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Bang Pa In | Nakhon Luang | Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya | Bang Sai
Amphoe Bang Pa In
Chiang Khong
Bang Pa-in Summer Palace
A few miles down the Maenam Chao Phraya from Ayutthaya is the Bang Pa-In Summer Palace. The site was first used by the royal court as a summer retreat in the 17th century. However, the Palace was destroyed with the fall of Kingdom of Ayutthaya and was restored by King Rama IV in the mid-19th century. Most of the buildings that exist today date from the reign of King Rama V, who regularly spent his summers there. The structures represent a variety of architectural styles, set in a large park around ponds and waterways. The only royal residence open to the public is the Chinese-style Wehat Chamroon Palace, constructed entirely of materials imported from China. In addition, there is an Italian-style palace, a circular pavilion with steps leading down to a pool, the graceful Thai-style Aisawan Tippaya Asna Pavilion in the middle of a lake, and, across one of the waterways, a Buddhist chapel in the neo-Gothic style with stained-glass windows. Scattered around the extensive gardens are European statues as well as monuments ordered to be built by King Rama V in memory of members of his family, one of them a much-loved Queen who drowned in a boating accident.
…Places of interest in the Bang Pa-in Palace are as follows:-
Phra Thinang Utthayan Phumisathian
This is a 2-story elaborately constructed building, which is tinted alternately in dark and light green, located to the east, opposite the pond. Its balcony is similar in design to that of a Swiss chalet. Before being destroyed by fire during the restoration in 1938, the whole building was built from wood and decorated with mahogany furniture ordered directly from Europe.
Wat Niwet Thamaprawat
This temple, which was built Rama V (Chulalongkorn), looks more like a Gothic Christian church than a Thai temple. Visitors can access the temple by crossing the river in a small trolley-like cable car. The crossing is free of charge.
There are several nice boat trips departing from Bangkok to Bang Pa-In Palace, especially through cruise tours. The Palace is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily with an admission fee of 50 baht. Tel: 035 261004 or 035 2243273 for more details.
Gong Khong Market
A newly established market worth visiting. Showcasing Ayutthaya's old way of live, the market's name is derived from an action of visitors who need to bend down (Gong Khong) when looking or purchasing the products. A wide range of reasonably priced local products including fresh and chemical-free vegetables and fruits, as well as OTOP products, food and desserts are available.
Amphoe Nakhon Luang
Prasat Nakhon Luang
This ruin of the royal residence for summer retreats is on the east bank of Pasak River. It was used by various Kings of Ayutthaya as a temporary camp en route a visit to the Lord Buddha's Footprint in Saraburi or a trip to Lopburi. Prince Damrong surmised that this residence was built during the reign of King Song Tham when the Footprint was discovered. The original building was later strengthened with brick and plaster during the reign King Prasat Thong. According to the royal annals, King Prasat Thong sent artists to Khmer in 1631 to copy the plan of a Khmer prasat from the capital city of Angkor Thom, hence the name Phra Nakhon Luang. However, only a simplified version of the original prasat was constructed and is currently a part of a temple where the monks help to keep the building in a state of good.
Aranyik Village
The name "Aranyik" is traditionally related to the history of the Ayutthaya period, when wars were fought in hand-to-hand battles. Aranyik village emerged as a place where sword smiths specialized in battle swords worked. To this day, Aranyik Village remains at the forefront as the country's leading producer of hand made, high-quality knives and swords.
Now also noted for its five-star OTOP products, Aranyik has diversified its product range to suit modern-day markets and requirements. Cutlery, dinnerware and other table accessories are produced and exported. These represent another great tradition that thrives even in modern times.
Production is in the villages of Ban Ton Pho and Ban Pai Nong. However, the OTOP Village is located at Ban Sarai, Tha Chang Sub-District, Nakhon Luang District. It is here that visitors can take a closer look at how Aranyik knives and other related products and made while exploring the villagers' remarkably charming traditional way of life. Home stay accommodation is available.
Amphoe Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya
Ancient Forts and Fortresses
There are many forts along the city wall and fortresses around the outer circle. Most of them are situated at waterway intersections.
Ayutthaya Historical Park
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ayutthaya's historic temples are scattered throughout this once magnificent city and along the encircling rivers. Several of the more central ruins Wat Phra Si Sanphet, Wat Mongkhon Bophit, Wat Na Phra Meru, Wat Thammikarat, Wat Ratburana and Wat Phra Mahathat can be visited on foot.
It is possible to add more temples and ruins to travel itineraries by touring the city on a rented bicycle. An ideal combination of modes of transportation for visitors interested in seeing everything would be to hire a bicycle for the central temples and charter a long-tail boat to take a tour of the outlying ruins along the river.
Ayutthaya Historical Park is situated opposite the Chao Sam Phraya National Museum. The main attraction in the historical park is Viharn Phramongkol Bophit which houses one of the largest bronze Buddha images in Thailand.
Ayutthaya Historical Study Centre
This compound is located on Rochana Road and is a National Research Institute devoted to the study of Ayutthaya, especially the period when it was the capital of Thailand. The Centre is responsible for the Museum of the History of Ayutthaya, which exhibits reconstructions from the past. In addition, the Centre provides information services and has a library containing historical materials about Ayutthaya.
The Centre opens daily from 9.00 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. On official holidays service hours are from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. For more information, please contact Tel: 0 3524 5124 (Admission fee is 100 Baht)
Chankasem or Front Palace National Museum
Chankasem Palace was built during the reign of King Maha Thammaraja, the 17th King of the Kingdom of Ayutthaya. During the reign of King Naresuan the Great the Palace became his permanent residence. Chankasem Palace, like the other palaces, was destroyed during the Burmese invasion. It has been renovated and reopened as a museum open to the public on Wednesdays through Sundays from 9.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m.
Chao Sam Phraya National Museum
This museum is perfect for history buffs who admire fine arts and handicraft of the Ayutthaya period. Housed in the museum are various original antiques, mostly made of gold and decorated with precious jewels. In addition, there are various antique bronze Buddha images and famous carved panels. Of note is a receptacle in the Thai Pavilion that contains relics of the Lord Buddha and other objects of art that are over 500 years old.
The museum which is located on Rochana Road, opposite the city wall is open daily, except Mondays, Tuesdays and national holidays, from 09.00 a.m. until 4.00 p.m. (Admission fee is 10 Baht). For more information, call: 0 3524 1587
Chedi Phra Si Suriyothai
This pagoda is situated at the original site of the Rear Palace, in the west of the city. It is a memorial to Somdet Phra Suriyothai, who was the royal consort of Phra Mahachakkaraphat and the first heroine in Thai history. When the Burmese army intruded in 1548, Somdet Phra Suriyothai, clad in a warrior's suit, interrupted the fighting between the King and Phrachao Prae of Burma and was cut to death. Her death saved Ayutthaya from another attack from the Burmese.
Elephant Kraal Pavilion
The Pavilion, utilized as the royal seat to witness the elephant round up, is situated north of the city island. In the past wild elephants would be trained here to become war or transport animals. It is thought that in the Ayutthaya period the stockade was inside the city wall, but this one was built later and was used up until the Bangkok period. In the middle of the stockade is a shrine where the elephant guardian is supposed to reside. Posts made of whole timbers form the fence where elephants were tied up during the training. An elephant round-up was demonstrated here in 1890, during the reign of King Rama V, for the benefit of the Tsarevitch, who later became Nicholas II of Russia, during his visit to Siam.
Japanese Village
This ancient site is located 1.5 kilometers south of the Wat Phananchoeng in Tambol Ko Rein. There is an additional building of the Ayutthaya Historical Study Centre, where the foreign affairs of the Ayutthaya Period are on exhibition.
Khun Phan House
Khun Phan House is a Thai-style house that conforms to descriptions in a popular Thai literary work. Khun Phan's house is near Wihan Phra Mongkhon Bophit.Si Suriyothai Park, which has a total area of 5 rai, is located within the area of the Ayutthaya liquor plant adjacent to Chedi Phra Si Suriyothai. Within the area is a common building, a Somdet Phra Si Suriyothai pavilion, a mound with marble Semas (boundary stones of a temple) aged over 400 years where the fragmented parts of Buddha images taken from Wat Phutthaisawan were buried, etc. The Liquor Distillery Organization, who sponsored the construction of the park, wished to devote all good deeds in transforming the former inner part of the royal compound to all of the late kings who used to live here. King Rama IX graciously named the park Suan Si Suriyothai on 25 May, 1989 and conferred the park to Her Majesty Queen Sirikit on the eve of her 60th anniversary. The park is open daily to the public from 9.00 a.m. until 5.00 p.m.
Thai Boat Museum
The museum is located at the residence of its founder, Mr. Phaithun Khaomala, a renowned Thai boat modeller and former boat builder. Inspired by their beauty and relationship to the lives of Thai people, Mr. Phaithun dedicated a part of his residence to preserving what he holds to be fine examples of the country's treasured traditions.
On display are a wide range of models from his large and exquisite collection, make in teak. Included in the collection are more than 100 models boats delicately made by hand. They range from Thai and Chinese junks to other traditional Thai boats and ocean liners. Among the most impressive items in the collection are models of Thailand's famous Royal Barges. As some of them are rarely seen nowadays, the museum is considered a must-visit. Open daily from 8.00 a.m.-5.00 p.m. Call 0 3524 1195 for more information. The Thai Boat Museum is situated opposite Wat Mahathat, Bang Iean Road.
Amphoe Bang Sai
Bang Sai Royal Folk Arts and Craft Centre
The Royal Folk Arts and Crafts Centre, which covers an area of 285 Rai of land (or 14 acres), is a place where visitors can see the activities of farmers in the 4 regions of Thailand. In addition to being an important training center for craftspeople, there are interesting products on sale such as fern basketry, wickerwork basketry, artificial flowers, hand-woven silk and cotton, silk production and etc. The Royal Folk Arts and Crafts Centre is open daily except Mondays from 8.30 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. Admission fee is 20 baht. Call 035-366092, 02-2258265 for additional information.
The Support Arts and Craft International Centre of Thailand (SACICT)
The Support Arts and Craft International Centre of Thailand (SACICT) is located on the left bank of the Chao Phraya River at Chang Yai Sub-District, Bang Sai District, next to the Bang Sai Arts and Crafts Center, on an area of over 18 acres. It comprises 2 main buildings, Phra Ming Mongkhon Hall, a large three-storey building, as the display and exhibition center of craft products for export, with a usable area of 34,340 square meter, and the Marketing Building for Bang Sai Center Products, with an area of 7,000 square meters, which was completed in July 2004.
The Ministry of Commerce presented the Support Arts and Crafts International Centre of Thailand (public Organization) as a tribute to Her Majesty Queen Sirikit of Thailand, at the special function entitled Support Atrs and Crafts International Centre of Thailand paying tribute to the Great Queen of Siam on the Auspicious 72nd Birthday Anniversary held during August 2004.
Within SACICT, the exhibition are on the 1st floor is where prime craft products selected from 76 provinces all over the country are put on display in the revolving exhibits changed every 3 months. Products that are of extraordinary beauty are permanently displayed in the Hall of Fame to be appraised by tourists and the general public on a wide scale. Also, craft products of the Bang Sai Folk Arts and Crafts Center which won prizes at an international level are on display.
Moreover, there is the Support shop, as the outlet of craft products made by trainees at the Bang Sai Folk Arts and Crafts Center, and from other Support Centres around the country, 22 in number. There is also the OTOP shop, where OTOP goods from all over the country are on sale.
The 3rd floor of SACICT serves as the area for trade negotiations, where craft products are marketed and distributed to the market on a wide scale.
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