Chiang Mai National Museum

พิพิธภัณฑสถานแห่งชาติเชียงใหม่

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Interesting topics include

●       Natural and cultural background of Lanna Kingdom

●       History of Lanna Kingdom

●       Chiang Mai under the Kingdom of Siam

●       Lanna Kingdom : Trade and Economy

●       Life and Social Development

●       Development of Lanna Art

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Coordinates: 18.811458, 98.976298

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Chiangsaen National Museum

พิพิธภัณฑสถานแห่งชาติเชียงแสน

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Chiang Saen National Museum showcases the stone inscriptions collected from Phayao and Chiang Saen, sculptures and antiques of Chiang Saeng natives as well as the impressive collection of bronze Buddha images carved in Chiang Saen style. More to that is the Thai Ya, Thai Lu and many hill tribes’ artifacts that range from opium smoking equipment to ornament and musical instrument.

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Coordinates: 20.273623, 100.079168

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Kamphaeng Phet National Museum

พิพิธภัณฑสถานแห่งชาติกำแพงเพชร

The Kamphaeng Phet National Museum houses ancient objets d’art and artifacts from different eras such as the Rattanakosin and Lop Buri eras. Fascinating displays of ancient ornaments range from reliefs, earthenware designs, and heads of Buddha statues to sculptures of celestial beings used to decorate pagoda or Chedi bases. A bronze sculpture of the Hindu god Shiva, whose head and hands were removed during the reign of King Rama V, has been restored to its former glory and can also be viewed at the museum.

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Hari Phun Chai National Museum

พิพิธภัณฑ์สถานแห่งชาติหริภุญไชย

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Inside the museum, visitors can enjoy art objects and antiques very local to the northern region of Thailand. The exhibition is divided into three rooms. The first is the Stone Inscription Hall, located on the first floor of the main building. This open hall showcases 23 columns of stone inscription; seven columns from Hariphunchai period, sixteen from Lanna period. Continuing to the upper floor is where the Main Exhibition Hall - the long hall sectioned into three zones according to the periods of pre-Hariphunchai, Hariphunchai, and Lanna - could be found. The displayed objects range from skeletons, stone tools, iron tools, clay vessels, bracelets, Buddha images’ heads, to Buddhist votive tablets and many more. Last but not least is the Folk Arts and Carved Woodenwares Hall, which is set in the separate small building with the connecting hall from the main building. Most of the articles reflect the rounded local wisdom from Lanna and Rattanakosin period, for example, tools in everyday’s use, farming utensils, iron forging tools, traditional musical instruments, and architectural decorative carved wooden items such as ‘Tuai’ or bracket and ‘Ham Yon’ or decorating carved wooden clearstory.

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Map

Coordinates:  18.577165, 99.006661

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Nan National Museum

พิพิธภัณฑสถานแห่งชาติน่าน

The museum is divided into two floors. The lower floor shows the living of tribes in Nan province including important festivals such as the Life Prolonging Ceremony, the Longboat Racing, and so on. The upper floor is a display of antiques found in Nan dated from the pre-historic age to the time of series of viceroys. One of the important pieces is the left Black Ivory of ninety-four-centimetre length, weighing 18 kilograms - the spiritual significance of Nan obtained in the reign of Phraya Kan Mueang, the fifth royal governor. The biggest part of the ivory has the diameter of 47 centimetres. Some more precious antiques include: coated earthen wares of the 21st Buddhist century from Bo Suak, Bo Suak District, Amphoe Mueang Nan; the Buddha image in Subduing Mara attitude in Burmese-influenced Lanna style; the silver pedestal tray for betel nuts, one of the crown jewels of the last Nan’s royal governor.

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Coordinates: 18.776221, 100.770825

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Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat Woramahawihan (Wat Yai)

วัดพระศรีรัตนมหาธาตุวรมหาวิหาร (วัดใหญ่)

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Phra Si Rattana Mathat Temple or locally known as Wat Yai is considered to be the most important temple in Phitsanulok. It was built in 1357 during the reign of Phra Maha Thamma Racha I of Sukhothai Kingdom to enshrine the famous Phra Buddha Chinnarat statue. Phra Buddha Chinnarat is a bronze-casted statue widely considered the most beautiful image of the Buddha in Thailand. The statue’s unique feature is the halo that signifies the spiritual radiance of the Lord Buddha; it then becomes an influence to Buddha images in later years. The statue was coated in gold by King Ekatotsarot in 1931. Every year in January, there is a festival to celebrate Phra Buddha Chinnarat. Other interesting architecture details include the ordination hall's doors, which were made in 1756 using wood and pearl inlaid crafted by Ayutthaya’s royal craftsmen, and wall paintings depicting the life of the lord Buddha. There are three more attractions to admire: Phra Attharot standing Buddha statue, enshrined in front of the main pagoda, was casted in the same period as Phra Buddha Chinnarat; the 36-meter-high Phra Prang (pagoda) constructed using the early Ayutthaya style to enshrine the relic of the Lord Buddha.

Phra Buddha Chinarat National Museum is located within the ritual area in the compound of this temple.  There are Buddha images of the Sukhothai and Ayutthaya era, and other religious artifacts that were found in the vicinity.

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Coordinates: 16.823787, 100.262297

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The Ramkhamhaeng National Museum

พิพิธภัณฑสถานแห่งชาติรามคำแหง

The museum exhibits artifacts and antiques found during a series of excavations in Sukhothai Historical Park and Sri Satchanalai Historical Park in 1960s. Highlights of the museum are the Sukhothai-style Buddha images, regarded the most beautiful Buddhist image-style in the Thai history. Also, the exhibitions also display Chinese porcelain and precious artifacts that show to prosperity of Sukhothai during its heydays.

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Map

Coordinates: 17.018468, 99.707273

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Sawankhaworanayok National Museum

พิพิธภัณฑสถานแห่งชาติสวรรคนายก

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The museum exhibits artifacts and antiques found during a series of excavations in Sukhothai Historical Park and Sri Satchanalai Historical Park in 1960s. Highlights of the museum are the Sukhothai-style Buddha images, regarded the most beautiful Buddhist image-style in the Thai history. Also, the exhibitions also display Chinese porcelain and precious artifacts that show to prosperity of Sukhothai during its heydays.

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Map

Coordinates: 17.319909, 99.826422

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Website