms and principles of Graeco-Roman antiquity, which emerged in Europe in the 18th century.
In : Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall · TCDC Bangkok (Thailand Creative & Design Center)
Niello
Technique, called thom in Thai, in which metal is engraved and the grooves filled with a black alloy that makes the design stand out against the gold or silver ground.
In : Arts of the Kingdom Museum · The Grand Palace of Bangkok · Chakri Maha Prasat Throne Hall
Nine-tiered royal umbrella
White umbrella of nine superimposed tiers, the supreme emblem of the sovereignty of the King of Thailand.
In : Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall
Nirat
A Thai poetic genre in verse, a travel account in which the author describes the places passed and often expresses longing for a loved one or the home left behind.
In : Pak Khlong Talat Flower Market
Nuad Thai
Traditional Thai massage, which aims to restore the body’s balance by working on the sen using the hands, elbows, knees, feet and hot herbal compresses.
In : Wat Pho

O

Oculus
A circular opening in a ceiling, vault or wall that lets light through.
In : DIB Bangkok
Ordination
Ceremony by which a layperson is admitted as a novice or as a monk into the Buddhist community.
In : Wat Arun · Wat Pho · Wat Chak Daeng Temple Plastic Recycling Center · Wat Saket (Golden Mount Temple) · Dusit District · Wat Phra Kaew

P

Pali
The language of the canonical texts of Theravada Buddhism.
In : Wat Chak Daeng Temple Plastic Recycling Center
Pandanus
A tropical plant with long, ribbon-like, fragrant leaves, used in South-East Asia in cooking, basketry and ritual arrangements.
In : Pak Khlong Talat Flower Market
Panya
Thai term for a hipped roof with four sloping sides that meet at ridges.
In : The Corner House Bangkok
Phi pop
In Isan beliefs, a malevolent spirit believed to possess the living; people accused of harbouring one could be cast out of their community.
In : Tha Rae Catholic Village
Phra Kampuchat
Guardian deity of the nine-tiered royal umbrella.
In : Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall
Phra krayasanan
Royal ritual bath in Thai court ceremonial, performed as an act of purification.
In : Wat Saket (Golden Mount Temple)
Phra Phai
God of the wind in Thai religious traditions, related to the Indian god Vayu. His identification in some architectural representations, notably at Wat Arun, is open to differing readings.
In : Wat Arun
Phra thinang
Thai term denoting a hall or pavilion reserved for the sovereign, notably a throne hall.
In : Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall · Dusit District · Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall
Phraya Racha Setthi
Siamese noble title held by the head of the Chinese community, who represented it before the royal authorities.
In : Sampheng Market (Chinatown)
Phutthawat
The sacred area of a Thai wat, devoted to worship and containing the main religious buildings, distinct from the monks’ residential area.
In : Wat Pho
Phytolith
Microscopic particle of silica formed in plant tissues, which survives in the soil after the plant decomposes; its study helps to reconstruct past vegetation.
In : Red Lotus Lake (Kumphawapi)
Prang
Tower-sanctuary rooted in Khmer architectural tradition, later adopted and transformed in Siamese and Thai architecture; depending on the context, it serves a religious function or acts as a reliquary.
In : Wat Arun · Ayutthaya Gold Treasure Exhibition Building · Wat Saket (Golden Mount Temple)
Prasat
In Thai architecture, a building or canopy with tiered roofs crowned by a spire, a form reserved for sacred images and for royalty.
In : The Grand Palace of Bangkok · Phra Nakhon District · Wat Phra Kaew · Chakri Maha Prasat Throne Hall · Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall
Principal image
In a Thai Buddhist monastery, the most important statue of the Buddha, around which worship is organised; it is generally installed in the monastery’s main building.
In : Asiatique The Riverfront · Samphanthawong District · Wat Phra Kaew
Projection mapping
A technique for projecting images, often animated, that are fitted to the relief and outlines of a surface, particularly a building façade, which thus serves as a screen.
In : Charoen Krung 32 Street Art
Public organisation
In Thailand, the status of an autonomous public body, established by royal decree under the 1999 Public Organisation Act, to carry out a public-service mission outside the central administration.
In : TCDC Bangkok (Thailand Creative & Design Center)

Q

Qingming
Chinese ancestral festival, held in spring, during which families visit graves to tend them and leave offerings there. In Thailand it is called Cheng Meng.
In : Sampheng Market (Chinatown)

R

Rai
Thai unit of land area, equivalent to 1,600 square metres.
In : Arts of the Kingdom Museum · Red Lotus Lake (Kumphawapi) · The Grand Palace of Bangkok · Wat Phra Kaew
Rajarot
Stage chariot used in khon, built and decorated to represent the vehicle of the divine, royal or demonic characters of the epic.
In : Khon Learning Center
Ramakien
Thai version of the Ramayana, the Indian epic of the hero Rama.
In : Arts of the Kingdom Museum · Khon Learning Center · Wat Phra Kaew
Ramayana
Great Sanskrit epic of India recounting Prince Rama’s struggle against the king of the demons; it has inspired many versions in Southeast Asia, including the Thai Ramakien.
In : Khon Learning Center · Wat Phra Kaew
Ratchaworamahawihan
Category of royal temple: a major wat with extensive buildings, built or restored by the sovereign in a personal capacity.
In : Wat Arun · Wat Saket (Golden Mount Temple)
Rattanakosin period
Period of Thai history that began with the founding of Bangkok as the capital by King Rama I at the end of the eighteenth century. It takes its name from Rattanakosin Island, the heart of the royal city.
In : Wat Arun · Phra Sumen Fort · Wat Pho · Mahakan Fort · Pak Khlong Talat Flower Market · Sampheng Market (Chinatown) · Wat Phra Kaew
Reclining Buddha
Depiction of the Buddha lying on his right side, his head supported by his hand or a cushion, most often evoking his passing into parinirvana.
In : Wat Pho
Regalia
The set of insignia and objects symbolising royal power.
In : Ayutthaya Gold Treasure Exhibition Building
Relic
Bodily remains of, or objects associated with, the Buddha or a holy figure, preserved and venerated.
In : Ayutthaya Gold Treasure Exhibition Building · Wat Saket (Golden Mount Temple) · Chakri Maha Prasat Throne Hall · Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall
Reliquary
A container intended to hold and protect one or more relics.
In : Ayutthaya Gold Treasure Exhibition Building · Wat Pho · Wat Saket (Golden Mount Temple) · Wat Phra Kaew
Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
List maintained by UNESCO that records elements of intangible cultural heritage in order to ensure their visibility and raise awareness of their significance.
In : Khon Learning Center
Rong phasi
Thai term for a tax office, a post where duties on goods were collected.
In : Embassy of France
Royal barge
Long, richly decorated ceremonial vessel used by the Thai monarchy to carry the King during solemn river processions.
In : Wat Arun · Phra Sumen Fort · Arts of the Kingdom Museum
Royal Gazette
Official journal of the Kingdom of Thailand, in which laws, decrees and official acts are published, including the listing of protected monuments.
In : Wat Arun · Mahakan Fort
Royal Kathin
Form of the kathin in which the offering is made in the name of the sovereign.
In : Wat Arun
Royal khon
Name given to the large-scale khon performances staged under royal patronage, with costumes, sets and props made in the traditional style.
In : Khon Learning Center
Royal monastery
In Thailand, a Buddhist monastery founded, restored or placed under the patronage of the king or the royal family, and holding a particular rank.
In : Wat Pho · Pak Khlong Talat Flower Market · Asiatique The Riverfront · Wat Saket (Golden Mount Temple)
Royal Ploughing Ceremony
Thai royal ceremony of Brahmanical origin, held each year to open the agricultural season and foretell the harvest, combined with Buddhist rites.
In : Wat Phra Kaew
Royal project
Development project launched on the initiative of the King or a member of the Thai royal family, often intended to improve the living conditions of rural populations.
In : Arts of the Kingdom Museum · Khon Learning Center · Dusit District
Royal temple
In Thailand, a Buddhist temple founded, restored or patronised by the king or the royal family, and graded according to an official hierarchy of ranks and categories.
In : Wat Arun · Wat Pho · Pak Khlong Talat Flower Market · Wat Chak Daeng Temple Plastic Recycling Center · Wat Saket (Golden Mount Temple) · Wat Phra Kaew
Russian corer
Sampling instrument designed to extract soft, waterlogged sediments without compressing or deforming them.
In : Red Lotus Lake (Kumphawapi)

S

Sakrawa
Improvised, sung Thai poetic contest, traditionally performed from boats during the high-water season, in which participants answer one another in verse.
In : Wat Saket (Golden Mount Temple)
San
In Thailand, a small shrine where worship is offered to a deity, a spirit or a protective figure.
In : Wat Arun · Pak Khlong Talat Flower Market · Chinatown Night Market · Warehouse 30 · Samphanthawong District
Sang Thong
Classical Thai tale whose hero is a prince hidden beneath a humble appearance.
In : Arts of the Kingdom Museum
Sangha
The body of monks who reside in a monastery and live there according to religious discipline; in Buddhism it is called the sangha.
In : Wat Arun · Wat Pho · Wat Chak Daeng Temple Plastic Recycling Center · Wat Saket (Golden Mount Temple) · Wat Phra Kaew
Sanghawat
The area of a Thai wat where the monks live, separate from the space devoted to worship.
In : Wat Pho
Sangkhayana
Assembly of monks convened to recite, revise and establish the text of the Buddhist scriptures of the Pali canon.
In : Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall
Sathan ekakkharatchathut
Thai term for an embassy, that is, the place where a diplomatic mission is based.
In : Embassy of France
Sattaparibhanda mountains
In Buddhist cosmology, concentric mountain ranges that encircle Mount Meru.
In : Wat Arun
Sawtooth roof
A sawtooth roof, typical of industrial buildings, whose glazed slopes let in even, regular light.
In : DIB Bangkok
Sen
In traditional Thai medicine, energy lines held to run through the body, on which traditional massage acts.
In : Wat Pho
Shophouse
A narrow, deep urban house built in a row, whose ground floor serves as a shop and upper floor as living quarters, typical of the trading towns of South-East Asia.
In : Pak Khlong Talat Flower Market · The Corner House Bangkok · Phra Nakhon District · Samphanthawong District · Sampheng Market (Chinatown)
Siamese calendar
Dating system in use in Siam, whose era and start of the year differed from the Gregorian calendar, which makes converting some dates difficult.
In : Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall
Sino-colonial
Term describing a late 19th- and early 20th-century South-East Asian architecture combining Western, often neoclassical, elements with Chinese building traditions.
In : The Corner House Bangkok
Sino-Thai
Describes what stems from the blending of Chinese and Thai cultures, notably an architectural and urban tradition developed in Thailand by communities of Chinese origin.
In : DIB Bangkok
Skyspace
A room designed by the artist James Turrell for viewing the sky through an opening in the ceiling.
In : DIB Bangkok
Soi
Thai word for a lane or side street branching off a main road; soi are often numbered after the main street from which they branch.
In : DIB Bangkok · Pak Khlong Talat Flower Market · Chinatown Night Market · Charoen Krung 32 Street Art · Warehouse 30 · Embassy of France · The Corner House Bangkok · Bumblebee · Scratching the Surface by Vhils · Samphanthawong District · Sampheng Market (Chinatown)
Songkran
Traditional Thai New Year, celebrated in mid-April, marked by water-sprinkling rites and merit-making.
In : Wat Saket (Golden Mount Temple) · Phra Nakhon District
Spirit shrine
Small shrine dedicated to the guardian spirits of a place, where offerings are made.
In : Mahakan Fort
Stripped Classicism
Stripped-down classicism: an architectural current that retains the symmetry and order of classical architecture while removing most of its ornament.
In : Central Post Office
Stupa
A Buddhist monument of Indian origin intended to house relics.
In : Ayutthaya Gold Treasure Exhibition Building
Subdistrict municipality
In Thailand, the first tier of urban local government, established at subdistrict (tambon) level.
In : Tha Rae Catholic Village
Sufficiency economy
Development philosophy formulated by King Bhumibol Adulyadej, advocating moderation and community self-reliance.
In : Arts of the Kingdom Museum
Sum
Ornamental entrance gateway set in the enclosure wall of a Thai monastery, often topped by a decorated crowning element.
In : Wat Saket (Golden Mount Temple)
Supreme Patriarch
Head of the Buddhist monastic community of Thailand, appointed by the king.
In : Wat Saket (Golden Mount Temple) · Wat Phra Kaew

T

Tambon
A Thai administrative subdivision grouping several villages, ranking below the district.
In : Pak Khlong Talat Flower Market · Phra Nakhon District
Teochew
Chinese dialect group originating from the Chaozhou area, in eastern Guangdong, southern China. It forms the largest component of the Chinese community in Thailand.
In : Chinatown Night Market · Samphanthawong District
Thai national costume of royal fashion
Set of eight models of women’s dress created at Queen Sirikit’s initiative, inspired by court traditions, to give Thai women a national costume suited to different occasions.
In : Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles
Thammayut
Reformed Thai Buddhist monastic order, founded in the 19th century by the future King Rama IV, which advocates strict observance of monastic discipline.
In : Samphanthawong District
Thamniap
Thai term reserved for official residences, distinct from the term for an institution’s offices.
In : Embassy of France
Theravada
A branch of Buddhism whose canonical texts are written in Pali.
In : Wat Chak Daeng Temple Plastic Recycling Center · Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall
Thong phra rong
Thai term denoting an audience hall in which the king receives.
In : Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall
Tiered roof
Roof made up of several superimposed, stepped sections, characteristic of traditional religious and royal architecture in Thailand.
In : Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall · Wat Phra Kaew
Tipitaka
Canon of the scriptures of Theravada Buddhism, written in Pali and divided into three ‘baskets’: monastic discipline, discourses of the Buddha and the Abhidhamma.
In : Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall
Trai chiwon
The garment of a Thai Buddhist monk, made up of three pieces: the under-robe, the upper robe and the large outer cloak folded over the shoulder.
In : Wat Chak Daeng Temple Plastic Recycling Center
Traiphum
Thai Buddhist cosmological text describing the three worlds and the universe ordered around Mount Meru.
In : Wat Arun
Trok
Thai word for an alley, that is, a narrow passage between buildings, generally narrower than a soi.
In : Bumblebee · Sampheng Market (Chinatown)
Tusita
In Buddhist cosmology, the heaven where bodhisattvas dwell before their final earthly birth.
In : The Grand Palace of Bangkok · Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall
Twelve-year cycle
Period of twelve years corresponding to the cycle of zodiac animals; in Thailand, the completion of a cycle, such as the seventh at the age of eighty-four, is marked by celebrations, notably for royal birthdays.
In : Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles

U

Ubosot
Consecrated ordination hall of a wat: the ritually central building, marked out by sacred boundary stones, where monastic ordinations take place.
In : Wat Arun · Wat Pho · Wat Chak Daeng Temple Plastic Recycling Center · The Grand Palace of Bangkok · Wat Saket (Golden Mount Temple) · Dusit District · Wat Phra Kaew

V

Victorian-Thai
Architectural style of the late 19th and early 20th centuries combining the forms and fretwork timber ornament of Victorian architecture with Thai layouts and uses.
In : Dusit District
Viharn
Assembly and devotional hall of a wat, used for ceremonies, teaching and the veneration of Buddha images; unlike the ubosot, it does not host monastic ordinations.
In : Wat Arun · Wat Pho

W

Wai khru
A Thai ceremony in which pupils pay homage to their teachers and express their gratitude, presenting them with offerings.
In : Pak Khlong Talat Flower Market
Wang
Thai word for a palace, particularly the residence of a prince or a member of the royal family.
In : Phra Nakhon District · Sampheng Market (Chinatown)
Wat
Buddhist monastic complex that brings together, within a single enclosure, several religious buildings, monks’ quarters and ancillary buildings; the word does not refer to a single building.
In : Wat Arun · Ayutthaya Gold Treasure Exhibition Building · Wat Pho · Pak Khlong Talat Flower Market · Wat Chak Daeng Temple Plastic Recycling Center · Chinatown Night Market · Asiatique The Riverfront · The Grand Palace of Bangkok · Wat Saket (Golden Mount Temple) · Bumblebee · Dusit District · Phra Nakhon District · Samphanthawong District · Sampheng Market (Chinatown) · Wat Phra Kaew
Wat ratsadon
A Thai Buddhist monastery that does not belong to the category of royal temples; it is also called a ‘people’s temple’.
In : Wat Chak Daeng Temple Plastic Recycling Center
White cube
A type of exhibition room with white, neutral walls, designed to make the architecture recede in favour of the works.
In : DIB Bangkok
Wien Thien
Thai rite of circumambulation: a procession around a sanctuary or venerated object, holding candles, incense and flowers, keeping it on one’s right.
In : Wat Phra Kaew
Wisungkhamsima
A royal grant of the consecrated ground on which a monastery may build an ordination hall.
In : Wat Chak Daeng Temple Plastic Recycling Center
Woramahawihan
Title borne by certain royal temples in Thailand, indicating a high rank in the hierarchy of royal monasteries.
In : Samphanthawong District
Worawihan
Title borne by certain royal temples in Thailand, indicating their rank in the hierarchy of royal monasteries.
In : Samphanthawong District

Y

Yan lipao
Climbing fern whose stems are woven to produce a fine traditional Thai basketry.
In : Arts of the Kingdom Museum