Background
Wat Phra Si Rattana Satsadaram, commonly known as “Wat Phra Kaeo”, is a royal temple of national significance and a major tourist attraction of Thailand. The temple was consecrated in 1792 during the reign of King Rama I the Great to house the statue of the Emerald Buddha and to serve as a venue for the performance of the royal ceremony of making merit. The temple compound consists only of a Phutthawat area (the area dedicated to Buddha) so there are no living quarters for monks.