Santa Cruz Church

The Portuguese have allied with Thailand since 1516 when they began supplying the country with arms and ammunitions to help ward off the Burmese aggression at the time.

After the destruction of Ayutthaya in 1767, and with it the Catholic church there, King Taksin granted permission for them to build another one in the new capital Thonburi, a gift in recognition of their vital services. The church and the surrounding area are a good starting point for discovering the traces of Portugal in the Thai capital.