The giant elephant
A three-headed bronze elephant.
Ddalbiez — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Don Ramey Logan — CC BY 4.0 · mohigan — CC BY-SA 3.0 · mohigan — CC BY-SA 3.0
A museum like no other: a giant bronze three-headed elephant standing on a domed building, some forty-three metres high with its base, opened in 2003 in Samut Prakan south of Bangkok. It was created by the collector Lek Viriyaphan, who also built the Ancient City and the Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya. The museum has three levels symbolising the underworld, the earth and the heavens in Thai belief. The lower hall holds antiques and old European and Chinese porcelain; the middle is a stunning hall of spiral staircases, stained glass and a vast glass ceiling; and in the elephant's belly at the top is a hall of ancient religious artefacts. Tickets for foreigners are about four hundred baht per adult and roughly half for children; it opens daily from nine to six. A lovely garden of plants and statues surrounds the museum. It is easy to reach by Skytrain to Chang Erawan station, meaning Erawan elephant. The highlight is the middle hall with its stained glass, so take your time for photographs. An hour or two is enough.
A three-headed bronze elephant.
A stunning hall with spiral stairs.
Levels symbolising earth and heaven.
Samut Prakan, at Chang Erawan Skytrain station, south of Bangkok
Yes: it is close by Skytrain, and the giant elephant and colourful hall are among Bangkok's most photogenic sights. It pairs with the nearby Ancient City.