The three aligned chedis of Wat Phra Si Sanphet stand within what was once the Royal Palace grounds, the spiritual and political heart of the old Siamese capital. Each tower held the cremated remains of Ayutthayan kings, making this a sacred royal mausoleum as much as a temple complex.

Come in the late afternoon when the setting sun turns the ancient brickwork golden. The light on the chedis at this hour is among the most beautiful in all of Thailand, and the site is considerably more photogenic than the images on most tourist brochures suggest.