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National
Museum
To get a feel for the art and history of Thailand and Southeast
Asia, the National Museum on Na Phra That Road is the best place
to visit. The museum houses one of the largest collections in
Southeast Asia with all periods and styles of Buddhist and Thai
art represented.
The museum buildings themselves are of historic interest, built
as a palace for Prince Wang Na in 1782, the year of the founding
of Bangkok. The palace was converted into Thailand's first
museum around a century later, during the reign of King Rama V. Perhaps the most important artifact in the museum is the Phra
Buddha Sihing, one of the country's most revered Buddha images.
Thought to be a Sukhothai or Chiang Saen period image, the
gold-plated bronze statue was probably brought to Bangkok by
King Rama I in 1795. The image, in the attitude of meditation,
is housed in the 18th century Buddhaisawan Chapel, which
displays classic Rattanakosin-style architecture and some of the
best surviving mural paintings from the period.
Other than the museum's fine collection of period sculptures,
ceramics, mural paintings and the decorative arts are well
represented. Several gilded teak funerary chariots are on
display including the magnificent 40-ton Vejayant Rajarot, which
was built by King Rama I in 1785.
The National Museum is open 9.00 am to 4.00 pm, Wednesday to
Sunday. Admission is 20 baht. Guides tours, starting at 9.30 am,
are available in English, French, German and Japanese.
Jim Thompson's House
Jim Thompson's House is one of the best-preserved examples of
the traditional Thai house in Bangkok. Once home to the American
silk entrepreneur Jim Thompson, this remarkable house-cum-museum
accommodates Thompson's vast collection of antiques and artworks
from all over the Southeast Asian region. Notable items include
priceless examples of blue and white Ming porcelain and 19th
century jataka paintings, which cover the walls of the rooms.
Don't miss the headless Buddha figure in the garden, which dates
from the 6th century. This early Dvaravati image is one of the
oldest surviving Buddha statues in the world.
Jim Thompson's House is located alongside Saen Saeb Canal on Soi
Kasem San 2, off Rama I Road. Opening hours are 9.00 am to 4.30
pm daily except Sundays. Photography is not allowed in the
house. The admission fee is 100 baht and guides are available.
Ancient City
The Ancient City, or Muang Boran, is dubbed as the world's
largest outdoor museum. Situated close to the Crocodile Farm in
Samut Prakan province, the 80-hectare city features 109
scaled-down copies of Thailand's famous monuments and
architectural attractions. The grounds of the Ancient City
correspond roughly to the shape of the Kingdom, with each of the
monuments lying at their correct places geographically. Some of
the buildings are life-size replicas of existing or former
sites, while others are one-third scale.
The replicas were constructed with the assistance of experts
from the National Museum to ensure historical accuracy.
Outstanding works include the former Grand Palace of Ayutthaya
(destroyed in the Burmese invasion of 1767), Phimai Sanctuary in
Nakhon Ratchasima, and Wat Khao Phra Viharn on the Cambodian
border. Ancient City also has sculptures from the Thai epic
story, the Ramakien, a display of the Royal Barge procession,
and a model Thai village in which craftsmen produce ceramics,
paper umbrellas and lacquer items.
Muang Boran is located on the old Sukhumvit Highway, about 33 km
east of central Bangkok. Admission costs 50 baht for adults, 25
baht for children. Discounts are available for group tours. |
