The Grand Palace construction was initiated in 1782 by the King Rama I. The king Rama I also formed a dynasty in Thailand named Chakri Dynasty. After its beginning, a good number of buildings were added with the Palace. Though the royal family members lived on the Grand Palace for about 150 years, they had to leave the residence gradually for different reasons, and finally in 1932 all the government offices and agencies were moved from the Palace following the Monarchy abolition. Surrounded by walls, the Grand Palace is placed on 218,000 square meters. Located at the Chao Pharaya River, the Grand Palace is bordered by different roads. The Grand Palace is a combination of different halls, buildings, courtyards and gardens. The Palace is separated into different parts including the temple of the emerald Buddha, middle court, outer court and many public buildings.

The Grand Palace contains history of about 200 years of Thailand and a part of the establishment is opened as a museum. Some royal offices are still found inside the four walls of the Grand Palace. During its construction, the Grand Palace experienced fund shortage and was made of wood and after a few years, the woods were replaced with masonry. The entire structure of the Grand Palace was replaced with the masonry materials including the walls, gates, thrones hall, residences and everything. Bricks from the old royal palaces were used as materials to build the Grand Palace. Traditionally the palace was known as the Royal Palace and since 1851; the name was changed to as the ‘Grand Palace’.

Travel Guide information of Grand Palace: If you want to visit the Grand Palace, there are several ways and routes available to reach. You can use BTS skytrain, and boat service to reach the palace. Ride the sky train and get off at the Taskin Bridge station. Take a boat on the river that will take you to the opposite side pier and the Grand Palace is on the pier number 9. You cannot miss the Grand Place.

There are several ways you can get to the Grand Palace in Bangkok. The most popular way is to catch the BTS (Skytrain) and then a riverboat. But if you aren’t confident using the local transport, you can always catch a taxi or one of the designated hop-on-hop-off bus tours, boats or tuk-tuks.

BTS & Riverboat:

The easiest way to get to the Grand Palace is via the BTS (Skytrain) and the Chao Phraya Express Boat.

Take the Silom Line (dark green), get off at Saphan Taksin Station (S6 Station) and take exit 2. Then, take the Chao Phraya Express Boat to Ta Chang Pier (No.9) and walk for about 10 minutes, following the signs to Grand Palace.

Hop-on-Hop-off Riverboat:

For minimal hassle, you can also take the hop-on-hop-off Chao Phraya Tourist Boat. The boat stops at the major tourist spots in Bangkok including the Royal Palace Bangkok (Tha Maharaj Pier).

Hop-on-Hop-off TukTuk:

Unless you are staying in central Bangkok, hiring a tuk-tuk can get pretty expensive. If you, however, only have little time in the city and still want to see the major Bangkok landmarks, get a 1-day unlimited Hop-on-Hop-off pass.

The pass includes access for both tourist Tuk-Tuk and Chao Phraya Tourist Boat making it a hassle-free day out.

Local Taxi:

If you are on a budget, it’s always a good idea to check the distance between your hotel and the Grand Palace Bangkok. Taking alternative ways such as riverboats may be quicker and way cheaper than hiring a taxi.

But if a taxi is your preferred mode of transport, be sure to catch one with a meter. Using the Grab Taxi app (works like Uber) could be a good alternative to local taxis, especially those without a running meter.