| Royal Barges Museum tips and photos posted by real travelers and Bangkok locals.
80/1 Rimklong Bangkok Noi, Thanon Arun Amarin
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 Red garuda figurehead on
a gunboat - Rama I by thedouglas,
3 more photos
Amazingly, in someone's "entry", there might be an esky full of meat, basic grocery items and fresh vegetables, which, I guess is a sort of equivalent to the "corner store". I really felt intrusive walking by - but, typically, the Thai people here were unhassled, acted as though it happens all day every day (which it must!) and either continued dozing or lazily nodded and smiled in response to our smiles.
Then - the museum is upon you - full of gold and the wealth abundant in any cultural association with royalty and religion in Bangkok. Of course we all enjoyed it when we got there - and, as with most places you wander in Bangkok, plenty of interesting things to see along the way.
If you visit the museum, be prepared to have to buy a pass and the right to photograph the barges as well. Phone: (02) 4240004
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You will find this museum when you take a cruise along the Chao Praya River.
Here you will find the old Royal Barges in which the kings went over the river.
Especially the fronts of these barges are impressive and scary cause they had to scare the bad spirits.
You do have to pay to take pictures! Leave a Comment Directions: The Chaophraya Tourist Boat stops right at the museum. If you take the regular Express Boat service, the nearest stop is Pinklao Bridge Pier, although this involves a long winding walk along a narrow concrete walkway over the swampy land.
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 Prows of the Royal Barges
(Click on to enlarge) by Bangkokjoe
Not the barges that carry coal and stuff. Nope, these are golden, covered with fragments of glass and are fantastically decorated with carved prows (front bits). Our British Queen, Liz, has a big golden carriage she uses to open Parliament. The Thai King, Bhumipol, has a flotilla of barges? got the idea?
The most impressive barge is Suphanahong, the King?s personal. Subanahongsa, (golden hamsa) refers to the swan-like mythical steed of the Hindu god Brahma, of Thai lore during the Ayutthaya period (around 400 years back). When Brahma wasn't using his elephant, Erawan.
In the museum we also get treated to the century old one, and it is holding up well? built in 1911 to resemble that important river bird. 50 metres long? it is huge!!!! Hewn from one single teak tree. You can tell the barges the royal family use, they have golden pavilions on board to keep the baking sun off. 54 oarsmen are needed to get the largest rolling, paddling away to the beat of a drum. There are also five "smaller" (!), but not much, barges on display. The prows have various themes - all referring to gods - and must have taken an age to carve, paint, stick the glass bits on. With canon poking out front between the "gods' " parts. Beautiful.
I?ve only seen the flotilla on the river on TV once, the Kings 72nd birthday bash. It was hard to get a good view down on the river itself. 50 plus boats gliding through the water with over 2,000 oarsmen for three kilometres. Almost as good as watching the Head of the River the week before the Boat Race on the Tideway, London. Glad I don't have to stroke the things at full stretch, race rating. Leave a Comment Directions: Take a Chao Phraya Express Boat to Rod Fai Pier. (Or hire your own longtail boat as part of a tour of the Thonburi back canals). Two minutes away from the pier the locals will be able to give you directions. Open everyday there is a 20THB entry fee.
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Royal Barges Museum
The Royal Barges National Museum is positioned on Klong Bangkok. The most recent barge ‘Narai Songsuban Ratchakan Thi Kao' was used and built on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of His Majesty the King's succession to the throne on 1996.
Information
Name: Royal Barges Museum
Attraction Type: Museum, Barges
Location: On the west bank of the river, on Klong Bangkok Noi (canal), north of the Phra Pinklao Bridge
Close to: Chao Praya River
City: Bangkok
Pictures in the web: Royal Barges Museum
Photos: You can take great photos of the Barges
Admission Fee: 30 baht
Last Visit: September 2008
My Photos
First Photo: Statue in Royal Barges Museum
Second photo: Royal Barges Museum (inside the museum)
Third photo: The building with the barges
Forth photo: Images in the wall
Fifth photo: Instructions about the barges
Leave a Comment Phone: (02) 4240004
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 inside royal barge museum by trisanna
You can combine this with a klong tour Leave a Comment
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 Postcard by pattayaraj
Actually there 're many shipyards in BKK, such as Vasukri Pier Shipyard,Rajvoradit Pier Shipyard .But only here ,Bangkoknoi shipyard where open as museum for public visiting.
Open 9.00-16.00 ,everyday(close on national holidays)
Entrance fee : 30 B Leave a Comment
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Originally warcraft, the tradition of barge processions can be dated back to the early 13th century.
Recent processions started with the 2500th anniversary celebrations of the Buddhist Era in 1957, with 39 barges taking part in the King's flotilla.
In April 1982, during the bicentennial celebrations of Bangkok, there were two grand royal barge processions.
Nowadays processions are held traditionally to mark the end of the Buddhist rains retreat (which lasts for three full moons roughly between July and October).
They regularly include the participation of 52 vessels in five rows, requiring over 2000 oarsmen.
The route takes them downriver from Wasukri Royal Landing Place to the Temple of Dawn, passing the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the Grand Palace and Wat Pho.
Opening Hours:
8.30am-4.30pm Daily Phone: (02) 4240004Directions: Royal Barge Museum is on the Khlong (Canal) Bangkok Noi, just off the Chao Phraya River
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 by Pete.Gibson
Located at Bangkok Khlong Noi
Best way is by water taxi,
Open from 9am to 5pm Phone: (02) 4240004
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 by roamer61 |
This Museum has elaborately decorated Barges, eight in total, although there are 50 altogether. The Barges these days, are only used on special occassions, what a sight that must be! The most important Barge on display is the Suppanahong or "Golden Swan" because its figurehead is a large Golden Swan. The Barge was built during the reign of King Rama 1. Situated next to it, is the Narai Song Suban, which has King Narai riding a garuda on its prow. This Barge was built to commemorate the King's 50th Anniversary on the Throne. There are also displays of decorative and historical objects, as well as photos. A different type of Museum to visit, and more GOLD!
It is open from 9 - 5pm daily. Admission in 2009 was 200t/b, this included the CAMERA FEE. Phone: (02) 4240004Directions: From Pier 11, head right to the side road. Here there are lots of Taxis and it is probably easiest to take one the 700metres to the side road that leads to the Museum. It is quite difficult to find on your own.
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