The Ancient CityPrepared by Harold Stephens
Travel Correspondent for Thai Airways International
The Ancient City, that lies to the south of Bangkok, isn't listed as one of the country's top ten sites but perhaps it should be and especially for those who are spending only a short time in the Kingdom and want to see as much as they can. There is no better way to see Thailand in miniature, from the ancient past to modern day. Maybe the name is a misnomer and throws people off because there is more on display than ancient cities and ruins.
Travel brochures bill The Ancient City as the largest open-air museum in the world and when you begin walking around you might well believe it. Muang Boran, the Thai name, covers more than 80 hectares (about 200 acres) and presents scaled-down facsimiles of many of the kingdom's most famous monuments. The grounds follow Thailand's general geographical outline and with monuments placed accordingly.
The main entrance is where visitors must make their choice on how they wish to get around. There are electric-type golf carts that seat two, for 200- baht an hour or you can board an electric tram. If you feel energetic you can cycle. Bicycles are free: one seaters, tandems and three seaters. Or you can walk. The walkways are pleasant among shade trees and along peaceful canals or klongs as they call them in Thailand.
The entrance also marks the country's southern tip from where you work your way to the 'northernmost' monuments. Sculpture gardens are everywhere. There are over 100 monuments that were collected or reproduced. Some of them are re-creations of buildings that no longer exist. Other buildings are examples of traditional vernacular architecture that were scheduled to be demolished but instead were purchased by The Ancient City, dismantled and reconstructed in the park. Good examples are the traditional teak houses of Tak that were purchased and brought to The Ancient City.
The replicas were constructed with the assistance of experts from the National Museum to ensure historical accuracy. Outstanding works include the former Grand Palace of Ayutthaya (destroyed in the Burmese invasion of 1767), the Khmer Phimai Sanctuary in Nakhon Ratchasima, and Wat Khao Phra Viharn, another Khmer site on the Cambodian border. The Ancient City also has sculptures from the Thai epic story, the Ramakien, a display of the Royal Barge procession and a model Thai village in which craftsmen produce ceramics, paper umbrellas and lacquer items.
It does take the better part of a day to see the park and, of course, you will want lunch. There are many "snack bars" spread throughout the park and I found a vendor selling coffee that was a reminder of the coffee they used to serve in Bangkok. Poured from a sock, it brought back all the old memories and was delicious. For 30 baht you can have the coffee and the ceramic cup it came in as well.
The best place for lunch is in the re-creation of a Thai floating village. There are a number of restaurants in various styles on the water. Lady chefs prepare the food on small klong boats and you can walk around until one place strikes your fancy. The food is generally basic Thai. There are also some souvenir stands around the village where prices are not expensive.
The park is truly dedicated to preserving Thai cultural heritage in the form of the many significant buildings and historical places from throughout the country. Founded by a wealthy Thai gentleman, The Ancient City, or Muang Boran if you wish, is well worth a visit.
A visit to The Ancient City makes an excellent, but exhausting, full day outing from Bangkok. Be sure to start early and allow yourself the better part of a day to see everything. The Ancient City is in Samut Prakan, 33 km from Bangkok along the Old Sukhumvit Highway. Open hours are 8 am to 5 pm and admission to the site is 300B. Or better yet, join a Royal Orchid Holidays (BKKOP5) for the "optional tour" and travel to The Ancient Village in style and comfort.
Next week we will travel to another ancient ruin, King Narai palace in Louvo near the ancient capital of Ayutthaya.
Questions & Answers
Q. Dear Mr. Stephens. My husband and I are traveling to Bangkok for our first wedding anniversary on Valentine's Day. Are there any special offers or happenings on this occasion? Alice Gordon, Miami, Florida
A. Dear Alice, Yes, Bangkok does celebrate St. Valentine's Day. Nearly every major hotel will have something special going on. For example, the Sofitel Central Plaza in Bangkok celebrates St. Valentine's Day with what it calls "the sense of love" with the World's Biggest Sugar Icing Cupid made from sugar icing. Guests and visitors can view Cupid from 10 to 28 February 2006. The pastry team will use 50 kilograms sugar icing and 20 litres of eggs. "The world's biggest cupid" will be 2.50 metres high and it's not going to be only the biggest but no doubt the sweetest cupid as well. -HS
Harold Stephens
Bangkok
E-mail: ROH Weekly Travel (booking@inet.co.th)
Note: The article is the personal view of the writer and does not necessarily reflect the view of Thai Airways International Public Company Limited | 
