Sommot Amon Mak Bridge ( th, สะพานสมมตอมรมารค, , ) is a historic bridge over the ''

khlong A ''khlong'' ( th, คลอง, ), alternatively spelt as ''klong'' () commonly refers to a canal in Thailand. These canals are spawned by the rivers Chao Phraya, Tha Chin, and Mae Klong, along with their tributaries particularly in the low-ly ...

'' (canal) in

Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estima ...

. It's located on Bamrung Mueang road between Phra Nakhon district's Samran Rat sub-district and

Pom Prap Sattru Phai Pom Prap Sattru Phai ( th, ป้อมปราบศัตรูพ่าย, , or popularly just called Pom Prap, ) is one of the 50 districts (khet) of Bangkok, Thailand. Neighbouring districts are (from north clockwise) Dusit, Pathum Wan, ...

district's

Ban Bat Ban Bat ( th, บ้านบาตร, , ; also spelled Banbatt) is one of the five sub-districts ('' khwaeng'') in the Pom Prap Sattru Phai District of Bangkok of Thailand. It has an area of . Some parts of the northern area are on the Khlong ...

sub-district. The bridge that can be considered as another ''Saphan Lek'' (สะพานเหล็ก; lit: iron bridge) of Bangkok alike Damrong Sathit and Phitthaya Sathian bridges. Since it was originally a steel structure and could be removed for boat pass through. So it was named ''"Saphan Lek Pratu Phi"'', because the area it's located is called "

Pratu Phi Samran Rat ( th, สำราญราษฎร์, ), popularly known as Pratu Phi (, ), is a historic neighbourhood and road junction in Bangkok. The neighbourhood roughly occupies the area of its namesake subdistrict in Phra Nakhon district. ...

" (ประตูผี; ghost gate). This area in the early Rattanakosin period there's gate for transport dead bodies from the inner city or within

Grand Palace The Grand Palace ( th, พระบรมมหาราชวัง, Royal Institute of Thailand. (2011). ''How to read and how to write.'' (20th Edition). Bangkok: Royal Institute of Thailand. .) is a complex of buildings at the heart of Ban ...

. Because this area is located in the west, it's believed that the direction of the dead. Later, in the reign of King

Chulalongkorn Chulalongkorn ( th, จุฬาลงกรณ์, 20 September 1853 – 23 October 1910) was the fifth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri, titled Rama V. He was known to the Siamese of his time as ''Phra Phuttha Chao Luang'' (พร� ...

(Rama V). The bridge has deteriorated, he ordered the Department of Public Works to restore the bridge as a concrete bridge in today, includes was officially named "Sommot Amon Mak" (literally translates as ''"way of who assume as immortal"'', that refers to ''"way of deity"'', meaning ''"way of divine king"'') in honour of Prince Sawasdiprawat. 250px, left, Cement crematorium near Wat Saket in the past (circa 1900), the small spots on the crematorium's top are vultures waiting to eat the corpses The striking feature is that the banisters are

Ionic architecture The Ionic order is one of the three canonic classical order, orders of classical architecture, the other two being the Doric order, Doric and the Corinthian order, Corinthian. There are two lesser orders: the Tuscan order, Tuscan (a plainer Doric ...

. It has been registered as one of the

ancient monument In British law, an ancient monument is an early historical structure or monument (e.g. an archaeological site) worthy of preservation and study due to archaeological or heritage interest. The '' Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 197 ...

s of Bangkok. At the end of the bridge in

side is an intersection called "Men Pun Intersection", that refers to ''"cement crematorium intersection"''. It's an area close to

Wat Saket Wat Saket Ratcha Wora Maha Wihan ( th, วัดสระเกศราชวรมหาวิหาร, usually shortened to Wat Saket is a Buddhist temple (''wat'') in Pom Prap Sattru Phai district, Bangkok, Thailand. The temple dates ba ...

. During the reigns of King

Phutthaloetla Naphalai Phra Phutthaloetla Naphalai ( th, พระพุทธเลิศหล้านภาลัย, 24 February 1767 – 21 July 1824), personal name Chim ( th, ฉิม), also styled as Rama II, was the second monarch of Siam under the Chakri ...

(Rama II) and King

Nangklao Nangklao ( th, พระบาทสมเด็จพระนั่งเกล้าเจ้าอยู่หัว, ; 31 March 1788 – 2 April 1851), birth name Thap ( th, ทับ), also styled Rama III, was the third king of Siam u ...

(Rama III), there was severe epidemics of cholera in Bangkok. There're a lot of dead people and can't be cremated immediately. Many bodies have been left along the road or the temple grounds, so that the vultures are eaten, it's an abomination to those who have seen. The temple that was cremated during that time was Wat Sa Ket, including crematorium made of cement nearby. Presently, the cement crematorium has been demolished but its name still stands today and becomes the official intersection.

References

{{Reflist Phra Nakhon district Pom Prap Sattru Phai district category:Bridges in Bangkok category:History of Bangkok category:Registered ancient monuments in Bangkok