One of the most beautiful ceremony you will ever see floating in the river is The Royal Barge Procession which amazing royal barges glide along Chao Phraya river. Each barge is taken care of very carefully by the Fine Arts Department under supervision of the Bureau of the Royal Household and royal navy. In normal days, the royal barges are kept in National Museum of Royal Barges. The National Museum of Royal Barges in Bangkok is a former royal cradle for royal barges. The Fine Arts department registered every barge as national heritage and appointed the cradle to National Museum of Royal Barges Bangkok in 1974.
Antiques in the National Museum of Royal Barges
1. The Suphannahong Royal Barge. The barge figurehead was crafted to swan shape. This is a supreme barge where the king sits during the procession. The Suphannahong Royal Barge was built in King Chulalongkorn and finished in the reign of King Rama 6.
2. The Narai Song Suban HM Rama 9 Royal Barge. The Fine Arts department in collaboration with The Royal Navy and the Bureau of the Royal Household built this barge especially for King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
3. The Anantanakkharat Royal Barge. The barge figurehead was crafted to naga-shape with 7-heads. This is also the supreme barge which was built in the reign of Rama VI for carrying important Bhuddha images or robes for presentation to the monks at the end of Buddhist Lent in The Royal Barge Procession.
4. The Anekchat Puchong Royal Barge. The figurehead was crafted to small many naga-shape. This barge is a reserved barge which was built in the reign of King Rama V.
5. The Asurawayupak Royal Barge. The figurehead is a monster with a body of indigo bird.
6. The Karbi Prab Maung Marn Royal Barge. The figurehead was crafted to a swordsman shape.
7. The Krut Hern Hej Royal Barge. The figurehead was crafted to garuda-shape.
8. Akkachai Hern Haw Royal Barge. The figurehead was decorated with crocodile paintings. |