Erawan Shrine

San Phra Phrom The Erawan Shrine is a magnificent statue of Phra Phrom; the Thai representation of Lord Brahma, the Hindu God of creation. It was built as a part of The Erawan Hotel.
The shrine found its origin as a way to ward of evil and ill luck. The construction of the hotel faced many initial obstacles; cost overruns, laborers were injured and a shipment of Italian marble which was to be used for the hotel was displaced. This stupendous run of ill luck was attributed to the fact that the foundations of the building were laid at the wrong time and also the fact that the Ratchaprasong pass was used to display criminals. The opinion of a well known astrologer was sought and he suggested the shrine as a way to rectify the bad karma surrounding the hotel project.

The shrine was designed and built by the Department of Fine Arts. After the enshrinement the hotel construction proceeded without a problem. Later the hotel was pulled down and currently the Grand Hyatt Erawan hotel stands there.
In the recent past the shrine was vandalized by a man who was later believed to be insane. He took a hammer to the shrine and demolished all but the lap and base of the shrine. This man was beaten to death by the outraged bystanders.
Following this attack the shrine became embroiled in political controversy. Government critic Sondhi Limthongkul accused Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shivawatra of destroying the statue in a scheme to retain his power through black magic. This was dismissed out of hand by the vandal’s father and the Prime Minister as a ridiculous and insane suggestion. The Prime Minister went to pay his respects to the vandalized shrine.
Because of its fascinating origins this shrine attracts a lot of tourists and believers, who come here to pay their homage. The political intrigue surrounding the statue only adds to the mystique and curiosity surrounding it. There are numerous attractive shopping malls located nearby including the Gaysorn, the CentralWorld and the Amarin Plaza. So a trip to these delightful shopping centers can be combined with a visit to the shrine.
The shrine is located by the Grand Hyatt Erawan hotel, at the Ratchaprasong intersection of Ratchadamri Road and in Pathum Wan district. It can be reached by skytrain to Chitlom station. This station has a specifically built walkway which gives a fantastic view of the shrine