THE GRAND PALACE

A visit to Bangkok will be incomplete without a visit to The Grand Palace and we were taken on a grand tour of the Palace which sits on the west side of Chao Phraya River. In 1767 the Thai capital of Ayutthaya fell to the Burmese. About 45 miles north of modern Bangkok, it had been the capital of Thailand for 417 years. When Siam restored law and order after the fall of Ayutthaya the monarch lived in Thonburi on the other side of the river. Rama I, immediately, on ascending the throne, moved the centre of administration to this side of the Chao Phraya and after building public monuments such as fortifications and monasteries, built a palace to serve not only as his residence but also his offices.

It served as the official residence of the king of Thailand from the 18th century to the mid-20th century. After the death of King Ananda Mahidol in the Baromphiman Palace, King Bhumibol moved the official royal residence to Chitralada Palace and the doors are open to Thais and tourists alike. It can be said to be the greatest attraction not only of Thailand but the whole of ASEAN.

The palace complex sits on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River in a land area of 60 acres surrounded by defensive walls and was built in 1783. Within these walls are government offices and the Chapel Royal of the Emerald Buddha besides the royal residences.

The palace compound can be divided into three sections: the Outer Palace, the Middle Palace, and the Inner Palace.

The Outer Palace consists of the Royal Temple (Wat Phra Kaeo) and some administrative offices. Because it is on the Palace grounds, Wat Phra Kaeo has no resident monks. It is one of the richest artistic sites in Thailand. Among other items, it houses the Emerald Buddha -- a Buddha carved in jade. The Emerald Buddha is the most revered image in Thailand. The temple also included a library, a gallery of statues of past Chakri kings, and a model of Angkor Wat. There is also a mural in the Wat that portrays the story of the Ramayana; the mural has 178 segments and would be a mile long if the segments were laid in a line.

The Middle Palace consists of three groups of buildings: The Dusit Group, The Phra Maha Monthain Group and The Chakri Group. Among the sites here is an audience hall mother-of-pearl throne. The buildings of the Middle Palace were constructed over the years to suit the changing needs of the kings.

The Inner Palace, built in a Western style in 1903 and serves as the home of the current king. The nearby Borom Phiman Mansion is a Royal Guest House.

Getting to the Grand Palace is quite easy by boat. Take the Chaophraya Express Boat to the Chang Pier (Tha Chang). A walk through the market around the pier proves to be another attraction with an array of foodstalls hawking Thai food. Step out onto the plaza flanked by old shop houses. And you will see the long white wall of The Grand Palace, just across the street. The entrance is located at the second gate of the wall.