Sanam Chandra Palace

Rama VI built Sanam Chandra between 1907 and 1911 as a country residence near the Phra Pathom Chedi, and it is an unusually personal set of buildings for a Thai royal site - the king, educated at Sandhurst and Oxford, built in a mixture of English half-timbering, Thai teak and European neoclassical, and used it for the Wild Tiger Corps, his paramilitary volunteer organisation, and for writing; he was a prolific playwright and translator of Shakespeare. Several villas stand in the grounds, including Phra Thinang Chali Mongkhon Asana in Tudor style and Mareerachratchaballang in Thai. In front of one is a bronze statue of Ya Le, the king's dog, shot dead by a palace guard while the king was away - Rama VI raised the memorial and composed the inscription himself, and it is one of the more affecting royal monuments in Thailand. The grounds are now shared with Silpakorn University.

What you'll find

• The mixed villas - English half-timbering, Thai teak and neoclassical in one compound.
• The Ya Le monument - the bronze to the king's shot dog, with his own inscription.
• The Wild Tiger association - the paramilitary corps the king based here.
• The grounds - gardens shared with Silpakorn University.

When to go

November to February. Ticketed with set opening hours and some buildings closed on certain days. Two hours covers the villas and grounds.

Practical notes

Not all buildings are open on any given day. Ticketed, with photography restricted inside. English interpretation is limited. Dress code applies at royal sites - shoulders and knees covered.

Nearby

Phra Pathom Chedi is two kilometres east; Bangkok is an hour by train.

Key facts