Loose Change

Vimanmek Mansion: the world's largest golden teakwood structure

TEL. +66 2 628 6300 Ext. 5120-5121
FAX +66 2 628 6300 Ext. 5136

On an often Mispronounced Name

One of the Thai consonants is usually transliterated to Roman letters as "v" despite its sound being "w;" thus the correct pronunciation of the mansion’s name is "Wimanmek;" in Thai it means "celestial mansion."

History

Upon his return from Europe in 1897, King Rama V (1868-1910) purchased orchards and paddy fields between the Padung Krungkasem and Samsen canals for the construction of a royal garden, which he named "The Dusit Garden." In 1900 the King had the Munthaturattanaroj Residence – his Summer Palace in Chuthathujrachathan at Koh Sri Chang, Chonburi – dismantled and rebuilt in the Dusit Garden, after that the structure became known as the Vimanmek Mansion; it was inaugurated in Bangkok on March 27, 1901.

King Rama V moved then his residence from the Grand Palace to stay permanently at Vimanmek Mansion for five years until the completion of Amporn Satarn Residence in 1906 where he lived until his death in 1910.

Later, near the end of his reign, King Rama VI (1910-1925) gave permission to Her Majesty Indharasaksaji to stay at Vimanmek Mansion. After the King's death, she moved to stay another residence in Suan Hong compound north of Vimanmek Mansion. Then, King Rama VII (1925-1934) ordered the installation of new electrical wires and the repair of columns of the main pier at the artificial lake, but from 1932 onwards, Vimanmek Mansion was used only as a storage place of the Bureau of the Royal Household.

In 1982, on the occasion of the Bicentennial Anniversary of Bangkok, Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, asked permission of His Majesty King Rama IX to renovate the Mansion for use as a museum to commemorate King Rama V by displaying his photographs, personal art and handicrafts, and the Thai national heritage. This museum is open nowadays to the public.

Access

The museum is open daily from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, including weekends and public holidays; the ticketing and guided tours stop roughly an hour before closure. Proper attire is observed (sarongs, pants and shirts can be rented), shoes must be left by the entrance at a special place, and cameras must be submitted to the guards by the entrance (they are kept in lockers for a small fee).

The entrance to the mansion is exclusively as part of a guided tour (given also in English and included in the admission fee); wandering free inside is not permitted. Moreover, the site serves official functions, so despite it being open every day, it may close unexpectedly due to an official ceremony. Checking if it is open by phone before arriving is thus recommended.

Setup

This is the world’s largest golden teak building; the three-storey royal mansion has 81 rooms built in European style from the end of the 19th century, halls and ante-chambers containing royal memorabilia.

The building has two right-angled wings, each one sixty meters long and is three-storied except for the part where King Rama V resided, which is octagonal and four-storied. Although the ground floor is brick and cement, the upper floors are built of beautiful golden teakwood. There are thirty-one exhibition rooms, with the bedrooms, the throne room and the bathrooms offering an awesome display of classical Thai culture. Other exhibitions include Thai as reflected in silverware, ceramics, crystal, and ivory.

Other Buildings

Other buildings in the same compound include an exhibition of H.M. King Bhumibol’s photography, H.M. Queen Sirikit’s collection of handicraft masterpieces created by rural people, the Paraphernalia of Rank and Portraits Museum, the Old Clocks Museum, Royal Carriages, the Royal Ceremonial Photographic Museum, the Suan Si Ruedo Residential Hall Museum, the Suan Bua Residential Hall Museum, the Ancient Cloth and Silk and others.

Most of the structures hosting these institutions have a long history, dating back to King Rama V decision to allocate plots of land for the construction of residences for his consort, princesses, and other wives. Clear signs inform the visitor of the most relevant information about every structure.

The Visit

A visit to Vimanmek can be easily missed due the richness of the exhibits; it is impossible to see everything during a single visit. A first time visitor may find himself running between them in a futile attempt to cover everything before the place closes to visitors. Yet, some of the most attractive sights are the open spaces connecting between the buildings. Those are tastefully gardened and offer an unobstructed view into the life and preferences of royal Thailand. A point to keep in mind are the two traditional Thai dancing shows taking place daily at 10:30 AM and 2 PM.

Bangkok is a big city; one of the biggest in the world. However, sometimes the crowds and the huge new buildings appearing in a daily base make it easy to forget that: crowdedness becomes coziness and the city is transformed into a small, intimate place. Vimanmek Mansion fixes that, restoring to Bangkok its grandeur.

It is impossible to imagine a visit to Bangkok without passing through Ratchadamnoen Avenue or one of the many attractions along it, which are the true heart and soul of the city. The street name means "Royal Passage," hinting thus that the avenue links between the Grand and Dusit palaces.

Nowadays, the avenue is the centre of government administration in Bangkok, and hosts even the United Nations office in Thailand, on Ratchadamnoen Nok. Since its construction, many defining events in the Thai society took part along it.

Despite the Western style of parts of it, Ratchadamnoen is intrinsically Thai; few Westerners would recognize it as a single conceptual unit since it is technically divided into three parts, namely Ratchadamnoen Nok (outer), Ratchadamnoen Klang (middle), and Ratchadamnoen Nai (inner).

History

Ratchadamnoen Nok Avenue was constructed first from August 1899 onwards. In 1901, King Rama V proclaimed the construction of Ratchadamnoen Klang Avenue and Ratchadamnoen Nai Avenue; the three segments were named "Thanon Ratchadamnoen."

Path

Ratchadamnoen Nai starts from the Grand Palace and lies along Sanam Luang. Ratchadamnoen Klang starts from Sanam Luang and reaches the Golden Mount. Ratchadamnoen Nok connects the Golden Mount with the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall and the Dusit area. Along this path, the avenue crosses three canals: Khlong Khu Mueang Doem, Khlong Rob Krung and Khlong Phadung Krung Kasem. Consequently three bridges in European style were constructed; those are known as Phipob Sila, Phan Fa Lilat, and Makhawan Rangsan.

Symbol

Ratchadamnoen Avenue is a symbol of the transition from the old Siamese absolute monarchy area of the Royal Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha to the new Thai area of the Dusit Palace of the modern constitutional monarchy. The symbol has also architectural representation; the Grand Palace is traditional Thai in style, while the parts near the Dusit Palace were built in European style.

Tour

Walking along Ratchadamnoen Avenue is easy and can be accomplished in a morning, including a couple of coffee breaks; one of the best coffee shops in Bangkok is placed along it and is reviewed in this journal. However, due to the amount of attractions along it and from a traveler’s perspective, it makes sense splitting the visit at least into two. One should include Ratchadamnoen Nai and the Grand Palace, while the second should be centered on Ratchadamnoen Nok and the Throne Hall. Ratchadamnoen Klang would be seen in both occasions, since it is the main access road to the area.

Ratchadamnoen Klang: the Central Part

In 1935, the People's Party government began to rebuild this part of the avenue. The mahogany trees planted in the reign of King Rama V were taken out, the road was widened and many commercial buildings were built. The Democracy Monument – one of the main landmarks in modern Bangkok – was built then. Its measures are related to the date 24 June 1932, the date when Thai democracy was born.

Most buildings along this section were designed in the plain contemporary European style of that period, rejecting the idea of status and decorations; they proclaimed a big change from the absolute monarchy era.

Ratchadamnoen Nok: Reaching the Throne Hall

On this part of the avenue are important symbols of the monarchy along the avenue. By far, the most impressive building in this part is at its end: the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall, which would not be out of place in any European capital. A large statue of King Rama V stands at the center of the plaza before the throne.

Along the way there are colorful arches which symbolize the status of the "royal emperor" of the Buddhist teachings. A royal emperor in Buddhism is a virtuous king practicing the ten virtues of rulers. When a king is honored as "emperor," there will appear "7 jewels" to accompany his influence: chakra, elephant, horse, gem, woman, financier and warrior. The modern arches placed by King Rama V were replaced later by more traditional ones by the actual monarch, King Rama IX. This part of the road displays large amounts of trees and benches, few places in Bangkok are better suited for sitting down while enjoying one of the most attractive parts in town.

At its beginning and within Wat Saket is the Golden Mount (Phu Khao Thong), an artificial hill with a temple built around and atop it. The hill is a slanted ramp which reaches a strikingly beautiful chedi at its summit, where Buddha relics are kept.

A chedi or a stuppa is a three layered structure, where the bottom layer resembles a turned over rice bowl, while the upper layers resemble a folded Buddha garment and his walking stick. Beyond being a metaphor of Buddhist doctrine, chedis sometimes contains relics. The whole structure has been painted in yellow that fits the golden chedi at the top. The high, curved walls containing the whole structure create wonderful views along the way.

Across the street is the Black Metal Temple. The temple is famous for its Metal Castle (Loha Prasat) west of the complex main temple. The five levels castle is square and has thirty-seven spires; the central one reaches thirty–seven meters above the street level. The upper three levels host the beautiful and elaborated cast iron spires which give the temple its common name, unusual shape and black color. Climbing all the way up to the spires’ level and taking a close look at the unique roof is possible; the Golden Mount is in clear sight from there and in clear days, glorious views of Bangkok are available.

Ratchadamnoen Nai: Reaching the Grand Palace

Ratchadamnoen Nai runs along a big open area known as Sanam Luang, at its end is the huge complex of the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaeo – the Emerald Buddha. These are the main attractions in Bangkok – and Thailand – and are worth a detailed visit. Few places manage to transfer its visitors to another, magical world as the Rattanakosin Grand Palace does. While crossing the park leading there, spires and stupas densely rising above the wall surrounding the complex in an impossible kaleidoscope of colors and shapes act as an irresistible magnet for visitors. A view from another world, where spirits are believed to live within talismans, statues and little, colored houses.

A Lighter Topic: the Ratchadamnoen Muay Thai Stadium

On Ratchadamnoen Nok Avenue was built the first Muay Thai stadium in Bangkok between 1941 and 1945. The rules of Thai kick-boxing were defined at this place and not at the more popular Lumphini Stadium.

The stadium is open Monday and Wednesday at 6 PM, Thursday at 5 PM and 9 PM, and Sunday at 4 PM and 8 PM; a boxing match includes eight fights with up to five rounds each. Practice events are held at 2 PM on Sundays. The admission fee varies between 500 Baht and 1500 baht depending on the fight, the fighters, and the seat; tickets should be bought exclusively at the stadium’s ticket windows.

Restoring the Lost Energy

Near the junction where Ratchadamnoen Nok and in the vicinity of the stadium are humble stalls offering Isaan food from northeastern Thailand. Som tam (papaya salad), laap (spicy salad of mint leaves, meat and chillies) and kai yang (grilled chicken) are all recommended, after having spent so many calories sightseeing some of the best Bangkok has to offer.

Zoos are not high in my list of priorities while visiting a city. Usually I skip them unless – as in Beijing – there is some point of special interest. That was the case with Bangkok; despite my long stays in town I had never visited the zoo. Something in the way I had seen Thais treating animals told me I won’t enjoy the event. Until one day I got stuck by the closed gates of the Vimanmek Mansion. The most natural step under the circumstances was to walk to the nearby Dusit Zoo.

Dusit Zoo was created in 1938 on a premium location donated by the king; before that it was the Royal Private Garden within the Dusit Royal Garden of King Rama V. He introduced a herd of Axis Dear from Java, hinting at the future role of the place. Later, King Rama VIII donated the garden to as a public zoo to the prime minister and to the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority. The City of Bangkok operated the zoo until 1954. Since then it has been transferred to the state Zoological Park Organization, which also operates other zoos in Thailand. Nowadays is one of the largest zoos in Southeast Asia, hosting more than 2000 species of animals, among them 800 species of birds, 300 of mammals and 200 of reptiles. It attracts more than two million visitors per year.

At the time of my visit, the main entrance was being reconstructed and hinted of a kitschy approach; I almost gave up on the spot, but knowing that later curiosity would bring me again especially, I entered. To my surprise, I spent there the rest of the day.

The Only Incident

Being in an unplanned visit, the battery of the camera I brought run out around noon. I began searching for a charging point but couldn’t find one. All the restaurants and coffee shops refused me; Thais have a deep fear of electricity fees. Finally, I found an outlet used by service people near a public toilet and for the next hour or so looked at humans in the zoo.

Access

Located next to the Old Parliament and Throne Hall, the Dusit Zoo enjoys a central location in Bangkok; a visit there can be combined with visits to the Throne Hall, the Vimanmek Mansion and the Grand Palace. The zoo is open daily from 9 AM to 6 PM; the entry fee is 100 baht. A convenient parking place is next to the main entrance.

Dusit Zoo has lush green surrounds and many flowering shrubs and trees with large ponds complete with foot-paddle boats, play - grounds for the kids and shady picnic areas.

Food

Hosting mainly Thai visitors, few international food joints are within the Dusit Zoo, with the exception of a small Burger King and a 7 Eleven branches. There are several kiosks offering snacks, but by far the most exciting option for eating while there is the large Thai food plaza. The prices are a bit higher than in similar establishments located in the city, but not excessively so and the variety of food is remarkable. Placed near a birds' enclosure, the place remains connected to its surroundings, especially since I saw the cleaning workers feeding the birds with the leftovers.

Attractions

One of the main attractions is the large lake, which offers some of the greenest (and bluest) views in Bangkok. On a big island are placed many of the birds in the zoo. In the big lake it is possible to rent pedaling boats, the experience allows seeing the gardens from a different angle as well as experiencing close encounters with fish and turtles.

Next to the three gates of the zoo are stops of the tram that allows seeing the zoo quickly.

There is a Zoo Museum specializing on animal taxonomy, classification and ecology. A special exhibit is the one about the bombing of Bangkok during the WWII; it includes an air-raid shelter of the era. Despite being a bit out of place, it is almost the only opportunity in Bangkok to learn something about this period in the history of Thailand.

Special exhibits in the zoo include white tigers (they are not albino, their stripes are black and white instead of orange and black), and the only albino barking deer in the world.

Other areas of interest are the African Zone, hosting anything between giraffes and pygmy hippos, the Walk through Aviary, the Nocturnal House and the Reptiles House. Being a symbol of Siam, the elephants occupy a special place in the zoo, with many of them having their names and histories displayed.

In the Beginning

I had arrived very early, no other visitors were in the park; the wide paths among the lush vegetation took me to the lakeshore. Spotting a small kiosk, I approached it; it wasn’t open yet, nonetheless a gentle Thai gave me a cup of coffee. From there a small path flanked by tall palms and shaded almost into darkness, led me to the shore. Captivated, I advanced through it until I found a bench by the shore. While sipping the coffee and waiting for the place to wake up, the flying denizens landed nearby, in an attempt to inspect the intruder.

After having spent long periods of time in Bangkok, I find it difficult to find surprises; the place feels like home. Yet, in my last visit, when I was returning to my hotel on Khaosan Road from my daily walk, I noticed the Queen's Gallery Cafe.

The building is unavoidable since it occupies a premium corner in front of the Mahakan Fort and near the Golden Mount, Wat Ratchanatdaram (the Black Metal Temple), the Democracy Monument and is on the way from the Grand Palace to the Throne Hall. I may have seen it a thousand times but never even checked what was inside its unpresumptuous facade.

However, this time something was different. Maybe it was the soft afternoon light filtering through the thick cover of clouds or a sudden lack of traffic obstructing the view. Regardless the reason, I entered to what became an almost daily stop.

The Queen Sirikit Arts Exhibition Center

The Queen’s Gallery was established by HRH Queen Sirikit, to be a home for a permanent exhibition of Thai visual arts, especially paintings and sculpture. Seven wealthy Thais donated seven million baht and the Queen’s Gallery Foundation was established on May 6th, 2003. The foundation is related to the Bangkok Bank that has been sponsoring the Bualuang Painting Contest since 1974. HRH Queen Sirikit inaugurated the Queen’s Gallery on 9th August 2003.

Souvenirs and Snacks

Next to the gallery are a souvenirs shop and the café. The souvenirs sold were especially designed by leading Thai artists and include T-shirts, postcards, posters and books. The coffee shop occupies its own room at the very corner of the structure; since it has glass walls it offers superb views of this central point in Bangkok. The area being a major junction, the views are limited to vehicles and glimpses of the Black Metal Pagoda, but even that is hard to match.

Access

Many buses reach the area. Regular buses include numbers 2, 12, 15, 44, 47, 59, 60, and 70. Air-Conditioned buses 39, 44, 59, 60, 79, 503, 509, 511, and 512 reach the place as well, creating a web covering most of downtown Bangkok. Unluckily, the Skytrain and Metro do not stop in the area.

The gallery, shop and coffee are open everyday between 10 AM and 7 PM; the first has an admission fee of 20 baht, except for students, children under 12 years old, senior citizens, monks and priests that enter free.

Entering the café is a bit awkward. There is no access from the main road since a small wall separates the building from the street; the access is around the corner through the Queen’s Gallery main entrance.

The Prices

Offering an Americano coffee for forty baht, the establishment charges roughly two thirds the price of equivalent products in Starbucks. This is still a significant amount in the Thai context but considering the quality and ambience this is one of the best bargains in Bangkok.

The Coffee

Starbucks influence on coffee shop decorations is considerable. Similar logos, dark greens and healthy, earthy browns abound nowadays around the world. It is remarkable that a foreign establishment attempting to adopt an American coffee menu opted for a different approach: light, clean browns for the tables and transparent walls allowing in all the light in the world. The gallery’s logo appears delicately imprinted on the wall’s glass; semi-translucent, it is almost invisible under Bangkok’s strong noon’s sun adding yet another touch of style.

A counter occupies a corner by the back wall; a few tables are placed in front of it along the glass walls; despite its humble size, I had always found a place to seat.

The neat, simple and functional setup is rather alien to the Thai culture; especially since the coffee options are almost purely Western and prepared with an excellent coffee machine. The coffees offered include espresso, Americano and cappuccino; all of them are served with care, and a glass of water with ice. The last is a nice touch I have not seen in other coffee shops in Bangkok, with the exception of my High Tea at the Oriental.

Despite the service being quick, in my first visit I took a couple of minutes to look around. Near the entrance was a stack of colorful Thai magazines that allowed practicing reading this beautiful language. Soft Thai love songs were being played, strengthening the feeling of being in a Thai space, despite the foreign menu. Thais tend to over-staff their establishments; yet here a single woman took care of the whole business with efficiency and grace. The only problem I spotted was a lack of a wide variety of snacks or cakes to accompany the coffee; only two varieties of packed cookies were available.

The coffee shop charmed me almost immediately. In none of its characteristics it was extraordinary per se, but its combined parts created some of the most pleasant coffee breaks I ever had.

Shouldn’t I have kept it secret?

Sukhumvit is one of the most interesting streets in Bangkok and one of the best shopping areas. The street flows eastwards from the Ploen Chit Intersection and had recently regained importance after it became the main access road to the new Suvarnabhumi International Airport. Moreover, it is a popular residence area for expatriates from all over the world.

As all the main roads in Bangkok, the Soi (alleys) are numbered and make finding addresses easy, however the northern and southern sides of Sukhumvit do not line up and some care should be used while searching for an address. Soi 3 and Soi 3/1, a short walk from Nana Skytrain Station, are known as Soi Arab for the heavy concentration of Muslim businesses in the area, including many restaurants and travel agencies.

Muslim Bangkok

It is impossible to ignore the growing presence of Muslims in Bangkok and Thailand. Nowadays, there are around eight million Muslim Thais, most of them Sunnis; a significant number of them live in the southern parts of the country. With roughly 3500 mosques in the country, more than 170 are in the Bangkok area, creating thus a significant presence.

There is historical evidence of early contacts between Thais and the Muslim world. The first stone inscription of King Ramkamhaeng depicted the word "pasarn" – meaning a dry market, which apparently was derived from the Persian "Bazaar." This king reigned over Sukhothai and is regarded as the father of the modern Thai alphabet. Products from the Thai Sukhothai Kingdom, such as Sangkalok ceramic were found in Indonesia and Iran.

Later, in the Ayutthaya period, trade between merchants from Thailand and Muslim countries, such as Persia, Arabia, Turkey, Malay and Java flourished with the help of the local Muslims. Many of them were appointed to important positions in the government.

During the Rattanakosin period, under the reign of King Phra Buddha Yodfa Chulalok (Rama I), many Muslims from all parts of Siam migrated to the new capital and resettled along the riverbanks.

Today, Muslims remain highly influential in many sectors, such as trade, economics and politics with a large number serving as soldiers and civil servants. Many have also received Royal recognition, having been knighted in many fields.

Islam in Modern Thailand

In accordance with the Thai Constitution, the king is the patron of all religions. As such, he appoints a "Chularajmontri" or Sheikul Islam, as nominated by the Prime Minster, after first receiving approval from the Provincial Islamic Committees, to be the leader of Thai Muslims. The actual monarch initiated the translation of the Quran into Thai, and donated money from his personal funds to build and renovate mosques; every year, he participates in the ceremony marking the anniversary of the birth of the prophet Muhammad.

Muslims enjoy an independent education system. Their pinnacles are the College of Islamic studies at Songkhlanakarin University, established in Pattani in 1988, and the Private Islamic College in Yala.

Garlicless Hummus

Muslim restaurants in Soi Arab provide a handy and healthy alternative whenever the traveler gets tired of Thai food, a complete list of them would be beyond the reach of this article and the best advice is to leave things to serendipity.

However, it must be understood that the term "Muslim Food" may be misleading, since delicacies from a big chunk of our world fell into this category. I have described earlier such food in western China, from Xian to Urumqi and Kashgar; the food there is different from the one found in the Middle East, despite both being defined as Muslim.

Needless to say, I was seeking a good hummus, which is maybe the all times favorite food in my country. Unable to read Arabic, I had troubles trying to find out from where the specific restaurants were from; most of them offered similar menus and prices; all of them had too much shiny glass decorations inside.

I entered one of them – the most representative one I could find – and asked for a hummus, a nan bread (and that already told me the owners were not from Israel/Palestine) and a tea with mint. The last is probably from Moroccan origins, though it is a hit in many other places. The waiter was obviously displeased by the combination – would a Coca-Cola have been received better?

The prices – as in all of Sukhumvit Road – were higher than in other parts of Bangkok, but not excessively so. Despite being prepared out of simple ingredients, hummus is expensive in Thailand since the heat does not allow its storage for more than a few hours; thus small dip plates reach anything between 60 to 90 baht (up to three dollars) or more. That’s roughly three times more than a typical Thai dish in a market or similar to a meat dish in a Thai restaurant.

The tea arrived first. Within a small coffee cup, two tired mint teas floated atop a very sweet tea; it was enjoyable and the taste was almost right, but usually tea is served in larger cups.

Hummus is the main staple of the Middle East; it must be prepared of fresh ingredients and consumed on the spot (since a good quality hummus should not contain taste-ruining preservatives like citric acid). It arrived here with a large nan bread, which I was unable to link to a specific geographic location. In Israel/Palestine, garlic is usually added to the hummus, giving it an electric touch. Unluckily, after becoming accustomed to that, any other hummus is almost tasteless, especially if the olive oil – the most critical ingredient for achieving the right taste and aroma – is replaced by other oil as it was here.

In the Vicinity

Being almost at the very beginning of Sukhumvit Road, means Ploen Chit Road and much of the shopping areas in Bangkok can be reached by foot, or just by traveling one or two station with the Skytrain.