Sala Rai

Sala Rai or satellite pavilions. Along the main chapel yard both inside and outside (separated by the monastery wall) stand many rectangle platformed pavilions. At first, there was no veranda and was just and open hall (the open area for model hill). The present ytpe of building was laster reconstructed in the reign of King Rama III by extending a varanda around with two steps in three sides (front and both walls).
Double Pavilions in front of Phra Maha Chedi stand between Phra Maha Chedi and the Chapel.
North Pavilion is the library of the Thai traditional massage inscriptions. There are 32 drawings of massage positions posted on the ceiling of the veranda. At the backside, there are inscriptions of Supasit Phraruang (The first Thai proverbs), Kritsana Sorn Nong (Thai literature) and portrait of the Royal Kathin Procession.
South Pavilion (Mae Chua Kumaravej), Boran Pavilion, is the collection of inscriptions about the angle who protects babies. It described the illness in babies and how to cure. In the back of this pavilion, there are incriptions of Ramayana, the episode of Pali Sorn Nong and the painting of the Royal Kathin Procession.
Pavilions around the monastery, there are sixteen of them. The ceilings of the verandas and the main building are decorated with mural paintings from Akenibart Jataka (550 lives of the Lord Buddha). This Jakata is separated into episodes and each pavilion contains 36 different episodes. 'Sala Totsachart' stands in the south of Sala Karn Parien (Teaching-learning hall). Each pavilion is also decorated with carved-wood depicting scenes from a literature named Phra Apai Mani and about the general local way of life. The statues of contorted hermit are still in the opening wall as it used to be. The double pavilions for massage in front of the monastery and at Wat Phra Chetuphon School show the model of gardening with rocks. In the small opening wall in front and at the back of each pavilion, there 32 statues of foreigners of which only 2 were left : Okinawa (Japanese) and Chinese. The mural paintings are not only presented along the pavilions but also on the outer side of the windows of Viharas such as dressing styles of 12 foreigners and Lan Tan (Chinese Warrior). Many noblemen such as French, Spanish, English and Japanese (Liew Kiew Warrior) are amonng the 12 foreigner statues.
Two East Pavilions (near Sanam Chai road) are now classrooms for practising Thai traditional massage and herbal massage.

Information
: Tourism Authority of Thailand, 4 Ratchadamnoen Nok Avenue, Bangkok 10100, THAILAND.
Tel. : (66 2) 281-0422 (20 Lines), E-mail : tat@cs.ait.ac.th
: Tourist Service Center (TAT and Tourist Police), Tel. 1155