Royal Barges National Museum

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ATTRACTIONS IN & AROUND BANGKOK

Royal Barges National Museum (Tel. 4240004)

This shed, where several royal barges are displayed, is located on Khlong Bangkok Noi off the Chao Phraya River not far from Phra Pin Klao Bridge. These barges were used on Royal and government occasions and formerly served war vessels. The most beautiful and well-known barge is "Suphanahong'' used by the King only when he made his Royal river procession for the Kathin ceremony a Buddhist tradition of offering robes to monks, usually during October or November. The Royal barges proceeded during the Rattankosin Bicentennial celebrations. The unique design and decorative details of each barge should be of great interest to all visitors.

The shed is open to the public every day from 8.30 am-4.30 pm. There is an admission fee of 10 baht.

A source for further information in Bangkok is the Tourism Authority of Thailand, phone 226-0060. If you are calling from outside the country, that number will need to be prefaced by country code 66, city code 2. In the U.S. the Tourism Authority can be contacted at (312) 819-3990, fax (312) 565-0359; in Canada at (604) 733-4540, fax (604) 733-4599; in Sydney at 9247-7540, fax 9251-2465; and in London at (171) 499-7679, fax 629-5519.