Soi Wat Suan Plu

The Shangri-La Hotel has an interesting location on the banks of the Chaopraya where the river is at its busiest. The Shangri-La is located off Charoen Krung road, in the old commercial section of Bangkok and down Soi Wat Suan Plu. (Not to be confused with Soi Suan Plu, where the Immigration Department is located.)

The soi (Thai for "lane") itself is filled with tourist-oriented tailor and massage shops, and also Wat Suan Plu, a famous Buddhist temple ("Wat" means temple). An Australian friend of mine, Ian, lived at Wat Suan Plu for 5 years, learning both Thai language and meditation. Ian would complain that the most annoying thing about living at the Wat was the complete lack of privacy. On the temple grounds and monk's quarters, you were literally never alone. Ian said that one of the most delicate subjects at the Wat was incense. It is commonly known that Buddhists use incense for religious ceremonies. Apparently, however, when you are forced, by virtue of your occupation, to inhale the pungent fumes on a regular basis, you get sick of it. Anyone caught lighting incense unnecessarily at the Wat would be promptly called to task and become the target of an angry tongue-lashing.

Soi Wat Suan Plu is also the home of Thailand's oldest synagogue, located in a small hotel, farther up the soi from the Shangri-La. The synagogue is Sephardic, representing Jews from Middle Eastern and Mediterranean countries. In this case, most of the Jews are Persian Jews, who are involved in the jewelry trade in Bangkok. Their brand of Judaism seems older, more mystical and emotional. Wall hangings illustrate the mystical hand of the Kabala or Hebrew lettering in bold flowing ink strokes that recall ancient oriental traditions. You can feel the residual ambience of their communal prayer, like an underlying electrical current inspiring awe and reverence.