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You might stumble across a tree on a pedestal when walking from Phra Chan Market to Thammasat University. Why is this tree placed on a pedestal and decorated with garlands? Well, the tree has been linked with Thailand's struggle for democracy and the role Thammasat University has played here. The Bodhi Court is the birthplace of the 8 October 1973 student movement that grew into mass demonstrations for democracy and a new constitution. The students protested against the military junta and insisted on the release of 13 people that had been arrested for demanding a national charter. The number of protesters swelled to the hundreds of thousands and were relocated to the university's football field. On 13 October 1973 this large group of people started to move onto the streets. The following day, the government violently suppressed this mass demonstration, a key event in Thai modern history and the reason why the October 14 Memorial was erected near Khao San Road. On 4 October 1976, the Bodhi Court was the stage of an open-air stage performance that mocked the political culture of that time. When these parodies took hold of the newspapers' headlines on 6 October, the military junta violently attacked the student groups for being defamatory to the royal family. In 1991, a military coup d'état followed and a constitution was drafted that basically maintained the status quo. Students again gathered at the Bodhi Court to protest against the junta. After the 1992 general elections, the opposition to the junta gathered at the Bodhi Court, starting demonstrations that would evolve into more than 200,000 participants. The junta again cracked down in an event known as the Black May Massacre, but eventually all protesters were freed and the junta stepped down in favour of democracy. An important tree, indeed.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
วังหน้า Wang Na
Now the central building of the National Museum, the Front Palace used to be an enormous complex stretching from the Chao Phraya River across Sanam Luang to Lot Canal. It was built in the 18th-century, along with the Grand Palace. The Front Palace housed the heir to the throne, who was appointed by the King; usually a son or brother of the reigning monarch who bare the title "Second King" or "Vice-King". The title of Second King started in the Ayutthaya Period, but gained a significant amount of power during the Rattanakosin Period when the Second King even got its own private army and navy. This large amount of power often led to conflicts between the King and the Second King. The last to bare the title of Second King was Prince Vichaichan. In 1884, he got into a power struggle with King Rama V in an event known as the Front Palace crisis. King Rama V tried to modernise Siam in a rapid pace, and conservative forces and the nobility, including Prince Vichaichan, saw their power and influence being slowly eroded. When Prince Vichaichan got a letter threatening his life, he mobilised up to 600 of his private troops around his palace. The King also mobilised his troops, but this only underlined that the Second King's guards were more numerous and better equipped. After an explosion, a mysterious fire broke out in the Grand Palace, threatening Wat Phra Kaeo, and the Second King's troops got on their way to the Grand Palace to try to extinguish it; however this was blocked by the King's Royal Guards who feared that the fire was orchestrated by the Second King to take over the country. Afterwards King Rama V criticised the Second King for not moving all his troops to the Grand Palace, as an ancient custom dictated that the Second King's troops must actively protect the King and the Grand Palace in an emergency. King Rama V ordered his troops to surround the Front Palace, and Prince Vichaichan fled to the British embassy. After mediation, the powerful Western countries supported King Rama V, who abolished the title and introduced the Western-style "Crown Prince of Siam" for the heir apparent. Prince Vichaichan died one year later. The palace was turned into the National Museum's main building housing Thai art objects. Some walled remains of the old Front Palace complex can be found inside the Thammasat University complex.
พิพิธภัณฑสถานแห่งชาติ พระนคร
The National Museum took over the Front Palace grounds, a former royal palace built in the 18th century just like the Grand Palace. The grounds are attractive in parts, but a bit sprawling and difficult to navigate. The permanent exhibits are a mixed bag — there are some terrific new displays and dioramas on Thai history, but many other buildings are dusty collections of artifacts without much by way of explanation. A good way to cope with this is by taking the free guided tour in English (and German, French, Japanese), held on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 09:30. Allow a full afternoon to see this one as it is fairly large.
โรงละครแห่งชาติ
You might want to attend the National Theatre, where you can watch a classical performance or traditional dance (such as a khon dance). Don't expect an English language production though, as most shows are set up for the locals. Don't forget to get your hand on the programme first, as it will give a synopsis of what the play is about. Also stand up when the national anthem begins.
วังท่าพระ
Just outside of the Grand Palace, Wang Tha Phra Palace is now a part of Silpakorn University, where many artists started their career in the arts and humanities. In August 2010, Tha Phra Palace celebrated its 200th anniversary since its founding, and many home-grown artists were invited to make a painting about it. King Rama I built the palace for his nephew Prince Kasattiyanuchit, and since then, it has been a residence of many high-ranked princes, including King Rama III who lived here when he still was still known as Prince Krommuen Jesadabodin. The last prince to live here was Prince Naris, who moved out in 1934 when the palace was turned into an art school. The palace is a combination of Thai and European-style buildings. Just walking around the campus is a fun activity, as usually there are some art projects by students going on. 50 baht gets you into the library, which has plenty of English-language books about the Grand Palace, art, culture, religion, architecture and travel. Also in the Wang Tha Phra compound are the Silpa Bhirasri National Museum and the Art Centre Silpakorn University.
สนามหลวง
When Rattanakosin was established as Siam's capital, King Rama I designed this vast open field between the northern wall of the Grand Palace and the eastern wall of the former Wang Na Palace. At that time, the ground was a rice field sometimes used for royal crematoria. The ground was called "Thung Phra Men", which means crematorium ground in Thai. Considering that name was inauspicious, King Rama IV renamed the ground "Thong Sanam Luang", or the royal ground, and all rice farming there was ceased. Later, King Rama V had Wang Na's eastern wall demolished and enlarged Sanam Luang to its current size. The place has been used as the crematorium ground for kings, members of the royal family and nobility, in addition to being a royal sporting ground. 365 tamarind trees are placed around it. Sanam Luang is Bangkok's equivalent of a 'speaker's corner' where the people get together to talk politics. In recent history, the ground has been used for political rallies and demonstrations, such as the yellow and red shirt protests in the late 2000s. At December 5th, the birthday of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej, literally a million people come here to celebrate his birthday. Every night, a flea market is held on the streets surrounding it.
อนุสาวรีย์ทหารอาสา
This is a monument to the Thai expeditionary force that fought in European battlefields during World War I. After war broke out in 1914, Thailand had remained neutral for about three years. When the United States declared war on Germany in April 1917, King Rama VI still waited on the sidelines. Thailand had good relations with Germany, although eventually King Rama VI joined the Allies by declaring war on Germany and sent a militia of 1,284 volunteers to Europe on 20 June 1918. King Rama IV said that joining the Allies "would be an excellent opportunity for us to gain equality with other nations". Thailand had lost land to France and the United Kingdom and had to accept the imposition of extraterritorial rights for the citizens of these nations. By joining the war with the Allies, he hoped that they would be more flexible in amending those treaties in future. The expeditionary force returned to Thailand on 21 September 1919 and the ashes of the dead veterans were taken to be enshrined here three days later. The names of 19 soldiers killed in the Western Front have been inscribed.