Introduction

A typical Wat Thai (loosely translated as monastery or temple) has two enclosing walls that divide it from the secular world. The monks' or nun' quarters or dormitories are situated between the outer and inner walls. This area may also contain a bell tower or hor rakang. In larger temples, the inner wall may be lined with Buddha images and serve as cloisters or galleries for meditation. This part of the temple is called buddhavasa or phutthawat (for the Buddha).

Inside the inner walls is the bot or ubosoth (ordination hall), surrounded by eight stone tablets and set on consecrated ground. This is the most sacred part of the temple and only monks can enter it. The bot contains a Buddha image, but it is the viharn (assembly hall) that contains the principal Buddha images. Also, in the inner courtyard are the bell-shaped chedi(relic chambers), which contain the relics of pious or distinguished people. Salas (rest pavilions) can be found all around the temple; the largest of these area is the sala kan parian (study hall), used for saying afternoon prayers.

In Thai temples, the compound is a space for many activities.
In some monasteries there are many dogs, monkeys or bats. Monks feed animals because those ones are supposed to be persons that misbehaved in their previous life.
Many Thai temples do contain lakes or ponds with cat fishes. Nobody dare to fish them. Feeding them is really impressive because they all converge towards the food. Fedding them brings also merit for next life. In some big temples, there is often a Chinese shrine. Sometimes there is a pond where turtles are living. Feeding them brings also merit for next life (THAM BUN).

Temples are an open space for life. Children often plays in temple compounds.
In big temples there are some restaurants, food sellers and so on... In other there are some clairvoyant people that read the palm of the hand. Even in some monasteries there is a traditional massage school. A famous one is located in (WAT PHO) in Bangkok.
Sometimes in temples close to rivers some small stalls sell fish, birds. Freeing them is a good action.
Article Source:http://en.wikipedia.org
http://www.thaiworldview.com