Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
objects and antiques. Compulsory English-language tours of the building start every 30
minutes and last an hour, though it's up to luck as to whether your guide will actually
speak decent English or not.
Abhisek Dusit Throne Hall
Visions of Moorish palaces and Victorian mansions must have still been spinning around
in King Rama V's head when he commissioned this intricate building of porticoes and
fretwork fused with a distinctive Thai character. Built as the throne hall for the palace in
1904, it opens onto a big stretch of lawn and flowerbeds, just like any important European
building. Inside, the heavy ornamentation of the white main room is quite extraordinary,
especially if you've been visiting a lot of overwhelmingly gold temples or traditional
wooden buildings. Look up to just beneath the ceiling to see the line of brightly coloured
stained-glass panels in Moorish patterns. The hall displays regional handiwork crafted by
members of the Promotion of Supplementary Occupations & Related Techniques (Sup-
port), a charity foundation sponsored by Queen Sirikit.
Other Exhibits
Beside the Th U Thong Nai gate, the
Royal Thai Elephant Museum
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showcases two large stables that once housed three white elephants (it's
more interesting than it sounds). Near the Th Ratchawithi entrance, two residence halls
display the
HM King Bhumibol Photography Exhibitions
, a collection of photographs and paint-
ings by the present monarch. The
Ancient Cloth Museum
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presents a beautiful collection of traditional silks and cottons that make up the royal cloth
collection.
