What comes to mind when you think of goddesses and rice? Perhaps not an urban neighborhood in Bangkok. But Bang Phrom Subdistrict was once a world away from the city we know. Bang Phrom was a vast expanse of rice paddies, stretching far beyond its current borders. Life here revolved around the rhythm of the rice planting season. Locals even held a special ceremony to honor Phosop, the Rice Goddess. They would parade her statue through the khlongs, the canals that crisscross Bang Phrom. Imagine the vibrant procession, the air filled with the scent of incense and the sound of traditional music. Sadly, those rice paddies disappeared around 1983. In a twist of irony, the last vestige of Phosop herself, a golden statue, vanished a few years prior. Stolen in the late 1970s, it was never recovered, leaving behind a void in the community’s heart. Today, as you wander through Bang Phrom, remnants of that bygone era linger amidst the modern cityscape. Ancient temples like Wat Siri Watthanaram still stand as testaments to Bang Phrom’s rich past. The khlongs, once bustling with lifeblood of the rice trade, now offer glimpses of tranquility. Bang Phrom is a reminder that even as cities evolve, echoes of their origins remain, waiting to be discovered.
Garuda Museum
Behold the Garuda, a four-meter sculpture spreading its wings. This is the entrance to Southeast Asia’s one and only Garuda