3 . Palaces, people and the city

Oct 04, 2004

In Bangkok’s earliest days, city planning was attuned to the siting and expansion of palaces. The Royal Grand Palace and Wang Na – the Palace of the Second King – were built near the Chao Phya River, while others for princes who had become too old to stay in the Grand Palace were constructed to the north, south and east.

And while some of the new capital’s palaces were built on unoccupied land, the construction of others entailed the expropriation of whole communities without compensation.

King Rama IV ultimately put an end to such enforced resettlements, ordering that any occupied land needed for royal projects must be purchased from his subjects.

The early palaces were built in traditional Siamese style, with foreign architecture showing no influence until the reign of Rama V.

The Royal Grand Palace – and Wat Phra Kaeo’s outer grounds – have long been acknowledged as the most beautiful places in Bangkok. Experienced artisans from all over the country were summoned to help build the graceful wang (palaces) and wat (temples) of the new Siam, and their distinctive contributions have magnificently reflected the Siamese view of life ever since.

Among the buildings within the Grand Palace compound are throne halls and smaller palaces, all repeatedly renovated and refurbished over the years. There are 25 interior gates linking 35 structures, as well as 13 exterior gates and 17 forts around the wall.

The Phra Maha Monthien in the Grand Palace was the marvellous residential complex of early Chakri kings, who stayed mostly in the chief Throne Hall, the Chakrapatpiman.

Other interesting buildings in the complex are the Dusit Maha Prasat and Chakri Maha Prasat throne halls. The former, displaying traditional Thai architecture, was built in Rama I’s time. The soaring tiers of its red, gold and green roof culminate in a gilded spire shaped like the King’s crown, and each tier bears a typical chor-fa (slender bird’s head), hang hong (a swan’s tail), and a three-headed naga (serpent).

In contrast, the Chakri Maha Prasat Throne Hall, built in the days of Rama V, is a hybrid of Thai and European architecture. The throne hall itself was built in European style and the roof in Thai.

No one other than the King’s children was allowed to be born or die inside the walls of the Royal Grand Palace, but if such a dire event occurred, a Brahmin ceremony to “compensate” each of the palace gates had to be held. For this reason pregnant women were not permitted to enter the complex.

Wat Phra Kaeo was built to Rama I’s specifications as a temple within the royal compound, just as Wat Phra Sri Sanphet had held pride of place in the old city. While the influences of sacred Siamese literature – derived from the Indian epic Ramayana – are much in evidence there, it was a temple without monks.
The Palace of the Second King (Wang Na) was built at the same time on the present sites of Thammasat University, the National Museum and the National Theatre.

There were also three smaller palaces where Silpakorn University and the Fine Arts Department now stand, and these were occupied by Prince Kasatranuchit (Men), a son of King Taksin and daughter of Rama I, and Princes Arunothai and Apaithat, sons of Rama I.

After Prince Men was charged with sedition and assassinated by Rama II, his palace was taken over by Prince Jetsadabodin, who in time became Rama III.

The three princes’ palaces were combined during the reign of Rama IV and given to Prince Maha Mala, and then became government property with the coup of 1932.

The west exterior gate of the Royal Grand Palace, which opened on to the Chao Phya River, for generations teemed with traders, shoppers and elephants. Among the bustling piers (tha) in the area were Tha Chang Wang Luang and Tha Chang Wang Na, whose names include “chang” in recognition of the fact that royal elephants (chang) regularly bathed there.

Tha Chang Wang Luang is today called Tha Phra, because it was the anchorage for the barge that brought the giant Buddha (Phra) image for Wat Suthat in Rama I’s time.

Nithinand Yorsaengrat

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