Wat Yannawa

Wat Yannawa is a historic Buddhist temple on Charoen Krung Road in Chong Nonsi, Sathon, Bangkok, near the Chao Phraya River. Originally Wat Kok Khwai from the Ayutthaya period, it was rebuilt during the reign of King Rama III. It is notable for its distinctive chedi built in the form of a Chinese junk, commemorating Thailand's historic maritime trade with China, and is classified as a third-class royal temple.

Visitors can expect a compact riverside temple compound with a distinctive Chinese junk-shaped chedi containing Buddha relics, traditional Thai ubosot and viharn halls with Buddha images, open courtyards, and historic architecture from the early Rattanakosin period. The grounds are active for worship and merit-making, with quiet areas for sightseeing and photography near Charoen Krung Road and the Chao Phraya River.

Originally known as Wat Kok Khwai and later Wat Kok Krabue during the Ayutthaya period, the temple was restored and significantly rebuilt during the reign of King Rama III (1824-1851). The king ordered the construction of a chedi in the form of a Chinese junk with two chedis replacing the masts, to preserve the memory of Chinese junks that had brought prosperity through trade and were being replaced by steamships.

Wat Yannawa is a third-class royal temple and an active Buddhist religious site for worship, merit-making and ceremonies. Its junk-shaped chedi symbolizes the historic Thai-Chinese trade and cultural exchange of the early Rattanakosin era and remains a distinctive landmark of Bangkok's riverside heritage.