Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
PARASITE MUSEUM
MUSEUM
(2nd fl, Adulyadejvikrom Bldg, Siriraj Hospital; admission 40B; 9am-4pm Mon-Sat; Tha Wang Lang, Siriraj)
Pickled body parts, ingenious murder weapons and other crime-scene evidence are on dis-
play at this medical museum, the intent of which is ostensibly to educate rather than naus-
eate. Next door, the
Parasite Museum
continues the queasy theme.
The best way to get here is by express ferry or cross-river ferry to Tha Wang Lang
(Siriraj) in Thonburi; turn right (north) into the hospital and follow the green 'Museum'
signs.
Among the grisly displays is a bloodied T-shirt from a victim stabbed to death with a
dildo, and the preserved but rather withered cadaver of Si Ouey, one of Thailand's most
prolific and notorious serial killers who murdered - and then ate - more than 30 children
in the 1950s. Despite being well and truly dead (he was executed), today his name is still
used to scare misbehaving children into submission: 'Behave yourself or Si Ouey will
come for you'.
NATIONAL GALLERY
ART GALLERY
(ngbangkok.wordpress.com; 4 Th Chao Fa; admission 200B; 9am-4pm Wed-Sun; Tha Phra Athit,
Banglamphu)
Housed in a weathered colonial building that was the Royal Mint during the
reign of Rama V, the National Gallery's permanent exhibition is admittedly a rather dusty
and dated affair. More interesting are the rotating exhibits held in the spacious rear galler-
ies; take a look at the posters out front to see what's on.
Secular art is a relatively new concept in Thailand and most of the country's best ex-
amples of fine art reside in the temples for which they were created (much as historic
Western art is often found in European cathedrals). As such, most of the permanent collec-
tion here documents Thailand's homage to modern styles.
ROYAL BARGES NATIONAL MUSEUM
MUSEUM
(Khlong Bangkok Noi or 80/1 Th Arun Amarin; admission 100B, camera/video 100/200B; 9am-5pm; Tha
Saphan Phra Pin Klao)
Every foreign country has its famous religious monuments and mu-
seums, but how many have their own fleet of royal boats on display? The royal barges
were once used daily by the royal family to get about their realm, but are now used only
for grand ceremonies.
