BANGKOK
physical characteristics. The second stable
holds a sculptural representation of a liv-
ing royal white elephant (now kept at the
Chitlada Palace, home to the current Thai
king). Draped in royal vestments, the statue
is more or less treated as a shrine by the vis-
iting Thai public.
Because this is royal property, visitors
should wear long pants (no capri pants) or
long skirts and shirts with sleeves.
Rama V Memorial MONUMENT
(พระบรมรูปทรงม้า; Map p 96 ; Royal Plaza, Th U-Thong
Nai; bus 18, 28, 515) A bronze fi gure of a mili-
tary-garbed leader may seem like an unlike-
ly shrine, but Bangkokians are comfortable
with their expression of religious devotion.
Most importantly, the fi gure is no forgotten
general – this is Rama V (King Chulalong-
korn; 1868–1910), who is widely credited for
steering the country into the modern age
and for preserving Thailand’s independence
from European colonialism. He is also con-
sidered a champion of the common person
for his abolition of slavery and corvée (the
requirement that every citizen be available
for state labour when called). His accom-
plishments are so revered, especially by the
middle class, that his statue attracts wor-
shippers (particularly on Tuesdays, the day
of his birth), who make off erings of candles,
fl owers (predominantly pink roses), incense
and bottles of whisky. The statue is also the
site of a huge celebration on 23 October, the
anniversary of the monarch’s death.
The domed neoclassical building behind
the statue is Ananta Samakhom Throne
Hall (Map p 96 ; http://www.artsofthekingdom.com; Th
U-Thong Nai; admission 150B; h10am-6pm Tue-
Sun), originally built as a royal reception
hall during the reign of Rama V, but not
completed until 1915, fi ve years after his
death. Today the building houses an exhibit
called Arts of the Kingdom, which like the
nearby Abhisek Dusit Throne Hall, displays
6666
6666
6666
6666
66
66
6
6
66
#
#
¡
¡
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
ÿ
ÿ
ÿ
ÿ
ÿ
ÿ
ÿ
ÿ
ÿ
#
#
#
#
#
æ #
æ
æ
æ
æ
ñ
#â
#
#
#
#
#
#
# #
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
# ý
í
í
í
ý ú
ú
í
í
í
û
í
í
û
í
#Ø
SATHON
Kian
Gwan
Building
SoiSanam
Khlii(Polo)
Th
W
it
th
ay
u
(W
ir
el
es
s
Rd
)
So
iS
i
Ba
mp
he
n
So
i 1
(A
ta
ka
np
ra
sit
)
ThSatho
nTai(Sou
th)
Soi Sa
la Da
eng1
Soi 7
So
iN
ga
m
Du
ph
li
ThSarasin
So
iS
ua
n
Ph
lu
ThP
hra
Ram
IV
So
iN
ant
ha
ThSalaDaeng
SoiGoethe
Th
Ra
tch
ad
am
ri
Si Lom
Lumphini
Lumphini
Park
Playground
Boat
Rental
Chinese Style
Clock Tower
Rama VI
Statue
Goethe
Institut
2
22
15
14
12
13
20
19
21
24
18
25
23
26
27
16
17
9
1
10
3
7
4
5
8
6
11
See Silom &
Sathon Map
(p82-3)
See Siam Square
Map (p86-7)
4
3
1
C
B C
2
4
3
1
2
B
A
A D
D
Lumphini Park & Th Phra Ram IV
‚To EU Delegation
(0.2km)
0400m
e#00.2miles
