A slight north of the Grand Palace complex, between the fine arts Silpakorn University and the University of Law and sciences, Thammasat, lays the ancient temple of Wat Mahathat. Founded in the 18th century, the temple pre-dates the beginning of Bangkok, but was noticeably changed after one of its monks; the young Prince Mongkut later became King Rama IV of Thailand.


Wat Mahathat is the most vital centre for the study of Buddhism and meditation. It is the headquarters of Thailand's largest monastic order and the residence of Vipassana Meditation. The temple was initially built to house a relic of the Buddha and one of the oldest temples in Bangkok. Inside the temple, fortune is also told. Although most programmes are in Thai, there are some in English and the temple has become a popular place to learn the Vipassana meditation method.


Just next to the temple, every Sunday is the Bangkok's largest amulet market, where religious amulets, charms, talismans, and traditional medicine are spread on the ground to be inspected by buyers looking for one that will bring good luck or ward off evil. Different amulets are used for specific purposes, to bring money, restore health, and deal with unrequited love or to keep enemies away.


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