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Thailand

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"Hidden" attractions of Bangkok

On this page I will show you some attractions that are not very well-known by tourists, because they cannot be reached or seen so easily.

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Rama IX Park

Pata Zoo

Department of Export Promotion Exhibition

Philatelic (Stamp) Museum

Museum of Forensic Medicine (For people with strong minds only!)

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Related page: Phuttha Monthon Park, with some very fine Buddhist Art.

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Rama IX Park

I call it "hidden" because it is very far from the area's where tourists normally come: It is on Sukhumvit Road, Soi 103. It has daily about 400 visitors, but most of them are Thai. I think foreign tourists should go there too, at least if they are interested in parks and/or plants. I have been there several times now, and I expect that I will go there again. The pictures date from 2004.

This park was designed on the occasion of the 60^th birthday of the present King, King Rama IX. The park is quite large. In the center you find a building where a permanent exhibition about the many talents of King Rama IX is located.

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In one part of the park you will find some gardens in, what is thought to be, European style

On the two pictures above tow of these gardens are shown: On the left hand side you see the "Spanish Garden" and on the right hand side you see the "Italian Garden".

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The park has many exotic and romantic areas. On the left hand side above you see a water party with a romantic bridge.  On the right hand side you see an overview o0f one of the  greenhouses: the bromelia greenhouse.

Don't forget to look around you well in all parts of the park. otherwise you may miss flowering trees (see the left hand side picture above) and many fine areas with - for instance - shrubs (see the right hand side picture above).

And while you are there, pay some attention to the many garden workers you will see in Rama IX Park. There seem to be 400 workers full-time or part-time working there! And I can assure you that it shows that the garden is kept beautifully

If you have become as impressed by this park as I have, you really should take one day, or at least half a day, to visit this remote, but beautiful park.

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Pata Zoo

This is a real zoo on the two upper floors of Pata Department Store (near Pinklao Bridge).

Although the conditions under which the animals in this zoo live are (far) below the current, modern, standards, I have retained this part of the page - with mixed feelings - for the time being, because I consider this zoo a curiosity. I also believe that it is better for these animals to generate some income for pata Zoo, then to ignore the zoo and worsen the conditions further.
The Thai authorities are investigating this zoo, and may close it soon.

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It is hardly advertised at all. Go to the highest floor of Pata Department Store where the normal sale takes place and look or ask for the entrance of the zoo. You have to pay an entrance fee.

First you will come to a floor with aquariums and terrariums. I was not able to take pictures there, due to the lack of light. Especially the reptiles that you will see there are very impressive. It is good collection of reptiles.

Then you ascend to the top floor and you come to the real zoo.

As you can see it is not a tiny zoo with just a few animals, but I would call the size retlatively impressive, given the fact that it is located in and on a normal building. The view from the top (right hand side picture) comes free of charge with your ticket.

You will find monkeys as well as larger mammals in this part of the Zoo.

So, if you want to give your children and yourself a rare attraction after shopping, go to this zoo.

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Department of Export Promotion Exhibition

On Rachadaphisek Road there is an Exhibition Center, where the "Department of Export Promotion" used to organise exhibitions, several times a year of good quality export products in Thailand.
Nowadays these exhibitions of Thai products are mostly held in IMPACT Center, Muang Thong Thani, just outside Bangkok.

You can -of course- also buy these products, and because these exhibitions are in the first place meant for Thai people, the prices are more than reasonable. On the other hand you can be sure that you buy good quality, because the sellers there will lose their license if they sell inferior products.

So what kind of products can you expect there? From my memory I mention - in random order - leather products of all kinds, like shoes, bags, belts etc., silk flowers and other silk products, Thai canned and otherwise packed foodstuffs, "Benjarong" porcelain ("five colored" porcelain), clothing, jewelry (although I would be a bit careful with buying jewelry in Thailand, although I believe this is a safe place, because of the danger for the traders to loose their license).

Check out the website of the Department of Export Promotion to see if there is an exhibition during your stay in Bangkok!

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Philatelic (Stamp) Museum

No photography is allowed inside, so I can only show you a picture of the building. It is the building on the left hand side of the red mailbox (which is an antique mailbox, by the way). This museum, where they do have every Thai postage stamp, from the very first one up to the latest one, is certainly worthwhile for all stamp collectors, and for all of you who like small works of art, because the Thai postage stamps really are small works of art!
The museum is located in the Saphan Kwai (Buffalo Bridge) district, on Pathon Yothin Road. There is a small Post Office between Soi 3 and Soi 5. Get out of your taxi or bus there. While facing the Post Office, on the right hand side of it there is a small path to the museum. If I remember it well, you will find a sign at the beginning of that path). If you can't find it, ask for the Museum inside the Post Office.

The Museum of Forensic Medicine

I call this a "hidden" attraction, because it is not widely known by tourists. It is located on the grounds of Siriraj Hospital and can be reached easily by -for instance-  the Express Boat. Get out at the Siriraj Hospital Pier and ask one of the nurses, or other personnel walking on the grounds, for the Museum, or -better still- for See-Uey, because that is the main attraction of the museum.

Among other things you can look at rarities like Siames twins that did not survive (left hand side picture). The main attraction, however, is the executed body of the notorious Chinese child murderer See-Uey (right hand side picture) who not only killed his victims, but ate their bodies, or at least their intestines (liver, kidney etc.).

(Please note that this museum also shows you that punishments for criminal offenses are severe in Thailand and that therefore it is best not to come into contact with Criminal Justice during your stay in Thailand!)

Now, before leaving this page, look the late See-Uey into what is left over of his eyes....

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