The Grand Palace

Our friends, C and N, came to visit us over a weekend in January before heading back to the UK. Having never been to the Grand Palace since our stay we suggested we should make the effort. Here's the result!

Firstly, if you're planning to visit the Grand Palace, arguably the most popular tourist attraction in Thailand, you should expect touts. Lots of them. You will be told all manner of things such as the 'palace is closed' or 'no more people today' and then offered a free tuk-tuk ride to somewhere 'more beautiful' like a local Buddha statue conveniently placed right next door to his brother's gem shop. Ignore everybody and head straight to the main entrance. The complex is in fact open every day from 8:30 to 15:30. 

Secondly, and I think the ladies should pay special attention here, there is a strict dress code. Men - just wear trousers, close toed shoes and a t-shirt. That's fine. A long sleeved shirt will just make the day warmer. Women - you need to cover your shoulders but that doesn't mean you can just throw a pashmina over them. E tried this and was told to go back to the main entrance and to put on the horrible blue shirt that you can borrow for free. You need to wear a t-shirt or a shirt to cover your shoulders, either a long dress or trousers (short skirts, shorts, anything above the knee is turned away) but you can wear open toes shoes. 

Some facts:

Built in 1782 by King Rama I when he moved from Thonburi to Bangkok, the complex was the home of the Thai king (the current king, and every king since King Rama V, now lives in Jitrlada Palace in the heart of the city), the Royal court, the administrative seat of government, the Thai war ministry, state departments, and even the mint.

The two main attractions are Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) and the Grand Palace itself. The temple holds the Emerald Buddha where legend places it as a 2000 year old relic of Indian buddhism which eventually, through a very long and protracted journey, found it's way to King Rama I. The Grand Palace has hints of western architecture which points to the royal family's 150 year old relationship with the west, especially it's utilisation of some of Europe's institutions, such as education and the idea of a constitutional monarchy. 

You can also see the Boromabiman Hall, Dusit Hall and Amarinda Hall. I believe these buildings now function purely to host ceremonial events and (when they're open to the public) contain some original furniture, weapons and the original throne. 

We arrived in the morning because as ever in Thailand you need to explore before the midday heat really kicks in. Being a Sunday and in peak season the palace was packed with tourists. If you can, go during the week to avoid the throng. 

This is the first thing you see when you enter the palace. Right ahead is the main entrance where your clothes are inspected. This is one of the most religious sites in the whole of Thailand, so respect to your hosts is taken very seriously.

What grabs your attention first is the sheer beauty of the place, especially if you're lucky to witness the gold roofs glitter against a clear blue sky.  

We headed straight for the Temple of the Emerald Buddha...

...which, unfortunately, you cannot take a picture of (plenty of official images online). This also acts as the King's private chapel. It is very evident that this site is still incredibly important to the Thai people as you find yourself awkwardly trying not to interrupt the worshippers. The buddha itself was made in India in 43 BC, transported to Sri Lanka, then to Burma, Cambodia, Northern Thailand and then Laos. In 1779, King Rama 1 (then known as the Thai General Chao Phraya Chakr) captured Vientienne and took the buddha home to Thailand with him.  

We then wandered around the upper terrace where you can find the the Reliquary in the shape of a golden chedi, the Repository of the Canon of Buddhism with its mother-of-pearl cabinet that displays the palm leaf scriptures at various times of the year, the model of Angkor Wat crafted by Royal Command of King Mongkut (Rama IV) and the Royal Pantheon where statues of past sovereigns of the ruling dynasty are enshrined.

We then headed down towards the lower terraces where we heard monks chanting a never ending prayer, followed with discipline by the worshippers. 

We walked round one corner and became awash in incense. Here, Buddhists are offering flowers to a shrine. We never found out what attracts so many Thai's to this particular shrine but an educated guess behind the reasoning of the visit would suggest that offerings were being made to the current King to wish him good health.  

Young monks receiving an education...

...juxtaposed with the officialdom of the Royal Family.

Here is the Chakri Maha Prasat hall to your left, built and resided in by King Rama V (1868 - 1910). The portrait galleries inside were unfortunately shut the day we visited. Queen Victoria and Louis XIV were entertained here.

We then sauntered to the Phra Maha Monthian, where the coronation of the monarch takes place. 

There are a few other buildings that are worth a visit when you come here, such as museums, halls that house art, porcelain, murals and even the ashes of some members of the Royal Family. The mix of Siamese and Western architecture, the holiness of the site itself and the sheer scale of this compound makes it obvious why there are so many visitors here - Thai and foreign. 

One thing you do leave with is the sense of true pride the Thai's have for their country and culture, no matter what sporadic political troubles have hounded them since the 60's. Although Thai's are hurtling themselves into the 21st century like the rest of us, adorning themselves with the aesthetics that come with it, you can still see that the majority still harbour a deep connection and respect for their heritage. Such an obvious sense of national identity and pride, evident in all ages and shown to me daily in Thailand, is something a modern Englishman, like myself, should envy.