The King Prajadhipok (Rama VII) Museum, Bangkok

The King Prajadhipok Museum, 2 Lanluang Road, Bangkok originally housed the John Samson Tailoring Business.

Open Tuesday through Sunday except New Year and Songkran holidays.

An entrance fee is required (40 Bht 2007).

The museum does not permit photography inside the building.

Opened in 2002 and housing personal items that belonged to King Prajadhipok, King Rama VII, himself, his queen, Queen Rambhai Barni and artifacts of the era.

The permanent exhibitions that display the royal regalia, personal effects, photos and historical documents are housed on the 2nd and 3rd floors.

Exhibition topics include: The succession of The King Prajadhipok, the seventh king of the Chakri dynasty, to the throne, the coronation, royal activities, personal effects, his life after he abdicated and historic documents of state. The collection reflects the fact that he was a hard-working, effective administrator who was intellectually equal to the demands of his office, but whose main failing was to underestimate the Bangkok elite's growing need for constitutional change.

King Prajadhipok was the last absolute monarch and the first constitutional monarch of Siam, Thai people refer to him as Ratchakan Thi Chet, literally 'The Seventh Reign'.

After he abdicated in 1935 and spent the rest of his life with his Queen, Queen Ramphaiphanni in exile, living in Surrey England. The couple had no children, but adopted the infant son of one of Prajadhipok's deceased brothers. The stepson would later serve as a RAF fighter pilot during the Battle of Britain!

This was part of a self planned walking tour that included viewing : The Golden Mount, Wat Saket, King Prajadhipok Museum, Mahakan Fort, Loha Prasart, The Democracy Monument, City Hall, The Giant Swing, The Ministry of Defence, City Pillar Shrine.

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