I Prahin | www.southeastasia-images.com's photostream  

Located on Mahachai Road, Wat Ratchanatdaram (temple) complex was built in the reign of King Rama III in 1846. Loha Prasat (“metal castle”), the temple’s main attraction, standing 36 metres high with 37 surrounding spires, is the only one of its kind left in the world. It was only recently completed.

The Prasat has 37 spires representing 37 Dharma of the Bodhipakya. The staircase is at the centre with large pillars to support the shell-wise winding stairs around the pillars to the lower floor and to the top floor where the Mondop stands in the middle. This application of winding stairs to this Prasat is a European technique adopted by Thai architects.

The significance of this Loha Prasat lies in the fact that it is the first of its kind in Thailand and the third in the world of Buddhism.

The staircase is constructed as a free-standing metal center column with thick wood treads cantilevered off it. You can choose to climb all five stories at once or get off at any level to explore. The stairway actually ends on the roof of the fourth tower.

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Phra Mondop (Library) houses Buddhist scriptures at the Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew), Bangkok, Thailand.

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The Erawan Shrine was built in 1956 as part of the government-owned Erawan Hotel to eliminate the bad karma believed caused by laying the foundations on the wrong date. The hotel's construction was delayed by a series of mishaps, including cost overruns, injuries to laborers, and the loss of a shipload of Italian marble intended for the building. Furthermore, the Ratchaprasong Intersection had once been used to put criminals on public display.

An astrologer advised building the shrine to counter the negative influences. The Brahma statue was designed and built by the Department of Fine Arts and enshrined on 9 November 1956. The hotel's construction thereafter proceeded without further incident. In 1987, the hotel was demolished and the site used for the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel.

The pictured dancers are hired by worshippers in return for seeing their prayers at the shrine answered.

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Hilton Millennium Hotel in the center with its cool bar (360) on the roof top (not revolving) and it's James Bond -style lift in front of the building. The light trail on the water is from a shuttle boat. Single RAW exposure.

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The centerpiece of this image is the almost completed The River Condominium. According to the developer's website: "At over 250 metres in height The River will be one of Bangkok's tallest structures, and a new world class icon of waterfront living. On one side of each tower, an elegant curved glass façade arcs majestically above the water; on the other, straight sides and deep articulations provide architectural interest and a very contemporary feeling."

To the right is the Peninsula Hotel and the left is Taksin Bridge which also has the skytrain extension running over it.

Tonemapped 7 exposures in Photomatix Pro 4.1; I couldn't resist pushing the colors a wee bit; hope it doesn't look too unnatural.

I was lucky with the sunset (for a change) as it was a one-off chance to shoot from my location!

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