Bang Pa-in Palace

Bang Pa-in is a small district, 18 km south of Ayutthaya town, which is noted for its picture-postcard palaces and pavilions, set on an island in the middle of a lake. King Prasat Thong of Ayutthaya (1630-1655) first built a temple and residential palace at Bang Pa-in in the mid 17th century.

The palace was set on an island at the middle of a 400-meter-long lake. Subsequent Ayutthayan kings used the palace as a country residence. After the destruction of Ayutthaya in 1767, the palace was abandoned and fell into disrepair. It wasn't until the reign of King Mongkut (1851-1868) that the palaces of Bang Pa-in were once again used as royal retreats. King Chulalongkorn (1868-1910) stayed at Bang Pa-in every year and built the royal palace as it is seen today.

Buildings of particular interest to the visitor include:

Aisawan Thipphaya-at Pavilion: This is the classic Thai-style pavilion in the lake, pictured in all the guidebooks. The beautiful wooden structure, set on concrete foundations, was built for King Chulalongkorn in 1876.

Warophat Phiman Hall: King Chulalongkorn built this European-style building for royal ceremonies. The hall houses important paintings and historical records.

Uthayan Phumisathian Hall: A two-storey European-style building, Phra Thinang Uthayan Phumisathian was originally an all-wood structure, filled with mahogany furniture from Europe. The original building was destroyed by fire in 1938. The current replacement, built to the same design, is concrete.

Wehat Chamrun: This Chinese-style palace was donated to the King by the association of Chinese merchants in 1889. The royal court resided here during the rainy and cool seasons.

Withun Thatsana: This look-out tower was erected by King Chulalongkorn in 1881. The three-story building, with a spiral staircase to the top, offers fine views over the palace grounds.

Bang Pa-in can be reached by bus or minibus from the Chao Phrom Market in Ayutthaya. From Bangkok, air-conditioned buses leave the Northern Bus Terminal every half an hour (Tel 537-8055) between 5.30 am and 7.20 pm. Non air-conditioned buses are even more frequent. Trains leave Hua Lampong Station every hour between 6.40 am and 10.00 pm. No public boat services are available for Bang Pa-in or Ayutthaya but several private companies organize tours, including the Chao Phraya Express Boat (Tel 222-5330), Horizon Cruise (Tel 226-8164), Oriental Queen & Ayutthaya Princess (Tel 236-0400), and River Sun Cruise (Tel 266-9125). The palace is open to the public daily from 8.03 am to 4.00 pm. Admission costs 50 baht. For further information, call (66 2) 224-3273 or (035) 261-044.

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