City walk · Rattanakosin, Bangkok · Thailand
Prince Bhanurangsi Savangwongse
1859–1928 · a real person
An old prince in 1928, courteous and dry, a soldier who would rather talk about letters than battles, fond of this city to the point of grief
Read what Prince Bhanurangsi Savangwongse says
I am Bhanurangsi, son of King Mongkut, brother of King Chulalongkorn — and by now, the only one of them left above ground. They call me Prince Uncle, which is a polite way of saying everyone else has gone. I was born behind this wall, I gave Siam its post office, and I am told I was the first man here to be called Field Marshal, which impressed me less than the first letter that ever arrived on time. Today I would like to walk my city once more, in order, from the gate of my birth to the temple where my father's world lies on its side. Walk with me; I cannot go alone any more.
5.0 (1)88 min · 2.7 km · 9 stops · medium
You’re walking this one before anyone at Walk & Tell has. If something looks wrong, tap Report at any stop — we’ll fix it for everyone after you.
Partly shadedBest time to walk: Early morning, before 10am — Sanam Luang and the palace walls have no shade by midday. The Grand Palace admits visitors 08:30–15:30 with a strict dress code; the outdoor stops are open at any hour.
The walk
A slow story walk around Rattanakosin Island, told by Prince Bhanurangsi Savangwongse — soldier, first Field Marshal of Siam, and the man who gave the country its postal service. There are no puzzles here: at each stop he arrives, tells you what happened on this exact patch of ground, points out what to look at, and walks on. The route runs from the gate of the Grand Palace, up past the old Front Palace and the royal turf, then down the canal to the cannon, the garden palace and the reclining Buddha. It is the whole first century of Bangkok, in the voice of a man who watched most of it.
