As you travel into the Samut Prakan Province from the outskirts of Bangkok you will stumble across one of the worlds hidden treasures. Standing almost 50 mtrs tall is the Erawan Monument housing the Erawan Museum.
The Erawan Museum was built by a highly successful, if slightly eccentric,
businessman who ordered the construction of a monumental building sculpted
in the shape of the three-headed elephant Airavata ridden by the Hindu god
Indra. The businessman was Lek Viriyapant, who was also responsible for conceiving
the Ancient City and Sanctuary of Truth.
Within the "belly" of the elephant is this celestial alter.
In Thai, Airavata is known as Erawan, hence the building is commonly known
as the Erawan Museum. It houses the late Khun Lek's priceless collection of
ancient religious objects. The huge bronze sculpture stands on a base pedestal
decorated with millions of tiny tiles enameled in the fashion of Thai Benjarong
ceramics. Tours of the museum start in the lower level of the pedestal, which
houses the oldest artifacts.
The
upper level of the pedestal is dominated by an elaborate double staircase,
also decorated in bits of Benjarong. Around the periphery are more ancient
Buddha statues along with other antiquities.