Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
(Th U Thong Nai; 24hr; Phaya Thai exit 3 & taxi)
The bronze figure on horseback is
Rama V, the Thai king widely credited with steering the country into the modern age and
for preserving Thailand's independence from European colonialism. He is also considered
a champion of the common person for his abolition of slavery and corvée (the requirement
that every citizen be available for state labour when called on).
Rama V's accomplishments are so revered, especially by the middle class, that his
statue attracts worshippers (particularly on Tuesdays, the day of his birth), who make of-
ferings of candles, flowers (predominantly pink roses), incense and bottles of whisky. The
statue is also the site of a huge celebration on 23 October, the anniversary of the mon-
arch's death.
The domed neoclassical building behind the statue is
Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall
OFFLINE MAP
GOOGLE MAP
(
www.artsofthekingdom.com
;
Th U Thong Nai; admission 150B; 10am-6pm Tue-
Sun; Phaya Thai exit 3 & taxi)
, originally built as a royal reception hall during the reign of
Rama V, but not completed until 1915, five years after his death. Today the building
houses an exhibit called Arts of the Kingdom, which, like the nearby Abhisek Dusit
Throne Hall, displays the products of Queen Sirikit's Support foundation.
