Navy Club is the restaurant of the Royal Navy Association and it has one of the few coveted riverfront locations along this stretch of the Chao Phraya River
He was found dead in his bed with a gunshot wound to his head. In April 1981, the deputy commander Austin hotel hookup of the Thai army, General San Chitpatima, used the palace as his headquarters for an attempted coup against the Prime Minister Prem Tinsulanond. The coup was unsuccessful. In , the Grand Palace complex and adjacent Sanam Luang served as the setting for the funeral of King Rama IX – possibly one of the most ornate funerals in modern history. The ceremony took a year to plan, saw the construction of a nearly 50m-high gilded pyre, cost a total of US$90 million, and was attended by tens of thousands of mourners dressed in black.
Nearby restaurants Cap off your visit to the Grand Palace with lunch at Ming Lee, a charmingly old-school Thai restaurant located virtually across the street from the complex’s main entrance
The current king, Rama X, had his coronation held in the large A. Following the ceremony, the king carried on the Budtan Thong royal palanquin from the the hall’s throne room to the Wat Phra Kaew. Does the Grand Palace have a dress code? As with many of Bangkok’s sights, you will need culturally appropriate attire to enter the Grand Palace. This means being well covered. Visitors should wear long skirts/trousers and sleeved shirts-basically anything that covers more than the lower arms and head. Sleeveless shirts, vests, short or see-through tops are all prohibited, as are shorts and three-quarter length pants/skirts. Visitors won’t be able to enter if they’re wearing torn or skinny trousers, cycling shorts or miniskirts either. Those who aren’t dressed appropriately at the entrance can expect to be shown into a dressing room and issued with a sarong before being allowed in – this adds to queuing and unnecessary delays.
There are no restrictions as to what footwear you wear in the palace, but do note that you will be asked to remove your shoes to enter some of the buildings. Tickets and other practicalities The Grand Palace is open daily from 8. Enter the Grand Palace complex through the clearly marked third gate from the river pier. Tickets are purchased inside the complex and cost 500B. They also give you access to Wat Phra Kaew and Queen Sirikit Museum, which are both part of the complex. Thai people get in free. Tickets can also be bought in advance via the Royal Grand Palace website. Guides can be hired at the ticket kiosk and audio guides can be rented for 200B. The grounds and gardens are wheelchair accessible and there are accessible toilets onsite too.
Grand Palace tips Arrive early in the morning for the cooler weather and to avoid the crowds. Ignore any strangers close to the entrance who claim that any of the sights are shut. Carry drinking water. It gets hot on the bare courtyard during the day the only cafeteria within the complex was shut when we visited. Nearby hotels Travel a century back in time by booking one of the nine rooms in Asadang, a beautiful antique shophouse located in Chinatown. Rooms not particularly huge, but are big on atmosphere and come equipped with both antique furnishings and modern amenities. Located in a former school, the 42 rooms at Feung Nakorn Balcony surround an inviting garden courtyard and are generally large, bright and cheery. The charming hotel has a quiet and secluded location away from the main road.
Right in the heart of the hipster Tien village area, the rooms at Arom D are united by a cutesy design theme and a host of inviting communal areas, including a rooftop deck, computers and a ground-floor cafe. Locals come for the combination of views and cheap and tasty seafood-based eats – not for the cafeteria-like atmosphere. Alternatively, enjoy a Thai-themed cocktail and a spicy drinking snack at Err.