The Snapshots in Time Collection
Canal-Side Buddhist Temple Pavilion (Sala), Bangkok, Thailand, c. 1949 (Wainwright Photo Album)
This vibrant 1949 color photograph depicts a traditional Thai sala, or open pavilion, on the bank of a Bangkok klong, its tiered red-and-green roof and upturned finials characteristic of Thai temple and school architecture. Preserved within a photo album attributed to General Jonathan M. Wainwright -- the American commander who defended Bataan and Corregidor in 1942 and endured Japanese captivity until 1945 -- this image reflects the general's postwar travels through Southeast Asia, offering a rare civilian, cultural glimpse amid an album otherwise tied to one of WWII's most storied military figures. Project: 218339