Wat Yannawa, Bangkok

Wat Yannawa is a Buddhist temple with a distinctive boat shaped prayer hall in the China Town district of Bangkok.

Wat Yannawa is open every day from 08:00 to 18:00 and admission is free.

About Wat Yannawa

Wat Yannawa is located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River less than 5 minutes walking time from Saphan Taskin BTS Station and Sathorn Pier, which is the start and finish point for Chao Phraya Express Boat services. The location is significant in relation to the temple’s most famous feature, the boat shaped prayer hall.

Prayer Hall at Wat Yannawa

The 40 metre long prayer hall was commissioned by King Rama III in the 1840s in the shape of a Chinese junk of the kind that had been a common sight on the Chao Phraya River for hundreds of years previously. By the middle of the 19th Century these types of vessel were rapidly being replaced by more modern paddle steamers and the unusually shaped prayer hall was intended to be a reminder of the important part the traditional Chinese merchant ships had played in the economic development of Thailand. The prayer hall has two large white chedi towers where the masts would normally be on a Chinese junk and the cabin where the ship’s steering wheel would have been has Buddha images inside.

Early History of Wat Yannawa

Wat Yannawa is a much older temple than the prayer hall. The temple is believed to have been founded at some point during the era of the Ayutthaya Kingdom (1350 to 1767). There is little at the temple, however, which dates back to that earlier period. The temple’s magnificent gate house and long meeting hall with three spires on its roof were all constructed during the 20th Century. The temple’s ordination hall, which is behind the prayer hall and in a state of disrepair, also appears to have been constructed during the 19th Century. The unusual prayer hall is the only real point of interest at this temple.

Location of Wat Yannawa

• Wat Yannawa is located at 40 Charoen Krung Rd, Yan Nawa, Sathon, Bangkok 10120.