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Erawan Shrine, locally known as San Phra Phrom was initially envisaged as a “spirit house” during the construction of the government owned Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel. If the popular belief is to be given any credence, there were many hitches involved in the construction of the hotel when abiding by the advice of the spiritual advisor a four-faced idol of Brahma was installed at the place. Construction problems ceased and the good luck is said to have befell those who visited the temple. This is how the temple gained prominence and went on to become one of the major tourist attractions in Bangkok. Erawan Shrine enjoys a central location, at the point of intersection of Ratchadamri Road and Ratchaprasong Road in Pathum Wan district of Bangkok. There is a very curious custom associated with the Erawan Shrine, Bangkok. If a prayer of the worshipper is answered, he is required to hire the resident Thai dance troupes to perform within the temple compound. An unfortunate incident on March 2006, tainted the reputation of the temple when the Brahma idol within was vandalized by a man who was believed to be mentally challenged. The image was reduced to rubbles with only a portion of it remaining intact. A white cloth concealed the absence of the statue till the month of May when a new Brahma statue replaced the damaged one.
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