GRAND PALACE ( A Journey to Thailand Bright History)

When i am nominated as sholarship recipient to studi in Thailand, i have something in my mind before flying, i imagine that i will live in a beautiful state like in a children tale, with the King , Queen , and Royal Family who lives in a beautiful palace. It would be completed with the picture of Thai people who give love and high respect to the Royal Family and their culture especially their faith, Budhism.It might be not just wholly imaginary tale some parts of colssal controversial “Anna and the King” film
Located in the heart of Southeast asian main land, covering an area of 513,11 squqre kilometers, Thailand borders Laos and Myanmar to the north. Cambodia and the Gulf of Thailand to the east, Myanmar and the Indian ocean to the west and Malaysia to the south. The government is Democratic Constitutional Monarchy with His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadef ( king Rama IX of the Chakri dinasty) as the head of the state and Prime Minister as the head of government. Bhudism is the majority religion of Thai people who live in 76 provinces with Bangkok is the city’s spiritual heart with its main sight: Grand Palaceand the Temple of Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaeo)

It was Sunday ,three days before Songkran Festival ( Thailand new year, the throwing – water festifal to bless one another, in the heat of April), when Pheng and Pee Wat, my Thai friends, asked me to visit Bangkok. We were talking about some places of interest in Thailand when one of us had an isea for visiting Grand Palace. “Is it a place where King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit live?” None of my frinds explained it to me. Ijust smiled and let my friend took me there without any complain.
When you see Bayoke Sky Hotel ( the highest building in Thailand) from distance, Bangkok ( commonly famous as krungthehp = city of angel)has been close to us, Peng told me in Thai language while Pee Wat was concentrating on her driving to Grand Palace. Bangkok has the longest name as stated in the Guiness Book of Record: Krungthehp Mahinthrayuttha Mahadilokpop Noparatratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniveymahasathan Amornpiman Avatrasathit Sakkathattiay-avisnukarmprasit. What along name! Yelled in sureprised. Iam so sure that i only can say it by reading., with no guarantee that i pronouncethem correctly. Luckily, Bangkok was not very crowded as usual at the time because most people went to their hometown for celebrating Songkran.
Along the way to Grand Palace, there were some big picture of the Royal Famil, decorated beautifuuly for facing Songkran. The car stopped near Sanam Luang ( the Royal field, formerly as the royal cremation ground for royal members of Chakri Dinasty, recently where thai people conduct some public events) and we began to walk in an extremely hot day. Ikept my spirit eagerly to trce back Thailand history hundreds years ago.
Approqching the location, we where welcomed by the beautiful Thai girls in classical Thai dancin. In some temples, the dancing is usually performed for donation. To the right, there were crowded of worshippers who gave the offerings, commonly to face Songkran. My friends stopped for a while to p ray and them asked me to follow them, “ Everybody must visit this place to know Thailand”,said Pee Wat . I did understand why she said so. It just because i said proudly that i had visited Shurkumvit ( a place where expatriate society live). “ You will not see the real Thailand before visitng The Grand Palace” , Pee wat added.
Grand Palace complex was established in 1782 as house of royal residences and throne halls, the government offices , as well as a renowned Temple of Emerald Buddha ( Wat Phra Kaeo). Two earliest structures erected in the complex were the Dusit Maha Phrasat Throne Hall and the Phra Maha Monthia. The guide map of the Grand Palace shows that there are 34 important building, which became the home of Royal Family until 1946.
The first complex to visit was Temple of Emerald Buddha ( Wat Phra Kaeo). We had a limited time to visit that temple ,as it would be closed at mid day . Wat Phra Kaeo is the holiest of all wats in Thailand. As revealed some of the most stuning architecture in all South – East Asia, tehe small green jade statue of Buddha, high on his golden altar in the Chapel Royal , is the most sacred image in thailand. It was found in 1434 in Chiang Rai and was covered by plaster, which was believed as the ordinary Budha image an as sight of good fortune . Some temples surounded the Chapel of royal are The Royal Phanteon, Library – hhich kept the Thripitaka , and the impressive Phra siratana chedi ( pagoda) and a model of Angkor Wat ( Cambodia). We moved from What Keao 12 The other visitors also also left the place willingly with no noises.
The next complex was Phra Maha Monthian that consist of three main buildings namely: the Audience Hall of Amarindra Winitchai, the Paisal TaksinHall, and the Chakraphat Phiman Hall. The audience Hall of Amarindra Winitchai was used for some ceremonies during the reign of King Rama I. Meanwhile, the Paisal Taksin Hall was used for coronation ceremony.
Ihad drunk about a liter of mineral water when my friends asked me to take a rest in front of the Chakri complex. The buildings are extremely beautiful and i guessed thousands of Baths wa I. Meanwhile, the Paisal Taksin Hall was used for coronation ceremony.
Ihad drunk about a liter of mineral water when my friends asked me to take a rest in front of the Chakri complex. The buildings are extremely beautiful and i guessed thousands of Baths wa I. Meanwhile, the Paisal Taksin Hall was used for coronation ceremony.
Ihad drunk about a liter of mineral water when my friends asked me to take a rest in front of the Chakri complex. The buildings are extremely beautiful and i guessed thousands of Baths wa I. Meanwhile, the Paisal Taksin Hall was used for coronation ceremony.
Ihad drunk about a liter of mineral water when my friends asked me to take a rest in front of the Chakri complex. The buildings are extremely beautiful and i guessed thousands of Baths was was spent for the maintenance. Peng had taken some photos when Igot an idea to take a photo besides the buildings guard. We had not finishedhe journey yet, we still had one complex to visit – the Dusit complex. The complex consist of the Dusit Maha Phrasat Throne Hall and the Amphorn Pimok Pavilion. They are used as the lying – in state of Kings, Queens, and –honored members of Royal Family,. When i looked at my friends, i found them very tired and were about to dehydrate before we decided to get out of The Grand Palace complex and find some water to drink. Thing to drink We passed the Borom Phiman Mansion – the Beautiful Royal Guest House – and walked to the exit gate in rush the exit gate in rush to find a comfortable place to rest, drink and eat lunch. We diceded to go to a Thai restaurant near the Romantic. Chao phraya
My lunch, sea weed and shirmps soup, was infront of me but i was still thinking about the previous journey. We passed the places of hundreds year ago – the beautiful and luxurious buildings. In fact, some complexes are sclosed forbidden for the visitors. While sucking cha yen ( That iced tea with milk) throughthe straw, i suddenly realized that never in my life i thought about traveling in Thailand. My curiousity about Thailand was still in my head when i began eating my lunch at the restaurant facing Chao Phraya and Wat Arun from distance. On day i should be able to take my family to Thailand and have lunch on the ship along Chao Phraya. What a nice trip !!
We had seated back to the car which bring us home and get back to the routlines for the next days. The car moved very fast trough the free toll way when i found my own answer about Grand Palace. Its not a palace where the King Bhumibol Queen Sirikit live. In fact , it reflects the bright history at Thailand kingdom in previous time.

By Rina WahyuS.S.Pd.
A former Reform crew who studies in Thailand