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Wang Suan Pakkard ("Palace of the Lettuce Garden") is
one of Bangkok's most delightful retreats. This peaceful oasis was
the home of Princess Chumbhot of Nakhon Sawan. Five 19th-century
teak houses were moved from Chiang Mai in 1952 and rebuilt in a
beautifully landscaped garden on a private klong (canal), separated
by a high wall from the tumult of Bangkok's streets. The Lacquer
Pavilion (actually an Ayutthaya house, moved here in 1958) was a
birthday present from the prince to the princess.
Princess Chumbnot was an avid art collector and one of the country's
most dedicated archaeologists-credited with having partly financed
the excavations at Ban Chiang I in 1967. There is an entire room
of objects from that site, including pottery and jewelry, surpassed
only by the prehistoric findings exhibited at the National Museum.
The balance of the collection is diverse, with Khmer sculpture,
ivory boxes, perfume bottles, nielloware, marvelous prints by European
artists depicting their image of Siamese people before the country
opened to the Western world, a superb Buddha head from Ayutthaya,
and a royal barge. Do not miss the pavilion housing the princess's
exquisite collection of Thai and Chinese ceramics!
The gift shop at Wang Suan Pakkard offers ceramics, some genuine
and some reproductions at reasonable prices.
| Tour departure : |
Daily from Bangkok hotels |
| Duration (approximate) : |
09:00 - 12:00 hrs & 13:00 - 16:00 hrs |
| Transfer from/to hotel included : |
YES |
| Meals included : |
No |
| Language : |
English speaking guide |
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