Erawan Shrine

Erawan Shrine, formally the Thao Maha Phrom Shrine, stands at the corner of Ratchadamri and Ploenchit roads at the busy Ratchaprasong intersection in central Bangkok, beside the Grand Hyatt Erawan hotel. It houses a gilded statue of Phra Phrom, the Thai representation of the Hindu god Brahma.

The shrine was built in 1956 during construction of the government-owned Erawan Hotel, which had suffered a series of accidents and delays. An astrologer advised building a shrine to Brahma, and the problems are said to have stopped once it was in place. The hotel was named after Erawan, the three-headed elephant ridden by the god Indra, and the shrine took the same name. The Erawan Hotel was later replaced by the Grand Hyatt Erawan.

The four-faced statue of Phra Phrom sits under a small pavilion surrounded by flowers, incense, candles and wooden elephants left as offerings. Worshippers, both Buddhist and of other faiths, pray to each of the four faces in turn. People whose wishes are granted often return to hire a troupe of classical Thai dancers, who perform beside the shrine to the sound of traditional music. The original statue was smashed by a man in 2006 and quickly replaced. In 2015 a bomb attack near the shrine killed 20 people; the shrine was repaired and reopened within days.

The shrine is open daily from early morning until late at night, and entry is free. Flowers and offerings are sold at the entrance. The Chit Lom BTS station is directly above the intersection.

Which other shrines stand around Ratchaprasong? The Erawan Shrine is the best known of six Hindu shrines around the Ratchaprasong intersection. The others honour Lakshmi, the Trimurti, Ganesha, Indra and Narayana riding on Garuda, and several stand in front of or on the upper levels of the shopping malls. The Trimurti shrine outside CentralWorld is popular with people praying for love.

The Thai name of the god, Phra Phrom, also refers to Mahabrahma, a ruler of the heavens in Buddhist cosmology, which is why Buddhist Thais worship at the shrine alongside visitors from China, India and elsewhere. It is also treated as a guardian spirit of the area.

Offerings and etiquette. Worshippers usually start at the front face and move clockwise. Garlands of marigolds and jasmine, small wooden elephants and candles are the usual gifts. Lighting incense and candles was stopped at the shrine in 2020 for health and environmental reasons. The elevated walkway from Chit Lom BTS station looks straight down on the shrine and is a good spot to watch the dancers without getting in the way.