Bangkok - Erawan Museum at Samut Prakan Province

Date of Exploration : 8 August 2014

It is not unusual for people to pick their eyeballs up from the floor after visiting Erawan Museum.  The Bangkokian attraction has many eye-popping features that stretches not only the imagination, but one's ability to hold on to the jaw as well. Lest there be one more thing to pick off the ground.

An incredible manifestation of one man's ambition to preserve fragments of Thailand's cultural footprints and religious heritage, the museum is many things all at once - an unofficial shrine of Airavata, a depository for precious Buddhist artefacts, a celebration of religious plurality, a showroom of Thai ceramics and a dizzying canvas of artistic interior decorative styles. In my opinion, calling it a "museum" is a somewhat inadequate description of the sensory buffet that this lesser known attraction in Bangkok presents.

Almost a decade (1994 - 2003) in construction, Erawan Museum is an architectural feat conceived by Thai business tycoon Lek Viriyaphant (also referred to as Khun Lek) who found his wealth importing luxury cars before succeeding in the banking sector. Erawan Museum was constructed to house his vast collection of Thai antiques (consisting mostly of benjarong, the Thai version of multi-coloured porcelain wares) and religious artefacts from various time periods in the Kingdom.

Erawan Museum is one of 3 historical theme parks realised by Khun Lek to serve as walk-in cultural textbooks for Thais and visitors alike. The other 2 parks are the sprawling Muang Boran (Ancient City) which consists of a massive collection of scaled-down architectural gems found throughout Thailand and the Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya.

I visited Muang Boran a couple of years back and it is not too far from Erawan Museum so you may want to consider visiting both Bangkokian attractions as a day-trip.

Located within the Samut Prakan Province (home to Suvarnabhumi Airport), Erawan Museum is not to be mistaken with the popular Erawan Shrine near Grand Hyatt in downtown Bangkok. The park grounds are well-maintained with clean facilities and F&B options are available.

I decided fill up on lunch before starting my exploration with a soup of chicken, galanga root and coconut milk (80bht) and stir-fried greens with prawns (60bht). Stayed hydrated in the hot weather with a fresh coconut (40bht).

The entrance fee of 400bht (adult) includes rental of an audio guide that comes in 3 languages (Thai, English and Chinese). A refundable deposit of 1,000bht is required. The audio guide introduces the Erawan Museum through 14 narrative clips that covers an introduction to the conceptualisation and construction of the museum to the philosophy and stories behind each level of the museum.

Surrounding the museum is the enchanting Mythical Garden with a collection of celestial figurines and creatures. So don't miss checking out the garden after visiting the museum.

Sculpture of a dancing aspara at the Mythical Garden.

An imposing figure that no vehicles passing the Bang Phli-Suk Sawat expressway will miss is the iconic 3-headed elephant of Erawan Museum. The total height of the building and elephant measures 43.6m, or roughly 14 storeys high.

In front of where the middle elephant head is facing is a stairway leading to a vantage point for an unobstructed photo of the entire building. As the stairway is rather obscured against the wall running the perimeter of the park, remember to keep a look out and you can take a shot like this photo.

The best time to take a photo of the building is around 3pm as that's when the sun lights up the faces of the elephant. I arrived at around 12pm and took a shot but the sunlight was directly above the elephant, casting a shadow that made the facial features indiscernible.

The elephant stands at a height of 29m with the length of its body measuring 39m. This massive beast weighs 250 tons and is the largest copper statue in Thailand and quite possibly the world.

Erawan Museum consists of 3 sections, each representing a realm of existence according to Buddhism. Visiting the museum follows a specific sequence starting from the lower realm (underworld) to the middle section (the human realm) and finally to the top level (celestial realm).

Lower Realm (Underworld)

An allusion to the underworld or hell, the lower realm actually houses Khun Lek's massive personal collection of cultural artefacts which are dominated by Thai ceramics (benjarong) and pottery. This section of the museum also provides an insight into the life and times of its founder so it is a good place to start appreciating the history of Erawan Museum. This is the most 'museum' part of the whole experience.

It is very tempting to head straight for the middle section but pass through this door to the left of the shrine and the story of Erawan Museum is unfolded. The first narrative clip on the audio guide starts here.

Head bust of a religious figure. Photography is not allowed in the lower realm so I only sniped 2 shots without flash for memory. The ban on photography stems from the fear that flash photography may bleach the ceramics of their colours. I shot without flash.

A line up of Yaksha and Yakshi (male and female guardian spirits) faces composed by porcelain shards and clay.

Middle Realm (Human)

Emerging from the lower realm, I 'moved up' to the middle realm on the ground level where a stunning jigsaw of decorative styles with handiwork so intricate beckoned. This main section of Erawan Museum pays tribute to the sacred intentions of religions to create a better world and serves to remind that religious harmony is the pillar of peace amongst nations.

The pink walls used in its build is made from pounded lime stained with the colour of chewed betel nuts. The builders must have very chiselled  jawlines and sore gums!

One of the doorways leading to the artistry within. No shoes allowed in this section and visitors are required to dress modestly (no singlets, shorts and revealing clothes).

To take this shot with my mobile phone, I was practically lying on my back to fit as much elements in as possible!

J.A.W.D.R.O.P.P.I.N.G.

Selfie to record myself in this gorgeous interior.

There are 4 structural pillars covered with metal embossing that depicted scenes from Hinduism, Buddhism (Theravada and Mahayana) and Christianity. This is the Christian pillar showing a scene of baptism. Harmony amongst religions in guiding the human existence is the theme here. I think more than the visual beauty of the decorative styles, the touching beauty is the message of diversity and acceptance.

Erawan Museum is really photogenic. Love it!

A closer look reveals what the colourful skin of the interior is made of... spoons, bowls, dishes and porcelain bits!

A pavilion altar of sorts houses a statue of Guanyin. The deity is the central figure here because of his compassionate link to humanity.

Close-ups of the patterns and design. The Chinese deity with his hands up in peace signs had me keeling over with laughter. See if you can spot him amongst the cacophony of decorations.

The belly of Erawan Museum's main hall is filled by 2 snaking staircases... one white, representing the silver way to nirvana, and one pink (representing the golden way).

They are known as The Ladder to Heaven. Glad to know there's more than one way to get to eternal paradise!

View of the interior from the top of the stairs.

A Baroque-ish lion head (singha) with a lotus tongue is found in the middle at the top of the stairs. At this height, you can have a closer examination of the dazzling stained glass ceiling designed in Germany.

Upper Realm (Paradise)

The journey continues upwards to the third section of Erawan Museum that tops off as the celestial dimension (representing the cosmos / enlightenment / paradise). There are 2 ways to get up - by a spiral staircase or the lift.

Taking the stairs is a scenic option as a swirl of asparas accompany the ascend. Its not a very long time and works to build up the anticipation of what's at the end of the spiral tunnel.

If the climb up the stairs didn't make you pant, the painted asparas might.

Mid-way through the climb is a small room where you can look out a window for a view of the surrounding. But if you carry on climbing, you will reach...

... nirvana! Or closer to it.

The upper realm is housed within the belly of the elephant sculpture and has a line up of ancient Buddha statues from different periods leading to a central altar with an imprint of Buddha's foot in front of it. Photography of the ancient statues along the perimeter is not allowed.

Honestly, the celestial realm caught me by surprise. I expected it to be a traditional Thai shrine filled with countless gold figurines of Buddhas and monks while coloured tiles and cut mirrors provided the decoration like most Thai wats. I wasn't prepared for this meeting of abstract art and religious relics.

The ceiling features a artistic interpretation of the cosmos with a band of comets, planets, milky way, the sun, moon and zodiac constellations. That forms a backdrop that the Buddha statues, hundreds of years old contrasted from. I thought the unlikely combination was bold and refreshing. It felt more like an art installation but devotees do come here to pray and even meditate like it is a functioning shrine so keep a code of silence and be respectful when visiting.

Having had my senses elevated through 3 different realms with their distinct decorative styles and purposes, I felt an appreciation of Erawan Museum that went beyond just the visual, but spiritual even though I am Christian. When it comes to off-the-beaten-track tourist gems in Bangkok, Erawan Museum has got to be the mothership!

Address : 99/9 Moo 1, Bangmuangmai, Samut Prakarn, Thailand 10270

Contacts : 0-2308-0305 (phone) info@ancientsiam.com (email)

Website : http://www.ancientcitygroup.net/erawan/en/home

Getting There : Take the BTS to Bearing Station and take a taxi there for under 100bht (15 minutes).

I took a taxi directly from Silom Road to Erawan Museum and it took me about 40 minutes (without traffic jam) and cost 237bht. Including 3 toll charges of 50bht, 20bht and 30bht, my total fare was 337bht.

However, on the return trip, my taxi fare was only 133bht. As the museum is quite out of the way, few cabs wait at its entrance for passengers. You can ask the security guard to point you in the direction of a main road (which is a short walk opposite the museum's entrance) where the chances of getting a taxi is higher.

Bangkok - Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA)

Date of Exploration : 22 Feb 2014

Seeking to detox myself of the usual sights in Bangkok, I decided to pay a visit to the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) and discovered that creativity is not the only thing that runs deep in this time capsule of Thailand's artistic evolution. The other thing that MOCA is steeped in is... pheromones. And lots of it.

There is no lack of information online that will give you the 101 about MOCA and what a delight it is to visit so I will not delve into too much details about its origin and purpose. Instead, I'll set out to confirm my suspicion that underneath all that aesthetic flair, the museum is actually a glass closet homage to sexuality! If Singapore had something like MOCA, maybe then our birth rate has hope of resuscitation. LOL.

The Louvre has its 'Winged Victory of Samothrace' and MOCA has the 'Great Hornbill Lady' as one of its defining artworks. Found at the museum's entrance, this huge sculpture represents the everlasting nature and instinct of love.

This post is going to be heavy on photos so I shall keep my ramblings short to let the pictures speak their thousand words. Many of the photos will be of artworks and although I placed my blog address on them, I don't claim copyright of the works other than having photographed them. I love museums and galleries where I can take photos of their collections!

Okay, copyright disclaimer stated, let's explore this latest visual aphrodisiac in Bangkok...

An Outdoor Gallery of Graffiti

I'm not sure if they were commissioned by MOCA, but there's an impressive line up of graffiti art on bridge pillars near the museum. There were countless of them along a stretch of about 2 kilometres of concrete bones and they form an unofficial welcome party to MOCA.

MOCA sits next to a train track with construction ongoing for an expressway at the point of my visit. I wonder what fun led the Minion to squirt. Hahaha...

My favourite art-ffiti (graffiti that is art) is this ingenious blending of the painted mural with the real world. I didn't realise it initially but after a shot, I realised that the artist was trying to assimilate the branches of a nearby tree into his painting. Let's hope the tree grows slowly and doesn't get removed!

Spray-painted doodles are found on every pillar like tattoos on a limb. Some pillars are even 'tattooed' on all 4 sides.

What's amazing about the free-form graffitis here is the variety of artistic styles.

I think it is fun to drop by this gallery of graffiti across MOCA as a supplement to visiting the museum. But look out for traffic while crossing the road and watch for the occasional passing train too!

Giftbox on the Horizon

Rising seemingly out of nowhere, the windowless Museum of Contemporary Art Bangkok building resembles a giant understated giftbox; the kind of minimalist boxes that looks expensive because they have very little going on.

Opened on 23 Mar 2012, the museum is the result of one man's vision to provide a solid platform on which Thailand's contemporary arts can proliferate and reach new corners of creative expressions. I was floored when I found out that MOCA and its entire collection belonged to one man... Mr Boonchai Bencharongkul. A business mogul who founded one of Thailand's biggest telco, DTAC, Mr Boonchai is a passionate patron of the arts who amassed his collection over many years. Not sure about the value of the entire collection at MOCA but the man's net worth is estimated at over US$1.4 billion as of 2013.

I want to call him godfather!

Entrance of MOCA. No bottled water is allowed inside the museum so you'll have to either drink up or leave it at the ticketing counter. A drink coupon is issued with ticket purchase (180bht per adult) and you can exchange it for a bottle of drinking water at a cafe inside.

A sculpture catches the eye at the entrance. Don't you think it resembles a lotus bud made up of breasts and nipples?

From another angle, the motive on the building looks like... erm... a guy with his legs spread out and his schlong pointing to nipple lotus!

The MOCA Collection

Mr Boonchai's collection of paintings, sculptures and some artistic installations are distributed across five levels within MOCA with all the country's National Artist recipients have a spot here. Some of the bigger pieces have been specially commissioned to take up feature spaces and the museum has every artistic genre represented... from traditionalists to surrealists, from folk art to mixed medium experiments, from religious to the controversial, from scenes of everyday life to screams of wild imagination!

Most of the artworks are anything but boring and many are provocative, thought-provoking and even funny. Oh, and of course, lots of nudes.

Level 1 of MOCA's minimalist interior acts as a canvas for shadow 'wallpapering'. A cafe is found at a corner and there's also a gift shop.

A life-size Madame Tussauds-esque figure of Salvador Dali wearing a traditional Thai head dress by Watchara Prayoonkum sets the tone of the museum's collection. Expect the unexpected it says.

The father of impressionism finding inspiration within himself?

From afar, I thought the sculpture depicted a farm accident. Then I got closer and oh my, the stallions were having a Brokeback Mountain thing going.

Titled 'Adum & Steve' by Roengsak Boonyawanickul, I wonder if the misspelling of 'Adam' is intentional because 'U' resembles the tongue in a tribute to all that lapping action. LOL.

Of late, I've grown fond of photographing sculptures to form a personal interpretation of a piece through the captured angle. This black mannequin holding a Hitler puppet speaks of our actions being manipulated by an inner demon.

Behind blackie is a solemn white mannequin that suggests evil happens when we turn away from our conscience.

Eerie puppets of political figures including Gandhi (bottom left) and what I thought is Abraham Lincoln but turns out to be Saddam Hussein (right).

'Toy in 2008' by Suradej Wattanapraditchai. Interesting mix of media where the 2 boys in the foreground are actually painted on 3D wood planks with strings for hair.

Here's how to act virgin with Nonthivathn Chandhanaphalin's work simply titled 'Nude'.

Make love not war... Kissing 'Sumo' sculpture by Riharn Opas.

Level 2 is one of my favourite because of the totally disturbing and bizarre sculpture series found here...

... that looks like Dr Moreau's experiments ran amok!

Someone left a comment on my Instagram (@darrenn9) that the man's face belongs to that of Jumlong Srimuang.

Petting is allowed.

This installation titled 'Responsibilities' is being irresponsible with malfunctioning screens. I think the blackened screens are supposed to show something that adds to the full appreciation of this work's message.

'Knot' by Uttaporn Nimmalaikaew is an ethereal piece where a mesh of wires support layers of translucent canvas that form a sitting girl. Subtly captivating.

In an environment-built section of MOCA, Thai classical literature "Khun Chang - Khun Paen" where two men fought over the beautiful Pimpilalia was interpreted by two artists of different generations - Hem Vejkorn and Sukee Som-ngoen.

Cute sculptures and figurines of dogs are plenty so I was totally amused by this tongue-in-cheek depiction of a pooch pooing! The dog's expression is just hilarious!

A spaceship the gods arrive in?

Ganesha all bronzed up.

Left : Carnal meditation. Right : 'The Blessing of Lord Buddha' by Chalermchai Kositpipat.

'Nursing' by Vichai Noonpun.

'Chao Praya River 2' by Sompop Budtarad.

'Churning of the Milk Ocean' by Prateep Khotchabua.

The Hereafter's colossal artwork of The Three Kingdoms - The Human Realm, The Celestial Realm (Heaven), and The Unfortunate Realm (Hell).

Gallery of Thawan Duchanee, National Artist (Level 4).

Buddha on steroids.

Free your rainbow beast with Stud Krishna? Check out those pecs!

(Left) Mesmerising piece that drew me in so much that I forgot to register the work's title and artist. (Right) 'Time' by Chairat Saengthong.

(Left) 'MK82 GP Bomb' by Vasan Sitthiket. (Right) 'Madonna with 6 Bebies' by Singaporean artist Olga Polunin (yup, it was spelt 'Bebies' on the label).

'Mirror No. 5' by Amarin Buppasiri.

'Songkran' by Lumpu Kansanoh... accurate right down to the sleazy looking farang.

'Their Family & Your Family' by Sirote Thongchompoo. Hmm... Thong chomp poo.

Life as interpreted by 3 different artist... (Left) 'Real Life' by Sirote Thongchompoo. (Top Right) 'The Differences of Living 1' by Sudjai Chaiyapan. (Bottom Right) 'The Steps of Life' by Kiettisak Chanonnart. Looks like Kiettisak left the heads in Sudjai.

'Heaven Garden' by Wuttikorn Kongka.

'Prostitutes Under the Tree' by Tawee Rajaneekorn.

'Two-Dimensional Village' by Sompong Adusarabhan is an allusion to "the Buddhist doctrine in which all created being must pass through the cycle of birth, growth, decay and death."

Zoom in of visual components in the village illustrating that beauty will fade and what remains in death is a mere skeleton.

'Stream of Life' by Sompong Adusarabhan.

'Journey to the Next World IV' by Prateep Khotchabua. Did MOCA get the inspiration for the titties sculpture at its entrance from this crab of bosoms?

'Out of Buddhist Lent' by Prateep Khotchabua. Fancy some sashimi served on a naked torso?

Miniature of 'Great Hornbill Lady' by Thongchai Srisukprasert. While its beautiful naked form inspires promiscuity, the work is actually a metaphor for monogamy. Hornbills mate with a single partner life, a diminishing practise in today's world of sexual liberation.

'Three Worlds' by Thongchai Srisukprasert.

Breasts, testicles, animal hinds, human torso, demon, god... the under view of the sculpture sure straddles more than 'Three Worlds'!

'Kama-Tanha' by Thongchai Srisukprasert.

'Enchantment' by Thongchai Srisukprasert.

'Orahan' by Thongchai Srisukprasert.

What 'Orahan' wants to fly towards...

... more winged creatures by Praphan Srisouta titled "The Brave Versus Mara".

After all the weird and crazy works, it's comforting to find a mental breather through more 'normal' paintings of landscape and the rural in Thailand.

There's also a gallery that features temporary exhibits next to where the cafe (Level 1) is so be sure to check it out after touring the other levels.

The oddest 'room' that seemed out of place at MOCA is this space-themed ambient chamber that would make a nice entrance for any science centre. But it was pretty mesmerising looking at the swirl of stars.

I'm no art connoisseur but after visiting MOCA, I felt like I've gone through a rebirth in art appreciation.

I budgeted 2 hours for MOCA but ended up spending 4.5 hours in this enchanting playground of creativity and imagination. I haven't been to that many art houses but MOCA sets a standard that would be really quite hard to top.

This is definitely one place worth checking out... if not for an induction into Thai contemporary art, then it's for looking at truth through the nakedness of the many pieces. After all, sex = the moment of truth so what better way than way to allude reality than nudity right?!

Getting to Museum of Contemporary Art, Bangkok

The museum is located 10 minutes by cab from Chatuchak Weekend Market.

Take the BTS to Mo Chit Station OR MRT to Chatuchak Park and catch a cab from there. The cab will drive along Vibhavadi Road, pass the museum and make a U-turn into Changwattana Road (a small road running along a train track) to reach MOCA's entrance.

Tip : It is useful to print the Thai name of the museum (found on MOCA's website) and show it to the driver.

Address: 3 Vibhavadi Rangsit, Chatuchak, Bangkok
Tel: +66 (0) 2953 1005
Website : http://www.mocabangkok.com

Opening Hours : Tuesday - Sunday, 10:00am - 6:00pm (closed on Monday)
Entrance Fee : 180bht (Adult), 80bht (Students)