Temple of the Emerald Buddha hosted O Oe Viharn Rai from 25 October

The Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Sri Rattanasadaram) in Bangkok hosted O Oe Viharn Rai chanting from 25 to 27 October 2026 during Thailand's Buddhist Lent festival. The programme brought students from 36 schools to the royal chapel within the Grand Palace complex.

O Oe Viharn Rai took place from 25 to 27 October

The Department of Religious Affairs organised the three-day programme, which involved 12 schools each day. Performances were arranged in 12 pavilions around the main assembly hall, linking a living school tradition with one of Bangkok's most important religious sites.

The published programme divided each day into a morning session and an afternoon session. The participating schools were selected through a national competition, and the programme report lists different groups for 25, 26 and 27 October. The event had therefore finished by 31 October 2026, but its dates place it firmly within the current reporting period.

The programme for O Oe Viharn Rai describes the chanting as part of the Buddhist calendar and as a way to pass traditional knowledge to younger generations. It does not announce a closure or a separate entrance arrangement for ordinary visitors.

The chanting programme used the chapel's pavilions

The Temple of the Emerald Buddha stands in the Outer Court of the Grand Palace in Bangkok. The official palace history says the complex was established in 1782, when Rama I moved the capital to the eastern bank of the Chao Phraya River and ordered a new palace to be built.

The royal chapel was created to house the Emerald Buddha and has no living quarters for monks. Its cloister encloses the temple buildings, while 12 pavilions with marble bases stand north and south of the main assembly hall. That architectural layout explains the close physical connection between the 2026 chanting programme and the place itself.

The temple is part of the Grand Palace, whose grounds cover 218,000 square metres according to the official palace history. The complex remains a setting for royal and religious ceremonies, while the chapel preserves the Emerald Buddha as its central image.

Visiting Temple of the Emerald Buddha: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• O Oe Viharn Rai was held at the Temple of the Emerald Buddha from 25 to 27 October 2026, with the programme arranged around the main assembly hall.
• The event was a Buddhist cultural programme, not a published closure notice. The report places the chanting in 12 surrounding pavilions and gives no changed visitor entrance for the event.
• The Grand Palace and the temple are on Na Phra Lan Road in the Phranakorn area of Bangkok, on the historic Rattanakosin side of the Chao Phraya River.
• The site is a working royal chapel with enclosed courtyards and pavilions, so visitors encounter a religious complex rather than a single freestanding monument.
• Thai is the official language and the national currency is the baht.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

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Frequently asked questions about Temple of the Emerald Buddha

When did O Oe Viharn Rai take place at the Temple of the Emerald Buddha?

The programme ran from 25 to 27 October 2026 at the royal chapel in the Grand Palace complex.

What is the Temple of the Emerald Buddha?

It is the royal chapel established by Rama I in 1782 to house the Emerald Buddha. The chapel has no living quarters for monks.

Where is the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and how do you get there?

The temple is on Na Phra Lan Road in Bangkok's Phranakorn area, within the Grand Palace complex.