A yak with fangs guards the Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew) within the grounds of the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand. In Thailand, a yak is a giant demon (ogre, colossus, monster, or titan) from the Ramakian (the Thai version of the Hindu Ramayana epic mythology). (In India, a yaksha male can sometimes be a fearsome warrior; a yakshi/yashini female is usually a benevolent nature spirit.) The Grand Palace (or Phra Borom Maha Ratcha Wang, in Thai) was built on the east bank of the Chao Phraya River starting in 1782, during the reign of Rama I. It served as the official residence of the king of Thailand from the 1700s to mid 1900s.