Tag Archives: Bangkok Temple

       King Rama I built the Giant Swing in front of the Devasathan shrine in 1784. The swing ceremony was discontinued during Rama II’s reign because the swing had been structurally damaged by thunderbolts. It was renovated and relocated to its current location in 1920 to make way for a gas plant. The ceremony was repeated until 1935, when it was canceled due to several fatal accidents.

      The last renovations were completed in 1959, and the wooden pillars were showing signs of serious damage after 45 years of exposure to the elements. In April 2005, major reconstruction began. Six teak tree trunks were used in this project. The two used for the swing’s main structure are over 3.5 m in circumference and over 30 m in height. The remaining four are 2.30 m in circumference and 20 m in height and are used for support. [1] The swing was removed in late October 2006, and the work was completed in December of the same year. The rebuilt swing was devoted in September 2007 during royal ceremonies presided over by King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The original swing’s timbers are housed in the Bangkok National Museum.  The Giant Swing, along with Wat Suthat, was proposed as a future UNESCO World Heritage site in 2005.

       There have two a Gian swing in Thailand, one is at Isuan Hall Nakhonsritammarat province and another at Toward of Wat Suthat Bangkok however The one at Bangkok has more famous than the other. A Gian swing has Thai name “Sao Chingcha”. It is a religious structure in Bangkok and the primary duty is Swinging Ceremony which is main purpose activity is to welcome the Shiva Deity. The merits of the activity are offered to the King. There has a historical record that Some men would swing well over 20 meters in the air. After several fatal accidents, the swing ceremony was canceled in the 1930s.