Royal Dockyard Museum
Naval museum
located along a dry-dock at the
royal shipyard, within the compound of the
Royal Thai Navy
base
in
Thonburi
(map
-
fig.).
Though the initiative to establish the
museum dates from 2008, it was officially opened on 25 August 2011 by
Navy Admiral Kamthon Phumhiran (กำธร พุ่มหิรัญ),
the then Navy Commander. The museum is housed in the former Directorate
of Operations of the
Naval Dockyard Department, a greyish-green
two-storey edifice that was constructed over 100 years ago, in the reign
of King
Rama V.
The first floor was built
using mortared masonry, while the upper floor is made of wood
and decorated in the architectural style, which is
informally referred to as Ban
Khanompang
Khing
(บ้านขนมปังขิง), i.e.
‘Gingerbread House’. The roof is
covered with diamond-shaped tiles, that are known in Thai as
krabeuang waw, literally ‘kite tiles’
(fig.), while perforated
ornaments
crafted from wood
run along the lower ridges
of the roof.
The museum exhibits the history of the area and of Thai shipbuilding
from the past to present, including scale models (fig.) of all kinds of boats (fig.),
their machinery and accessories, as well as a scale model of the area in
the beginning of the construction of the shipyard. There are also
numerous photographs of warships, as well as equipment and attributes
used by the Royal Thai Navy, including naval flags from the past (fig.)
and present. Also
referred to as the Naval Dockyard Museum and in Thai known as
Phiphithaphan
Uh
Reua
Luang
(พิพิธภัณฑ์อู่เรือหลวง), yet its full
official name is
Phiphithaphan Uh Reua Luang
Chaleum
Phra
Kian 84
Phansa
(พิพิธภัณฑ์อู่เรือหลวงเฉลิมพระเกียรติ
๘๔ พรรษา),
i.e.
‘To Honour
84 Years Royal Dockyard Museum’,
in English officially described as ‘His Majesty The King's
84 Birthday Anniversary Royal Dockyard Museum’,
as it is dedicated in honour of King
Bhumipon Adunyadet's
7th Birthday Cycle in 2011. See also
Chulachomklao Battle Ship Museum,
Naval Museum, and
Royal Barges Museum.
See MAP. 回
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