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The Royal Summer Palace of Thailand

April 8, 2018 | Michael Turtle | 11 Comments

ROYAL PALACE

Bang Pa-in Palace, Thailand

The Summer Palace at Bang Pa-In makes a great day trip from Bangkok. But behind the beautiful buildings and gardens, there’s a tale of tragedy.

It would be nice to have a Thai summer palace you could head to when the days got hot, wouldn’t it?

You know, you could jump on a royal barge, float down the river to your tranquil holiday home and then spend the days walking around the compound, reading by the lake and entertaining guests from across the country.

Bang Pa-In Palace, royal summer palace, Thailand

Well, it does sound nice. Unless you’re Queen Sunanda Kumariratana and Princess Karnabhirn Bejraratana who died on their way there!

The year was 1880 and on the way to the Summer Palace at Bang Pa-in their raft capsized. Back then it was punishable by death to touch a member of the royal family so everyone was scared to help them.

As it turned out, a member of staff actually instructed everybody to not touch them… and so the queen and the princess sunk to the bottom of the river in front of all those pairs of terrified eyes and helpless limbs.

Bang Pa-In Palace, royal summer palace, Thailand

Bang Pa-In Palace, royal summer palace, Thailand

The staff member got jail time, courtesy of King Chulalongkorn, and his wife and daughter got memorials at the Bang Pa-in Summer Palace. They’re tucked away in a garden on one side, but are worth a look.

Bang Pa-In Palace, royal summer palace, Thailand

The history of Bang Pa-In Royal Palace

The whole palace is, in fact, worth a visit. It’s about two hours north of Bangkok and just 20 minutes south of Ayutthaya. It spreads out over a huge area that is filled mainly with grassy lawns and massive water features. Little canals run through most of the compound, connecting to the river alongside it.

Bang Pa-In Palace, royal summer palace, Thailand

Bang Pa-In Palace, royal summer palace, Thailand

The buildings throughout the palace are interesting for their diversity. There’s a Chinese-style royal palace, a colourfully-painted lookout tower, and the traditional but simple Thai style of architecture for the smaller residences.

But what’s really noticeable are the European influences. Those cherubs did not grow up in Thailand!

Bang Pa-In Palace, royal summer palace, Thailand

Bang Pa-in Palace was renovated in the late nineteenth century by the then King Chulalongkorn (Rama V). He was clearly inspired by some of the architecture and styles of the great palaces in countries like England and France.

As the complex was restored, they were incorporated into some parts. It explains the statues that look like they belong in Versailles and the buildings which could have a game of croquet taking place on the lawn in front of them.

Bang Pa-In Palace, royal summer palace, Thailand

These days the palace is very rarely used by the royal family – only for occasional banquets or special occasions. It has been left for the tourists (and there aren’t that many) to enjoy as their own little wonderland. It is still immaculately maintained and is fitting as any royal residence.

Bang Pa-In Palace, royal summer palace, Thailand

Bang Pa-In Palace, royal summer palace, Thailand

To visit it feels like stepping inside a capsule, insulated from the madness of the countryside around it. Bang Pa-in is a tiny town in comparison to much of Thailand but there’s still the manic pace and the sensory overload. Inside the walls of the summer palace, all that dissolves and you’re left in tranquility.

Visiting Bang Pa-In Royal Palace

If you would like to visit Bang Pa-In with a guide, most of the tours from Bangkok are combined with a trip to Ayutthaya. I would recommend these ones:

Powered by GetYourGuide. Become a partner.

If you would like to travel independently to Bang Pa-In, then I hope you find this information helpful.

Bang Pa-In Palace is about 60 kilometres due north of Bangkok. The official address is Tambon Ban Len, Amphoe Bang Pa-in
Chang Wat Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya 13160 Thailand. You can see it on a map here.
The easiest way to get to Bang Pa-In from Bangkok is by train. There are regular departures from the main train station in Bangkok and the trip takes about 90 minutes. It costs ฿12 (US$0.40) for third class and ฿54 (US$1.70) for first class. To see the timetable, you can check the State Railway of Thailand.
Bang Pa-In Palace is open every day from 08:00 - 16:00.
For foreigners, a ticket costs ฿100 (US$3.20). The entrance is ฿30 (US$0.95) for Thai nationals.

Reader Interactions

    Comments Cancel reply

  1. Angela Gregory |

    January 27, 2013 at 7:06 pm

    Reply

    Thanks for the great photos. I wish I can visit Thailand one day 🙂

    • Michael Turtle |

      February 6, 2013 at 1:35 am

      Reply

      I’m sure you’ll get there one day. It’s a pretty easy country to visit and has so many beautiful things to see and do (and eat!)

  2. Erin Smith |

    January 29, 2013 at 2:52 pm

    Reply

    Beautiful photos. I love those elephant topiaries! I’m going to Thailand in March but unfortunately won’t have enough time to make a visit there. Looks beautiful.

    • Michael Turtle |

      February 6, 2013 at 1:42 am

      Reply

      Maybe next time? 🙂
      Where are you going in Thailand on this trip?

  3. Gemma Winston |

    May 13, 2013 at 8:00 pm

    Reply

    Nearby Ayutthaya its definitely worth a visit – UNESCO World Heritage Site and the old capital of Thailand. Still amazingly well preserved considering it was the Siamese Kingdom from 1351 to 1767.

    Royal Winter Palace – Phu Phing Palace – located in Chiang Mai, is also very cool! And has equally beautiful and colourful landscaped gardens (although I’m not sure about topiary elephants!)

    • Michael Turtle |

      May 25, 2013 at 5:14 am

      Reply

      Yes, Ayutthaya is incredible and definitely worth a visit. I had a great time there.
      I didn’t make it up north this trip so missed the Winter Palace in Chiang Mai. I’ve seen some photos and it looks just as stunning!

  4. Sam @ Travellingking.com |

    December 30, 2013 at 9:18 pm

    Reply

    What a beautiful place – we went here while in Bangkok, interesting different types of building, English style, Chinese style.

    Did you have a guide or did you do it on your own? We went a guide and got a history lesson at the same time

  5. Maria Tse |

    June 8, 2018 at 5:20 am

    Reply

    Hi

    I was told by a local agent that the Bang Pa-in Palace is closed for renovation now. Is this information correct ?

    I want to clarify this before making my visiting plans.

    Regards
    M Tse

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This is the website of travel writer, Michael Turtle. After working in broadcast journalism for a decade in Australia, Michael left Sydney to travel the world indefinitely and write about the places, people and experiences he discovers. This isn't a diary - these are real stories from the world.

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