Amata City: One-day gateway to Rattanakosin

One-day gateway to Rattanakosin

The Rattanakosin Exhibition Hall is set to serve as a multimedia learning hub where visitors can learn and feel the culture, art and traditions of the old town

Published: 4/03/2010 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: Outlook

Want to know all about Rattanakosin town within one day or just a few hours? Then your destination is none other than the Rattanakosin Exhibition Hall, the latest edutainment centre that ensures all visitors get answers in their quest to know more about this oldest part of Bangkok - and have fun.

Details of the 12 original Rattanakosin communities are presented in an interactive exhibition.

Located next to Mahajesadabodintr Pavilion Court in front of Wat Ratchanadda's Loha Prasat building on Ratchadamnoen Klang Avenue, the majestic four-storey hall, which officially opens for public viewing on March 9, serves as a gateway to Rattanakosin's old-town quarters from Phan Fa Bridge.

As the name suggests, the hall, which is called "Hor Nitas Rattanakosin" in Thai, presents Rattanakosin town and its historical highlights, as well as traditions, arts and culture, beginning from its inauguration in 1782, when King Rama I established the Chakri Dynasty. It employs advanced interactive multimedia technology that helps make the learning process a joyful experience.

The project, which is in line with the Ratchadamnoen development master plan, began in 2008 when the Crown Property Bureau, the building's landlord, advised all tenants to leave the building, referred to as "Tower I", to pave way for renovations and be reused for edutainment purposes.

A screen shows how ‘khon’ characters make different gestures to express the same mood.

A team of experts took part in the project to make the exhibition lively and informative, namely Phaothong Thongchua, Prof MR Nangnoi Sakdisri and National Artist Supachai Chansuwan, among others.

At this stage, seven exhibition rooms are open for public viewing; two more will be ready in the next few years.

The first room, the "Grandeur Rattanakosin Room", tells the history of Rattanakosin from its very first day, while the second room, the "Prestige of the Kingdom Room", presents a state-of-the-art Grand Palace replica. With the help of multimedia techniques, visitors can get a glimpse of the Emerald Buddha images in three different costumes simultaneously before taking a stroll through the evening gate that imitates the palace's interior quarters.

A replica of the white elephant, a creature for His Majesty the King.

The third room is the "Remarkable Entertainment Room", where visitors are made to feel like they are standing right in the middle of Sanam Luang, while witnessing the panoramic view of Thai traditional entertainment spectacles. And there is a section of khon masked dance that presents this classical performance from every angle. The khon section, supervised by National Artist Supachai Chansuwan, is supposed to help visitors follow the traditional masked dance performance more easily as they learn more of the story, Ramakien, and other different khon gestures through various characters. Apart from the masked dance there is also a puppetry corner where visitors can try their hand at animating the puppets.

The fourth room, the "Renowned Ceremonies Room", features some royal ceremonies that were revived by His Majesty the King, such as the Royal Ploughing Ceremony; visitors will be charmed by the image of the royal barge processions. The fifth, "Graceful Architectures", highlights Thai architecture in three main categories: palaces, temples and residences. Here, visitors will get a glimpse of several royal residences in the old town quarters, including Wang Voradis of Prince Damrong, among others. It also features commoners' houses in different architectural styles - traditional and those under Western architectural influence. In this particular section, each visitor can choose a travel arrangement, a gimmick of horse riding, boat rowing or a car that cruises down the old town section while taking in the splendid view of various styled homes.

Rice stems, husk and farmers’ woven trays are used to decorate the ‘Renowned Ceremonies Room’, which put the Royal Ploughing Ceremony in focus.

The sixth, "Impressive Communities", presents the 12 original communities around the so-called Rattanakosin Island, including the Ban Krong Nok at Mahakan Fort community and Ban Bat (monks' bowl-makers' community). Through an interactive technique, visitors only need to step on a designated spot for each community, and an information board will be illuminated. By changing the spot, they can move on to another community.

The last is the "Sight-seeing Highlights", where many interesting places in the old-town quarters such as the Giant Swing and city parks are portrayed. With the use of an animation technique, the visitors can see themselves in those landmark areas.

Apart from the in-house exhibition, there will be added entertainment activities inside and outside the hall every month. Outdoor activities, which will primarily take place at the Mahajesadabodintr Pavilion Court, include flower shows, light and sound presentations, concerts as well as outdoor film screenings. And a library that holds rare books about Rattanakosin town can be found.

An image of the Emerald Buddha as the highlight of the Prestige of the Kingdom Room.

Upatham Nisitsukchareon, director of Rattanakosin Exhibition Hall, pointed out that the hall is not exactly a museum, as this fine venue will also accommodate a variety of presentations and selected activities to make it more attractive.

More importantly, it will embrace the "night museum" concept in which doors will stay open until 8pm, he said.

Apart from the new multimedia technologies, Upatham said, the hall boasts "new knowledge" about Rattanakosin and related stories. Among them is the origin of the Emerald Buddha image. He suggests that the sacred image did not come from elsewhere, but "has belonged to Thailand from the very start".

Phaothong Thongchua said the suggestion comes from the fact that the Chiang Saen-styled image was found in Chiang Saen, which is now a district in Chiang Rai province. For that reason, it could be concluded the image had belonged to Thailand from the very beginning, before being taken away and eventually taken back to the land of Siam.

"This is an old fact that we hardly have discussions about," he said, when asked if the new information would trigger a big debate, since the discovery of the Emerald Buddha image in Chiang Saen or Chiang Rai in 1436 was way before the northern city fell under Siam.

Phaothong conceded that the conclusion was made within the present-day perspective, and that now Chiang Rai is a province of Thailand.

However, Chirayu Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya, director of The Crown Property Bureau, was well aware of the historical argument. He said some historical information presented in the Nitas Rattanakosin Hall is open to debate and may well be adjusted.

The ‘Grandeur Rattanakosin’ Room.

A room simulates royal living quarters in the early Rattanakosin era. Visitors will hear a recorded woman’s voice describing the pleasure of life in the old-day palace.