Bang Pa In
 The pavilion dedicated to Rama V with the "royal cabana" in the background. |
A very short drive of 60 kilometers (40 miles) north of Bangkok along the banks of the Chaopraya River will bring you to Bang Pa In, summer palace of the kings of Thailand. The palace dates back to the 17th century, pre-dating the establishment of Bangkok as the capitol, although it did fall into disuse for a long period. All the buildings you see date from its revival by King Mongkut (Rama IV) in the 19th century. Today, the palace is only used infrequently, and then mostly for state occasions rather than as a royal summer residence.
The palace is very European in design. The buildings are laid out along an artificial ornamental pond. In what was formerly the public area of the palace, the lake is a long rectangular pool, lines with formal plantings and the odd folly. The most obvious of the ornaments is a modern copy of a Khmer style prang.
At the end of this formal entry promenade the pond take on a more natural shape. In this pond you see what has become the "signature piece" of Bang Pa In. It is an elegant Thai-style pavilion in the middle of a pond shown above right, with the rather daunting title of "The divine seat of personal freedom." It is really the only example of classical Thai architecture within the palace and was built by King Chulalongkorn (Rama V). It now houses a statue of him. The pond also serves to divide the "public" outer area of the palace from the inner private areas.
 Chinese throne hall. |
Within the inner palace are several buildings in various styles. The main residence is a modern reconstruction of the original building. Although the original building was said to be in the style of a Swiss Chalet, the modern building has a more "Paris Metro" art-deco feel to it. Note that the building, still occassionally used by the royal family, is not open to the public.
Perhaps the most interesting building in the inner complex, and the only one open to the public, is the Chinese style residence built in China and gifted to King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in 1889. You must remove your shoes to enter and enjoy the ebony and red lacquer interior.
Bang Pa In is one of three royal palaces featured at the Virtual Thai Palaces web site. This site, sponsored by the Royal Thai Household, is one of the most interesting Thai web sites. It requires some common plug-ins to view the 360-degree images, but they're easy to obtain and well worth it.
Photo Gallery
For more pictures of Bang Pa In, see our online photo gallery.
Getting There
The coolest and most comfortable way to get to Bang Pa In is via one of the many luxury cruises available from riverside hotels. The Chaophraya River Express Boat service also operates a special service on Sundays from the Prachan pier.
You can also reach Bang Pa In by train from Hualampong station. Trains depart at 7:05 and 8:35 am. The train station is about 2 kilometers from the palace. You can catch a samlor (three-wheeled rickshaw) from the station for about 30 Baht. Note the royal waiting room next to the station, constructed by King Chulalongkorn.
Admission Fee
There is a fee of 50 Baht (1.53 USD) to enter the palace grounds. Hours are 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, but the ticket office closes at 3:30 pm. Also note that you must exit through the gift shop.