The Royal or

Grand Palace

It can't be described as anything other than beautiful, except that I would also add words like .... Amazing and Majestic!

Many parts of the palace were built back in 1783 and with it's size 216,400 sq. metres you will need the best part of a day to be able to appreciate it's beauty.

Within the walls are situated government offices and the Royal Chapel of the Emerald Buddha.

Possibly because of it's size The Palace came to be known as the Grand Palace

The Palace is actualy a group of diferently styled buildings sorounded by a huge 1900 metre long wall that encircles the Palace.

The different building groups are :-

THE MAHAMONTIEN

THE CAKRI GROUP

THE DUSIT GROUP

This is the audience hall with a beautiful throne of mother-of-pearl surmounted by the usual nine-tiered white canopy, the mark of the duly crowned king.

and

THE BOROMABIMAN BUILDING

The Galleries

The Chapel Royal ground is enclosed by some amazing galleries where the walls are covered with huge murals depicting the story of the Ramakien of the first reign version.

If we start at the east gate we come to the initial stages of the war waged by Rama of Ayodthaya to rescue his wife who had been abducted by Thotsakan (Ravana), King of Longka.

Here are depicted episodes of the building the causeway from the mainland, of the campaign of Maiyarab the Magician who took the sleeping Rama away to the netherworld, the campaigns of Kumpakan and Indrajit, the brother and son respectively of Thotsakan and other campaigns waged by Thotsakan himself, his other relatives and allies. The battle in which Thotsakan, loses his life is to be found just beyond the gate leading into the royal palace.

The whole ground is enclosed by the many huge galleries, the murals of which depict the story of the Ramakien of the first reign version.

Click on "The Cute Boys" to Return to my Index Page and the lusts of Patong Beach!!

This link will take you to the official Thai website with lots of information about the Royal Palace and Thailand.

That's all for now ...... I will be back again soon!

neil November 2000