A few miles down the Chao Phraya River from Ayutthaya is the Bang Pa-In Summer Palace.
The site was first used by the royal court
as a summer retreat in the 17th century. The Palace was destroyed with the fall of the Kingdom of Ayutthaya and was restored by King Rama IV in the mid-19th century. Most of the buildings that exist today date from the
reign of King Rama V, who regularly spent his
summers there. The structures represent a variety of architectural styles, set in a large park around ponds and waterways.
Bang Pa-In Royal Palace พระราชวังบางปะอิน, also known as the Summer Palace, is a palace complex formerly used by the Thai kings.
King Prasat Thong constructed the original complex in 1632, but it fell into disuse and became overgrown in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It was unused until King Mongkut began to restore the site in the mid-19th century. Most of the present buildings were constructed between 1872 and 1889 by King ...
History of Loy Krathong Festival
Loy Krathong Festival originated from an old Brahmin festival that paid respects to the water spirits. Thai people float krathongs to give thanks to the water goddess for the fortune of having water while others will ask for forgiveness for using too much or contaminating it.
Loy Krathong originated in the ancient Sukhothai Kingdom, over 800 years ago. The King, Ramkamhang, was a devout Buddhist and believed that at the end of the Thai year his people should pay tribute to the water goddess, Phra Mae Khong Ka, for all they had been given. So he chose a night with a full moon after the monsoons, meaning the rivers and canals would be at their fullest, to worship.
A popular legend says that one of the King's consorts, Nang Noppamas, was the one who created the first Krathong. Noppamas was the daughter of a Brahmin priest and adapted an existing Brahmin tradition to make the float from banana leaves. The king was impressed and he proclaimed that every year on ...
The Khmer Empire was a powerful Kingdom in South-East Asia. Its major architectural works (temples and sculptures) are located in present day Cambodia, where the capital of the empire was located. However, during long periods of time the Khmer ruled over parts of present day Thailand, Laos and Vietnam.
Like other major ethnic groups in the history of South-East Asia (the Thais, the Mons, The Chams) the Khmer are thought to have descended in the prehistoric period from the river valleys in Eastern Tibet and Southwest China. The Khmer appear first on the scene (in Chinese records) in the second half of the 6th century A.D. with the Kingdom known as Chenla.
Since the Khmer reigned for long periods over extended areas of present day Thailand, Thailand has a substantial number of important Khmer monuments on its territory, mainly in its Northeastern Region (such as Phonom Rung and Muang Tam in Buriram Province, Phimai in Nakhon Ratchasima province, Muang Singh in Kanchanaburi province). Any look ...
The annual Phimai Festival and Boat Race in Phimai, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, is held on the the first or second weekend each November. It is a wonderful event and perfect for families that want to see a part of Thai culture.
The 11th century Khmer temple is transformed into a stage with thousands of spectators. This impressive stone temple is the backdrop for a show telling the story of one of the ancient Khmer kings and of the temple.
The music and dance is amazing with lights shining on the ancient temple in the background. The show ends with a fireworks display.
Admission to the show is free but you need to either get tickets online or at the front entrance around 5:00. The show starts at 7:00 and lasts for about an hour and thirty minutes. It’s a nice way to promote the temple and is very popular for locals and tourists alike.
Phimai Festival 2024- Traditional Music and Dance Show - Phimai Historical Park Thailand
