Hello, I am a travel blogger named Jones Go. Today, I will introduce my personal experience of the Rattanakosin Exhibition in Bangkok, Thailand. I will tell you in detail about Sector 2. I hope that through this article, you can experience the rich history and culture of Thailand.

A Comprehensive Guide to Rattanakosin Exhibition

The Bangkok Rattanakosin Exhibition that I visited is a place where you can see Thailand's history and culture at a glance. The Rattanakosin Exhibition is divided into Sector 1 and Sector 2, so you can view it systematically. I entered at 10 AM and visited for about 5 hours until 4 PM, excluding lunch time.

It was a very informative time for me, who wanted to learn about Thai history. The reason is that it was a valuable time to learn about all of Thailand's history. If you want to learn about all of Thailand's history, there is no place in Thailand that is as well-organized as the Rattanakosin Exhibition. That is why you must visit the Rattanakosin Exhibition. After that, please refer to the next post for the story of booking a Tuk Tuk with friends at 5 o'clock and traveling around the city.

In this post, I will tell you about Sector 2 of the Rattanakosin Exhibition. Please also refer to the next post for detailed information about Sector 1.

Traditional Thai Lifestyle

Here, Sector 2 is divided into two parts, from Thai culture and customs to King Rama I to King Rama X. When you enter, you can first see a miniature of a traditional Thai house, and inside the miniature, you can learn about the entire process of a house in Thailand from birth to death through miniatures. One particularly impressive story is that when a child is born, people perform a ritual of cutting off only one side of their head. This part was also very interesting to me.

Structure of a traditional Thai house

I felt that traditional Thai houses were unique because they have a shape that you can't see anywhere else. The reason is that they are built in a rectangular shape, and they have a very simple shape. The house is built by raising it from the ground, covering the floor with wood, leaving half of it uncovered from the sun, and half of it covered so that people can live in the part where the sun is hidden.

My friend Pao, who visited with me, told me that her grandmother's house looked exactly like this house. Another friend recalled her childhood, saying that traditional Thai houses are built on stilts, right on the river, so she could enjoy morning diving into the river after waking up in the morning. And of course, she said she showered in the water. She also talked about stilt boats.

She said that at that time, women rode wooden boats and these boats performed a function similar to the current Tinder app. They were a place for communication, and especially when riding these boats, they would sing traditional Thai songs and coordinate their hand movements.

My friends taught me the hand movements, and they were really beautiful. And of course, you have to row the boat yourself to move it forward. I was able to vividly experience these interesting stories that I had never experienced through my friends’ childhood stories, and the museum in Sector 2 was also beautifully decorated, so I felt like I had gone back to their childhood.

The structure of traditional houses in Thailand developed according to the climate and lifestyle. For a comparative analysis of the structures of traditional houses in Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia, please refer to the following blog.

Uncovering the Heart of Thailand in Rattanakosin Exhibition

At the Rattanakosin Exhibition, you can also see the process of modernization in Thailand. The process of Western civilization being introduced, such as the construction of the first road, the introduction of a water supply system, and the establishment of an electric system, is well displayed. In particular, the mailbox imported from England was impressive.

What was particularly impressive was the streetscape of the place where the first road was laid, the system that no longer required going to fetch water, and the introduction of an electric system, which allowed people to live brightly even at night, and the appearance of Thailand at the time when many Western civilizations were introduced.

An interesting point is that all the postmen worked without shoes, and shoes were said to be very expensive at that time. I felt sorry for them because their work must have been quite difficult under the hot Thai sun. And the mailbox was written as being made in England, but at the time, Thailand did not have the technology to make mailboxes, so they had to import mailboxes made in England, which was also interesting to me.

History of the Rama Dynasty

After that, you can look at the achievements and reigns of Rama I to Rama X in detail. In particular, Rama IX is said to have contributed greatly to the modernization of Thailand, and is a king that many Thai people miss.

What I remember while watching this is that Rama I established the foundation of the country in Siam, which is located down the river, Rama II studied Buddhism, Rama III implemented trade expansion, and Rama V used the money accumulated through trade to prevent war for the people and achieved modernization.

And Rama VII fled to England after a coup, and Rama IX is the most recently deceased king, and he is the king most missed by Thai people. He had only one wife, and he brought all fields of Thailand, including medicine and science, to their current level, and he devoted himself to the people, so he was the most memorable king.

After appreciating the reigns of all the kings, my Thai friend next to me couldn't hold back his tears, and the friend next to him, who was visiting this museum for the fourth time, explained to me that he also kept crying at first. Through the stories of the previous kings, I could see how much Thai people miss and respect their kings, and my Thai friends also told me that they always miss and love their previous kings.

Tips and precautions for visiting

Make sure to visit with enough time. You need at least 3-4 hours.

The air conditioning is good, so prepare a thin outer garment.

Be careful because there are areas where photography is restricted.

Visiting the Rattanakosin Exhibition was a great help in understanding Thai history and culture. I hope you all stop by when you travel to Bangkok. You can find more detailed travel information and tips on my YouTube channel, Jonesgo. Everything you need to know about traveling in Thailand, with Jonesgo!