Bangkok midtown area is the area that has both new and old culture mixed. You will find both old and new local culture. The midtown of Bankgok offfer attractions that both foreign tourists and Bangkokians would enjoy visiting. These include Sam Yan Market, Chulalongkorn University, Museum of Human Body, National Stadium Bangkok, Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute, Bangkok Railway Station, Lumpini Park and more.
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Sam Yan Market
The new Sam Yan Market is currently set behind the Chulalongkorn University Stadium now, not far from the original location in Soi Chula 52, according to guidelines for developed areas of the University.
Sam Yan Market’s building is completely original form but there are still imporovements to be cleaned up. Sales of fresh snacks and cooking ingredients will be lower. So the question is can the sale of mushrooms, pork, poultry, fresh seafood and desserts support the culture here?
Sam Yan Market’s top floor is home to the three steak, which are availble in man stores. Since, there are a variety of great tasting dishes at affordable prices, many people are attracted to visit and taste the three steaks frequestnly. Sam Yan market is located on Soi Chulalongkorn 9 Rama 4 Road.
Chulalongkorn University
Thailand’s first university was established in 1899 at the Grand Palace by Rama V’s order and moved to its current location by Rama VI’s order in 1911. The university is shady, cool, and pleasant by its mascot trees and rain trees. This makes the university an ideal place to take a walk.
There is an old well-designed building like “Thewalai” (Maha Chulalongkorn Building).” Its unique architecture is derived from Shukhothia and Sawankhalok architecture. The building was designed by Karl Dohring, a German architect and art historian, and Edward Healey, an English architect from the Ministry of Education. The Thewalai building received “Best Conservation Site’ prize from the Association of Siamese Architectus in 1987.
The front entrance of the university is on Phayathai Road and the back entrance is on Henri Dunant Road.
Museum of Human Body
It is one of eleven anatomical museums in the world, and the first one in Southeast Asia. The museum utilizes Plastination technique, which uses liquid plastic as a substitute for body fluids to preserve body parts, to exhibit more than a hundred parts of human body. This facilitates the study of anatomy in many respects. The museum is on the 9th floor of the Faculty of Dentistry of Chulalongkorn University.
National Stadium Bangkok
The sport complex consists of Supachalasai Main Stadium, Thephasadin Stadium, Jindarat Stadium, Witsutamol Swimming Pool, Nimibud Gymnasium, and Jhanthana-Yingyong Gymnasium, The main stadium was complete in 1941.
Photo credit: Nation Thailand
National Stadium bangkok was a multi-purpose stadium with a track and field for athletic contests. There are 20 rows on eastern and westrn stands. The western stand is covered with a projecting roof without supporting pole.
There are high relievves of the Department of Physical Education’s emblem, Indra mounting on Airavata, at the top of main facade’s columns. There is a tower with a gate at each end of the stadium’s front.
The eastern gate is called ‘Pratu Chang’ (The elephant gate) and the western gate is called ‘Pratu Kai’ (The rooster gate). In 2008, the stadium underwnt a major renovationin its 70th anniversary. The entrance to the VIP zone is decorated with the Grand Palace’s miniature that makes it resemble Windsor Palace, which was on the site of the stadium.
Thephasadin Stadium, Nimibud Gymnasium, Jhanthana-Yingyong Gymnasium, and roads and walkways in the complex also received extensive renovation. The National Stadium Bangkok is located close to the BTS National Stadium Station
Lumpini Park
Lumpini Park is the first public park of Thailand, built on the area around Thung Sala Daeng which was granted by King Rama VI purposefully to hold ‘Siam Rat Pipitthapan’, the fair exhibiting commodities and natural resources in 1925.
Photo credit: sarakadeelite.com
Afterward, Lumpini Park became the botanical park, in accordance with the King’s desire, for public benifit in education and recreation. It alos located the first fpublic library of the country and was named Lumpini Park by the King for the Buddha’s birthplace namesake.
With its large capacity, the park could be partioned into many parts, e.g. the royal statue of King Rama VI, the exercise ground, the food centre, the youth centre, the bike lanes, the pond with rentable boats, etc.
The park is known as the public exercise space in the morning and evening with varieties of activities of activities and comfortable atmosphere all around the year. The park is between Rama 4 Road, Ratchadamri Road, Soi Sarasin and Witthaya Road with the entrance facing to Rama 4 Road.
Bangkok Railway Station (Hua Lamphong)
As the country’s first railway station, His Majesty King Rama V wanted to put the country on a par with the West. Bangkok Railway Station opened for the first time on the 25th of June, 1916, the buildingis dome-shaped with a large Italian ornamental clock as a symbol designed by Mario Tamagno, the italian architect who designed the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall.
Photo credit: travel.mthai.com/
Bangkok Railway Station’s interior is decorated with beautiful carved ornaments, especially the hall ceiling, which utilized a rare wood high relief engraving. The stained glass at the front and rear vents uded materials imported from Germany.
All current railway stations remain open for regular service. There are about two hundreds trains serving passengers who want to roam around the country. Within Bangkok Railway Station the first steam locomotive and the train Memorial chapter presented an interesting study visit.
Nearby there is also “Bridge Battle Royal” (Yotse Bridge) near by the station built on the initiative of King Rama VII to solve traffic problems. This was Thailand’s first bridge for cars crossing over a railway track. The station is on Luang Road.
William Warrent Library
The library is situated next to Jim Thompson’s House Foundation. The library compiles extensive information on Jim Thompson. It is named after William Warren, the first writer ever who has investigated the life of Thompson.
The library’s collection also provides general books especially art book. The library regularly hosts events on contemporary art and culture. There is a Thompson was figure sitting in the reading room as symbol of the foundation as well as being a visul artwork. Its location is on Soi Kasemsan 2 on Rama 1 Road which is close to Jim Thompson House Museum.
Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute
Queen Saovabha Memorial Intitute was built in 1922 by the commencement of King Rama VI, at first, the institure was for the treatment of rabies, and then became the laboratory for research and producing serums.
Queen Saovabha Memorial Intitute’s first building, Sapha Nayika Building, the Neo-Classical architecture that adapted to the tropics, is listed as the conserved building by The Association of Siamese Architects. Inside is the famous snake farm of the Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute and the Thai Red Cross Society.
Queen Saovabha Memorial Intitute is the second snake farm of the world and the first one in Asia, Queen Saovabha Memorial Intitute’s main purpose is growing venomous snakes to produce serums. Thre are also informative exhibitions and shows about snakes in many respects (the evolution of snakes venom and its cure etc.). The institue is on Rama 4 Rd.
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