The Manangasila Seat

The Manangasila Seat of stone was made by command of King Ram Khamhaeng the Great, The third king of the Sukhothai Dynasty,In 1292 A.D. During religious days Buddhist monks were invited to preach to people on this seat and on ordinary days the king himself would sit on it and teach his officials as well as his subjects. It was discovered by King Mongkut (Rama IV) in 1833 during his priesthood when he went up to the towns of Phitsanulok and Sukhothai. Stone inscriptions were also discovered at Noen Prasat at the old town of Sukhothai. He had them brought to Wat Rachathiwat which was his abode in Bangkok during that period. The Manangasila seat was set up under a large tamarind tree near the Ubosoth (ordination hall). After he had become King in 1851, the seat was moved to the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and established in front of Wiharn Phra Gandhara at the southeastern corner of the temple.

In the reign of King Vajiravudh (Rama VI), for his coronation in 1911, the king had the seat moved to the Dusit Maha Prasat Hall in the Grand Palace and used as his ceremonial throne.King Prajadhipok (Rama VII), however moved the seat to the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall and after the revolution in 1932 had it moved back to the Temple of the Emerald Buddha where it was ensconced inside the Wiharn Yod in the precinct of the temple.

In 1983 after the bicentennial celebration of Bangkok, H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn ordered the seat to be transferred to the Temple of the Emerald Buddha Museum in the Grand Palace so that this important seat can be admired and revered by the Thai public as one of the greatest treasures of the nation.