ROUTE 3: UPPER MIDDLE OF OUTER RATTANAKOSIN

ROUTE INTRODUCTION

This route is along some historic streets where old chophouses are located. Old chophouses in this route include those on Ban Tanao, Praeng Nara, Praeng Poothon and Bam Rung Muang streets. It also passes the eastern boundary of old Rattanakosin town defined by outer city moat and the remain of city wall and Mahakan fort.

 

Route 3 starts from Maha Chessada Bodin Plaza (No. 1 ) on Ratchadamnoen Klang boulevard, then turn left to Ban Tanao road and visit Praeng Poothon area, turn left again and walk along Bam Rung Muang road and lastly to Maha Chai road. The total length of the route is about 2.8 kilometres and it will take less than an hour walk.

During walking along Bam Rung Muang road, be careful of traffic accident because there is no footpath on the road. Moreover, nuisance and pollution from heavy traffic on this road is frequently unavoidable. Taking Saturday or Sunday for tracing this route may be more convenient and safer than weekdays.

ROUTE 3

1. MAHA CHESDABODIN PAVILION AND PLAZA

This open space and Thai-styled pavilion is one of the most recent conservation-oriented redevelopment projects taking place in Rattanakosin. Before 1990, this area was the site of an old movie theatre named "Sala Chalerm Thai". The theatre building was pulled down and replaced by the construction of King Rama III statue (whose name was Prince Chesdabodin before ascending the throne), a pavilion and plaza with small plantation.

Apart from being public open space, this pavilion and plaza are mainly used for Royal ceremonies and official events especially the welcoming ceremony of Bangkok's Important guest. The statue of King Rama III was created to remind that he was the King who built Wat Ratchanadda (no.l9) and Loha Prasat, and also the Golden Mount (no.21) which are located nearby.

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2.  RATCHADAMNOEN KLANG BOULEVARD AND ASSOCIATED BUILDINGS

Rahchadamnoen Klang Boulevard was built during the Fifth reign (1868-1910). It was the largest and widest road at that time. Ratchadamnoen means the Royal passage because it links between the Grand Palace and Dusit Palace. There are three parts of Ratchadamnoen boulevard. The boulevard near the Grand Palace is called "Ratchadamoen Nai" or inner boulevard, the middle part is called "Ratchadamnoen Klang" or central boulevard and the outer part near Dusit Palace in the north is called "Ratchadamnoen Nok" or outer boulevard.

In the past, both sides of Ratchadamnoen Klang Boulevard were lines of Mahogany trees. The trees were taken away in 1941 when the huge post-war style buildings were constructed on both sides. All buildings along the Boulevard have the same material and style and most of them are used as government and private offices.

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3. DEMOCRACY MONUMENT

This monument was erected in 1939 to remind the revolution of the country administration from absolute monarchy to democracy (constitutional monarchy). Many elements of the monument imply events involved in the nation's administration and political change. For instance, the height of the four posts is 24 metres which means the date of the political change (the 24thofJune,1932). The 75 cannons at the base means the year 2475 B.E. or 1932. At the base panel of the four posts, the relief of people involved in the revolution were created. The Democracy monument is the symbolic structure that represents liberty and democracy in Thailand.

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4. SHOPHOUSES NEAR CHAO POH SUEA SHRINE

Continued from chophouses in Bang Lamphu area (see route 2 no. 4), chophouses near Chao Poh Suea Shrine have more or less the same features except some rows have different type of roof. Structural changes and many alterations are usually found on these old chophouses.

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5. MAHANAPARAM TEMPLE

This temple was built in the Third reign (in 1850) but completed in the Fourth era. The founder of this temple is Prince Udom Rattana Rasri, a son of King Rama III. Both Thai and Chinese architectural styles are found in this temple. The first public school was setup in the area of this temple. A big Bho tree (E religiosa Linn.) planted in this temple was brought directly from Sri Lanka by King Rama V (1853-1910).

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6. CHAO POH SUEA SHRINE

"Chao Poh Suea" means God Tiger. Chao Poh Suea shrine was originally located on Bam Rung Muang road where Chinese community existed. During the Second reign in ] 817, a golden image of Chinese God housed in the shrine was stolen and had never been brought back. In the Fifth reign (1868-1910), Bam Rung Muang road was widened and the shrine had to be relocated to the present site which was given by the King. Today, Chao Poh Suea shrine is very holy and respectable among Chinese people. Each year, there are many events and activities held in this shrine.

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7. GATE OF PRAENG SANPHASART PALACE

This Neo-classical structure is a gate of the palace of Prince Sanphasart Supakit built in 1901. After the Prince's death in 1919, the palace was redeveloped and in 1967, there was a big fire disaster in the area and the gate was the only remaining structure. The original structure of the gate is only masonry work without steel reinforcement. In 1976, the gate was structurally supported by brick-bracing which was implemented by Bangkok Metropolitan Administration with the cooperation of Fine Arts Department and many public and private organizations.

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8. OLD SHOPHOUSES ON PRAENG NARA ROAD

The word "Praeng Nara" comes from the name of Prince Narathip Prapanpong who owned this area. During the Fifth reign (1868-1910), the area was redeveloped by the construction of a road called Praeng Nara road. Shophouses were then constructed along the road. These old chophouses still exist at present. Many units remain their original architectural features. The shophouses now belong to the Royal Crown Property Bureau.

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9. TALAPAT SUKSA SCHOOL

Located within Praeng Nara community, Talapat Suksa school is a part of the former palace of Prince Narathip Prapanpong. This group of buildings is now used as a private school. Although the building is in decay, some remaining elements like carved wooden panel, staircase, banisters and roof pediment still reflect the beauty of the past.

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10. OLD SHOPHOUSES ON PRAENG POOTHON ROAD
Praeng Poothon area is one of the perfect sites of old style chophouses remaining in Bangkok. This area was the site of a palace before it was redeveloped in the Fifth reign (1868-1910). More than 100 units of old chophouses still keep their major structure and original materials. This area used to be one of the most busiest squares in Bangkok before modern shopping centres and department stores became prevailing custom of the Thai society.

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Old Shophouses on Praeng Poothon Road

11. KLONG KOO MUANG DERM

Klong Koo Muang Derm is the official name of the inner city moat which was dug in Thonburi period (a short period from 1767 to 1782 having King Taksin the Great as the only ruler). In some tourist information the name of the inner city moat is wrongly written as "Klong Lot". The inner city moats are found in the area of both east and west sides of the Chao Phraya river. Recently, on the eastern bank, the foundation of Thonburi city wall has just been excavated. The excavation site is near the Pig Memorial (Route 1, no. 24) and it has became the most recent historic site in Rattanakosin.

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12. SHOPHOUSES ON BAM RUNG MUANG ROAD

Bam Rung Muang road is one of the oldest roads in Bangkok. It was a small walkway at the beginning and was improved in 1864, and widened in 1870.  Shophouses were built and completed in 1872.

The shop front with arches used to be a covered- colonnaded walkway which is found similarly in the old towns of Phuket and Penang. But now the covered-colonnaded walkway was already blocked and filled with cement and this has caused Bam Rung Muang a road without safe footpath. Although there are not many original units left, this area is still distinctive because most of the shops have homogenous sale products which are Buddhist artifacts.
Such activity has been being operated for a long time and became the oldest and largest Buddhist artifacts thoroughfare in Thailand.

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13. BRAHMIN SHRINES

Brahmin Shrines were built when the Giant Swing was erected in the First reign in 1784. Three holy halls are the places to house 3 different Brahmin Gods and are used for performing Brahmin ceremonies. The ceremonies are aimed at blessing the country for fertilities and security. Today Brahmin Shrines are well maintained and are still used for performing Brahmin ceremonies as ever happened in the past.

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14. SAO CHING CHA/ THE GIANT SWING


Sao Ching Cha/
The Giant Swing

As one of the landmarks of Bangkok, the Giant Swing has been standing in front of Wat Suthat for more than 200 years. It was created in 1784 to be used in the Brahmin Swing ceremony. The ceremony was proceeded every year from 1784 until it was revoked in 1933. But other Brahmin Ceremonies still remain and are performed at Brahmin shrines (no. 13) located nearby.

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15. SUTHAT TEMPLE

Suthat temple was built in the First reign ( 1782-1809) on the central area of the city at that time. This temple is another significant and beautiful monastery in Rattanakosin. Apart from the gigantic scale of the Ubosot (ceremony hall) and Vihara (main hall), Buddha images and mural paintings in Vihara are very precious. Buildings, art objects and landscape in the temple precinct are very well-preserved.

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16. SMALL PARK NEAR BMA HEAD OFFICE

This open space belongs to the head office of Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA). It was built in 1976 on the area of a former famous marketplace namely, "Talad Sao Ching Cha" which was popular during the early period of Rattanakosin. In the near future, the BMA office will be relocated outside the old core of the city and this area will become another significant public open space in Rattanakosin.

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17. SOMMOT AMORNMARK BRIDGE

This bridge was built as a replacement of the former sliceable bridge with steel rails for sliding. The purpose of sliding is to prevent the enemy to cross the outer city moat. Later in 1902, when there was the need to construct Baan Baat road, the steel rails and the old bridge were demolished and substituted by a new bridge. The new bridge was designed and built by Department of Public Works in the Fifth reign (1868-1910). It is one of the beautiful bridges in Rattanakosin area.

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18. THEPTIDARAM TEMPLE

Theptida means an angel daughter. Wat Theptida was constructed during 1836-1839 by King Rama III to celebrate Princess Vilas who is a daughter of the King . The temple's buildings were built in combined Thai-Chinese styles.

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19. RATCHANADDA TEMPLE AND LOHA PRASAT

This temple was built in the Third reign ( 1824-1851 ) to celebrate the King's niece who became the first queen consort of King Rama IV. The outstanding monument of this temple is "Loha Prasat". Loha Prasat is a kind of pagoda substitution which was built to represent the teaching of Lord Buddha.

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20. MAHAKAN FORT AND A PART OF CITY WALL

This fort has the same age as Phra Sumane Fort (Route 2 No.15) which was originally built in the First reign (17821809). The fort and a part of the city wall was restored in 1959 and 1981.

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21. WAT SRAKET AND THE GOLDEN MOUNT

This temple is an old monastery which was first built before the rise of Rattanakosin. King Rama I redeveloped and improved the condition of the temple. The Golden Mount, one of the unique landmarks of Bangkok, is located within the area of this temple. The construction of the Golden Mount started in the Third reign (1826-1851) and completed in the Fourth reign (1851-1868) and the Fifth reign (1868-1910). With little effort, the Golden Mount can be walked up to the top. From the top of the mount, a golden pagoda is situated and this area is one of the best points to observe the panoramic view of the entire Rattanakosin area.

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Last updated: 21 June 2000

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