Thailand is a country that believes in superstition and pay great attention to gods and deities. There is firm belief that in every portion of land there is a resident deity, who must be appeased and proper rituals conducted. Thus a shrine built before construction proceeds. All of this must be done on auspicious days. For this reason, visitors may observe that small shrines are built in almost every piece of land where a building has been constructed.
The Erawan Hotel, constructed near the Ratchaprasong intersection, was riddled with bad luck. Building shipments arrived late, accidents occurred and many small mishaps and delays plagued the construction of the hotel. In desperation the construction contractor engaged the services of an astrologer who discovered that although the necessary rituals for the deity of the land were conducted, the foundation stone had not been laid on an auspicious date.
On his suggestion a shrine with the statue of Erawan, which is the Thai name for the Hindu god Brahma, was erected. This statue has four faces and was worshipped by many who passed by as it was believed that this god was able to ward off bad luck and evil spirits. The construction of the hotel continued peacefully following the building of this shrine.
In 2006 a Thai who was known to have a mental disorder vandalized the statue and shrine, beating on it with a hammer. Enraged bystanders thereafter were guilty of hammering this man, causing his death.
The statue was immediately reconstructed using a mixture of plaster, gold, bronze, precious metals and pieces of the old statue.
Today, passersby, including those in vehicles, do not hesitate to pay their respects to the Erawan shrine. If you intend to visit Bangkok and are on the lookout for accommodation Bangkok then you should consider the novel idea of staying at Sukhumvit Apartments. These private luxury apartment accommodation options give you the best of both worlds of home and hotel. The Somerset Sukhumvit Thonglor Bangkok is an ideal choice amongst the many available in the city. It is also conveniently located which allows you to have your pick of transportation methods to get around the city.
