The Royal Barges Museum – A Dockyard Full of Glamour

Gilt edged and ornately decorated barges fill the dimly lit premises of what was formerly a dry dock. Though they are now used sparingly, their grandeur and regality have not diminished. The vessels which transported the Kings and Queens of Thailand through rivers, canals and water fronts stand proudly, enjoying all the attention they command.

Several centuries ago when water ways were the most popular medium of transportation these magnificent boats were used by the royal family for their travel, religious processions, coronation ceremonies, battles and of course the occasional boat race. The invention of the motor boat meted out a great injustice to the beautiful ships, therefore are currently used only for religious festivals, most notably the 'Kathina' ceremony. The ceremony indicates the end of the rainy season and during the time of the Buddha, the monks began their travel again to meet the Lord Buddha. This ritual is completed by offering alms and new yellow robes to the monks.

Guided by dozens of oarsmen these barges which now sit silently used to be part of Thailand's most important functions. The stately barge 'Suphannahong', whose prow took the shape of a swan was reserved for the transportation of solely the King and is a favourite among the tourists. The Anantanagaraj figurehead represents a seven headed snake, the god of the waters according to popular Asian mythology. At the museum, you will find these royal barges and numerous escort barges, such as the 'Asura Vayuphak' and the 'Krut Hern Het', all of which are intricately carved from teak, artistically designed and ornamented with precision. The picture gallery and relics depict the opulence of Thai ceremonies.

The glitzy past of Thailand is reflected in the architecture and ambience of a Bangkok apartment hotel, thus making them the preferred type of accommodation amongst most foreign travelers. The Citadines Bangkok Sukhumvit 11 is one such example that is a particularly popular service accommodation in Bangkok.