Khao San Road

Khao San Road is a favorite crossroads for the young travelers on a budget. It has evolved over the last two decades from just one small hostel providing low-budget accommodation become one of the worlds most well-known destinations. It has been featured in many movies and television documentaries.

During the day, Khao San Road is the scene for back-packers looking for a cheap room while others are arranging transport to their next destination in Thailand or overseas. Some will be just chatting with friends over a cup of coffee or a bowl of noodles.
At night, it turns into a lively thoroughfare lined with street stalls selling cheap clothes, handicrafts, souvenirs and thousands of other items. The lights are on at the many bars where the travellers tell tales of the days adventures and discoveries and the plans for tomorrow. Khao San Road is not just for foreign travellers, many young Thai people like to hang out there, including members of the TV and film production industries.

The location is very convenient for visiting the many tourist attractions on Rattanakosin Island. It is just a 10-minute walk to Sanam Luang and The Grand Palace.

During April when Thais celebrate the Songkran Festival, Khao San Road becomes a fun-filled battleground as everyone, Thais and foreigners indulge in splashing each other with water.

How to get there : within walking distance
Opening Hours : Daily
Admission Fee : Free Admission

Every visitor to Bangkok should see the magnificent buildings within the Grand Palace compound to get a feeling of the grandeur architectural style.

Since the founding of Bangkok as the Nations capital by King Rama I, The Grand Palace has been the major architectural symbol of The Thai Royal Family. In the present time, The Royal Family resides at Chitralada Palace while The Grand Palace is used for ceremonial purposes.

The main buildings within the Grand Palace compound were built for King Rama V, who was the first Thai King to travel to Europe.

Phra Thinang Chakri Maha Prasat, built in 1877 by King Rama V as his Royal Residence, is the most highly recognized architectural landmark of the Nation. The central Throne Hall, which was formerly used for the reception of foreign envoys, is flanked by reception areas decorated with galleries of portraiture. The central room on the second floor is used as a shrine for the reliquary ashes of Kings Rama IV, Rama V, Rama VI, Rama VII and Rama VIII.

Borom Phiman Mansion was also constructed during the reign of King Rama V. When his son, King Rama VI ascended to the throne, he had it improved for use as his residence. The three succeeding Kings also resided here at one time or another.

The Siwalai Gardens, where the office of The Royal Household Bureau is located, were used for receptions as well as a recreation area for the royal women and children.

Maha Monthien Prasat houses The Audience Hall of Amarin Winitchai where ceremonies of the Court usually take place in front of the throne surmounted by its canopy of nine tiers of white cloth.

How to go there: just 10 minutes walk from Khao San Road
Opening Hour: Daily 8.30 a.m. - 3.30 p.m.(except during special Royal Ceremonies)
Admission Fee: Baht 250.
(This also includes admission to Wat Phra Kaeo, The Royal Thai Decorations & Coins Pavilion in the same compound and to Vimanmek Mansion Museum on Ratchawithi Road.)

Remark : Visitors are required to dress appropriately.
1. Shorts, mini-skirts, short skirts, tight fitting trousers, as well as tights can not be worn as outer garments.
2. See-through shirts and blouses, as well as culottes or quarter length trousers can not be worn.
3. Sleeveless shirts or vests can not be worn as outer garments.
4. Sandals (without ankle or heel straps) can not be worn.
5. All shirt sleeves, whether long or short, can not be rolled up.
6. Sweat shirts and sweat pants, wind-cheaters, pajamas and fisherman trousers can not be worn.

The temple is in the outer section of the Royal Enclosure west of the Grand Palace . It was built on the orders of King Rama I along with the Grand Palace and Rattanakosin Island , and is built as a temple in a Royal compound like Wat Sri Sanphet in Ayutthaya . It has no resident monks.

The Emerald Buddha (Phra Putta Maha Mani Ratana Patimakorn or Phra Kaeo Morakot): This is a Buddha image in the meditating position in the style of the Lanna school of the north, dating from the 15th century AD. King Rama I brought it from Vientiane , and it is considered to be the most important Buddha image in the country.

Model of Angkor Wat : King Rama IV had this built by Phra Samphopphai when Cambodia was under Siamese control. The model was recreated in plaster at the behest of King Rama V to celebrate the first centenary of the Royal city.

Prasat Phra Thepidon : This four-square prang originally called "Puttaprang Prasat" was built in the reign of King Rama IV. Inside are statues of Kings Rama I-King Rama VIII, to which the public pay their respects on Chakri Day, April 6, every year.

Mondop :This structure stands behind Prasat Phra Thepidon, and was built in the reign of King Rama I. Inside is a cabinet holding the Buddhist scriptures beautifully decorated in mother-of-pearl.

Balcony : This can be compared to the temple wall. The murals inside tell the Ramayana story in its entirety. On the columns of the balcony are stone inscriptions of the verses describing the murals.

Phra Sri Ratana Chedi : Built in the style of Wat Sri Sanphet in Ayutthaya , this chedi is to the west of the Monhop. Inside is a small chedi with relics of the Lord Buddha.

Phra Atsada Maha Chedi : This group of eight chedis stands in front of the temple. It was built in the reign of King Rama I and dedicated to the heavens. Six of the group are outside the balcony, two are inside. Each has its own name.

Yaksa Tavarnbal (Gate-keeping Giants) : Six pairs of mythical ogres stand at each gate of the Balcony. These are the main Giants of the Ramayana.

Hor Phra Khanthan-rat : Standing in the estern corner of the balcony, this is where the Phra Puttakhanthan-rat figure is enshrined. It presides over the Royal rain-making ceremony and the ceremony of the first rice planting. Inside are paintings by the mural artist Khrua In Khong.

Hor Phra Ratcha Karamanusorn : Inside this structure are 34 Buddha images in various positions, built by command of King Rama III and dedicated the kings of Ayutthaya and Thonburi.

Hor Phra Ratcha Pongsanusorn : Built in the reign of King Rama IV, this is the location of the Buddha image of the reigning King of the Rattanakosin Era. Inside are murals of Royal chronicles of Ayutthaya by Khrua In Khong.

Hor Phra Nak : Situated behind the temple, this traditional Thai building roofed with glazed tiles contains the ashes of the Royal family.

How to get there: just 10 minutes walk from Khao San Road
Opening Hour: Daily 8 am-4 pm
Admission Fee : THB 200-nett/person
Prohibited: Taking photo inside the ubosot, Man: Shorts Pants Slippers, Woman: Undershirt Singlet Shorts Sandals

An important community which grew with the Royal city, it is a centre of government, art and culture. The road lines the Chao Phraya river bank with the palaces of nobles and courtiers and ordinary houses on both sides of the road. The prosperity of the Phra Athit Road community has been intertwined with the history of Bangkok up to the present.

The building of large palaces started in the reign of King Rama III, with architectural influences from China and Europe. Some palaces have been converted into offices and modern buildings, and the community's way of life has been completely transformed from before.

Phra Sumen(Sumeru) Fort
It was built in the reign of King Rama I on the city's outer wall, which ran along the canal to the Chao Phraya River.

At first, 14 forts were built, but in time they became dilapidated. Eventually, all were demolished, with the exception of Phra Sumen Fort and Mahakan Fort, both of which stand today.
Recently this area were Sumen Fort stands has been open to the public as a public park.

How to get there : 5 minutes walking distance from Khao San Road
Opening Hours : Daily
Admission Fee : Free

A vast open ground situated near the northern wall of the Grand Palace and the eastern wall of the former Viceroy Palace or Wang Na. At the time when Bangkok was first established, the ground was a rice field and was sometimes used as a location for a royal crematorium, Phra Men in Thai. The ground was, thus, otherwise called as Thung Phra Men which means the crematorium ground. In considering that the name was inauspicious, King Rama IV had the ground renamed as Thong Sanam Luang, or the Royal Ground, and the rice farming there cancelled. Later, King Rama V had the Wang Nas eastern wall demolished and the area of Sanam Luang enlarged to cover a total of 78 rai as it does nowadays. The place has been used as the crematorium ground for kings, members of the royal family and nobility, in addition, to being a royal sporting ground. The king also had 365 tamarind trees planted around it.

How to get there : just a 10-minute walk from Khao San Road to Sanam Luang
Opening Hours : Daily
Admission Fee : Free Admission

The original theatre next to Sivamokhaphiman Hall in the National Museum was made of wood. When the government decided to build a National Theatre as a venue for performances of traditional Thai drama, a larger, more sophisticated theatrical complex was called for.

Theatre Building : This is divided into three parts. In the right wing is a small theatre, while the left wing contains the workshops of the stage technicians. The central wing is a large auditorium, next to which is the Sankhita Sala for open air musical performances.

Notable among the cultural and dramatic works performed at the National Theatre is the masked Khon, in which episodes from the Ramayana epic drama are enacted to music in highly stylished form. The Lakhon traditional drama can also be seen here, as well as performances of classical music and dance in the traditions both of the court and the villages of the four regions of Thailand.

King Phra Pinklao Monument : This imposing, life-size figure cast in black bronze stands in front of the theatre

How to get there : 15 minutes walking distance
Opening Hours : Daily 5 am - 8 pm
Admission Fee : Free Admission

Originally the Personal Museum of King Rama IV with a collection of antiques and Royal Gifts, King Rama V subsequently opened the Sahathai Samakom Pavilion (Concordia Tower) in the Grand Palace grounds as a Public Museum. It was then moved to three palace buildings in he Front Palace (Wang Na). King Rama VII then Save over all buildings in the Front Palace to be he Bangkok Museum.
Exhibition areas are split into three groups:

Gallery of Thai Nation : From the Kingdom of Sukhothai to the Rattanakosin period, in the Sivamokhaphiman Hall.

History of Art and Archaeology in Thailand: Divided into two periods: Prehistory, at the back of the Sivamokhaphiman Hall, and the Historical period, exhibiting sculpture from the 15th century 80 to the Rattanakosin period at the Prapat Pipitthapan Building, with sculpture from before this period on display in the Maha Surasinghanat Building.

Fine Arts and Ethnology : Includes displays of musical instruments, nielloware, gold, mother-of -pearl inlay, wood carvings, old textiles, khon masks, puppets, etc. in the group of palace buildings.

Funeral Chariot Hall : Displays funeral carriages such as Phra Mahaphichai Ratcharot, Vejjayantra Ratcharot, the Small Carriage (Ratcharot Noi) and other paraphernalia of Royal Cremations.

In the past, the Front Palace was of secondary importance only to the main palace, and was the residence of Somdet Chao Phraya Maha Surasinghanat, the heir apparent. The many buildings inside include Bhuddhaisawan Chapel, Tamnak Daeng (Red House), Mungkhalaphisek Pavilion, and Sala Longsong Pavilion, considered to be "outstanding examples of traditional Thai architecture."

How to get there : 20 minutes walking distance
Opening Hours : Wed-Sun 9 am -4 pm (Closed: Mon, Tue and Public Holidays)
Admission Fee : THB 20-nett/person
Prohibited : Taking photo inside Building

King Rama I appointed a Mon group of monks to look after this Ayutthaya period temple, so it became known in the Mon language as Wat Tong Pu. When Somdet Chao Phraya Maha Surasinghanat moved his troops back to Bangkok after victory in the battle of the Nine Armies, there was a ceremony of ritual bathing and changing of robes before he entered the Grand Palace, so the main temple was restored in 1787. After that, King Rama I gave it the name Wat Chanasongkhram (Chanasongkhram Temple).

Ubosot : This dates from the reign of King R.jma I. Gable end decoration is a Naga or serpent, a special feature of Front Palace artisans. Behind the chapel walls and window frames are flame motifs. Ogival stones on the temple wall are in the shape of Vishnu mounted on a Garuda. The outside arch has stucco flame motifs, while inside the door frames are coloured paintings. Around the chapel and behind the principal Buddha image are containers of the ashes of the princes of five kings.

Chedi : Two chedis were built in front of the chapel in the early Rattanakosin period. They are in the Jom Hae, or wide base and sharp top shape.

Principal Buddha Image : Phra Putthanorasitrilokachet is an image in the Subduing Mara posture, made of plaster, lined with lead and gilded,
in the reign of King Rama I. The base is surrounded by 15 Buddha images which were all made at the same time.

How to get there : within walking distance
Opening Hours : Daily 5 am - 8 pm
Admission Fee : Free Admission