A CRADLE OF CULTURE
The charming canals, temples, museums and streets of Thon Buri tell a rich story about the history of Bangkok and Thailand
Situated on the western side of the Chao Phraya, opposite the Grand Palace in Bangkok, the heart of Thon Buri is a cradle of rich cultural heritage.
Before the establishment of Bangkok, Thon Buri was a major town and the core of political power briefly after the fall of Ayutthaya. So, if you make a short trip to the heart of Thon Buri, through Bangkok Noi, Chak Phra and Bangkok Yai Canal, you will find yourself drifting through a number of significant places.
Once, these canals were part of the river. During the Ayutthaya period, a shortcut was dug to avoid the winding river course. Then the strong stream of the Chao Phraya widened the waterway and turned it into a river. With a slower stream, the old river course gradually became canals instead.
Siriraj Bimuksthan Museum, at the mouth of Bangkok Noi Canal, is the best place to start the trip. The museum, in Siriraj Hospital, explains interesting stories of Wang Lang Palace and the former Thonburi Railway Station.
I buy the museum ticket from the well preserved ticket windows of the old railway station, which is now part of the museum, leave my bag in the luggage depository, then set off to explore the museum.
The first room features the story of Wang Lang. Wang Lang was a kind of old ranking. While the Wang Na ranking was equal to “crown prince”, Wang Lang, or Krom Phraratchawang Sathan Bhimuk, was the second crown prince. During the Ayutthaya and early Rattanakosin period, Wang Na and Wang Lang were considered kings as well.
The Wang Lang Palace was built at the mouth of Bangkok Noi Canal, in order to protect Bangkok, which was newly established, from invaders from the north and west. The palace compound comprised royal residences, houses of the court officials, a salt storage barn and a horse training ground. Though none of the royal buildings remain, exciting evidence found here is the wreck of a big barge buried on the site of the former royal dockyard.
The other display rooms tell interesting stories of the establishment of the country’s first hospital and its role in improving Thailand’s public healthcare as well as Thonburi Railway Station, which was a strategic target during World War II.
From the Chao Phraya River, I make my way into Bangkok Noi Canal on a slow boat. Compared with the river, Bangkok Noi Canal is more peaceful. This old course of the Chao Phraya houses more than 30 Buddhist temples, plus mosques and old wooden houses with fine decorations.
The first place that mirrors the significance of this waterway is the National Museum of Royal Barges. The canal-side museum keeps a fleet of spectacular barges that are officially used for the royal barges procession.
A short boat ride from the museum is Wat Suwannaram, which you should not miss. Built during the Ayutthaya period, this royal temple houses a set of murals, which are acknowledged as some of the best murals in Bangkok and Thon Buri. The murals here were made during the reign of King Rama III by masters of that period.
From the canal, you will see the city from different views. Most houses, temples, mosques and places face the canal, which served as the main mode of transport in that era. You will see people at their leisure on canal-side terraces, enjoying cooking, or working. The canal and community living quarters may be untidy and the water is a bit dirty, but this is the real face of Bangkok and Thon Buri.
One of the liveliest spots on these canals is the Artist’s House on Bangkok Yai Canal. Artists turned old houses into an art gallery, complete with a theatre, coffee bar and souvenir outlets.
Bangkok Yai Canal once was called Klong Kha Luang, which means the canal of the officials. During the Thon Buri period, a number of officials occupied land on both sides of this canal as it was the easiest way to access Thonburi Palace at the mouth of the canal.
From Bang Kok Yai Canal, the boat cruises into the bustling Chao Phraya again. The river in this section houses a number of significant places from Ayutthaya to the early Rattanakosin period, namely Thonburi Palace, Wat Rakhang Khositaram, Wat Arun and Wat Kalayanamit.
Cruise along these canals, which can be called the backyard of Bangkok, and you may see the city from angles you have never seen before.