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Wat Pariwat – ‘the David Beckham Temple’
Very few tourists know that Bangkok is home to a unique temple, which contains a statue of the hugely famous British soccer player – David Beckham. Even fewer know the temple’s location and how to get there.
This temple is called ‘Wat Pariwat’, yet it is also known as ‘the David Beckham Temple’. You will find it just off the Rama 3 road, on the riverbank. You can easily get there by public transportation using the BRT – a unique and modern bus line.
The temple itself is a rather big, authentic complex, yet hardly a heavily-toured attraction. Rather, it is a good place to visit if you would like to get to know the local customs, both in terms of religion and culture. You don’t need a guide with you in order to come visit the place and observe David Beckham’s statue – unless of course you’d like to probe deeper and expand your knowledge of the Thai culture. The temple serves the residents of the area, so that you can witness the rituals which take place on a daily basis, as part of the local’s routine lives.
Wat Pariwat is located right on the riverbank, and has a sitting area which you can enjoy if you’d like to sit and watch the river or the great Bhumibol bridge. There, you will also find an area known as “The Fish Palace” because of the vast amount of fish who come to eat.
Next to the temple and in a short walking distance, you will find the lovely little Buddha Dharma Relics Museum and the excellent seafood restaurant Baan Klang Nam, so that you can combine the three attractions in a single visit to the area.
Directions – of course, you can always take a taxi (some 15 minutes from Asoke/Sukhumvit intersection), and you can also use public transportation – the BRT modern bus line, which has its own route at the center of the road. Take the Skyline (Silom Line) until you reach Chong Nonsi stop, where you will find the first BRT stop. Take the BRT (10 baht) and simply get off at Wat Pariwat (the stop is named just like the temple). On its way, the bus will stop at the famous Tawandaeng German Brewery (2 stops prior to Wat Pariwat), which you can also include in your visit (on the way back). The bus ride will take you some 15 minutes.
In Conclusion: Wat Pariwat is an interesting attraction which you should combine with nearby sites, including a dinner in one of the best riverbank restaurants in the city and a visit to the Bavarian brewery.
One of the other articles posted on the site, covers an easy, pleasant and interesting trip to Bangkok, which you can conveniently take by using Skytrain and the BRT line. Therefore, you can easily include the visit to Wat Pariwat in the short tour program.
