Bazaar hotel Bangkok slapped with 1.3 million baht fine for unlawful construction

Following the removal of the statues of Kru Kai Kaew and other deities, including Khun Paen, Umathumma, Brahma, nine-tailed fox, Thep Heng Chia, Thep Naja, and Thep Chaothaising, from the premises of The Bazaar Hotel Bangkok yesterday, a hefty fine of over 1.3 million baht (US$ 37,325) was levied on the company for unlawful construction activity in the area. Despite the widespread displacement, a single deity remained undisturbed – the sculpture of Shiva Nataraja.

The Facebook page Propholic revealed images of the now vacant hotel entrance, following the removal of the various deity statues. All that remained was an empty altar and the lone statue of Shiva Nataraja. This sparked curiosity among social media users, who began to question the history and significance of this particular statue.

Regarded as the supreme teacher of dance or Natya Shastra in…