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We are not talking about Siam society in general, but about a century old organization that is located on Asoke road.
The website of Siam Society (see below) carries the following message, which accurately summarizes its activities :
"The Siam Society Under Royal Patronage was originally established in 1904 by Thai and foreign residents of Bangkok for those interested in the study of artistic, scientific and other cultural affairs of Thailand and the ways in which they relate to those of neighbouring countries. Today, The Siam Society continues to operate as a non-profit organization dedicated to its founding cause. "
If you are a long-term tourist or resident in Thailand and/or you are interested in the cultural, social and art-related aspects of Thailand, you should strongly consider getting acquainted with the Society and eventually become a member.
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Kamthieng House at Siam Society, Asoke Road, is a restored teak house, where you can wander around and observe household items and art objects from days gone by. |
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Siam Society is located at Asoke road, and nowadays is easily accessible, both with the BTS skytrain (Asoke station) and with the newly established underground (Sukhumvit station).
Kamthieng House is an open air museum. Admission for non-members of the Society is 100 baht. Here you will find many household items displayed, as well as art covering daily life a century or more ago. There are also modern audiovisual displays. It usually is not too busy and it is very pleasant to walk around in the compound. It easily makes you forget you are just 50 meters away from a busy Bangkok road.
Kamthieng House is a teakwood house, built on wooden stilts. It actually was dismantled in the north of Thailand, moved and reconstructed on its present location.
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View from a balcony on Kamthieng House. Sangaroon House in in front. Below the house is a Black Canyon coffee shop! |
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A book shop with contemporary books related to Thai Society, Culture and Art is located on the ground of Siam Society.
The Siam Society just recently increased its yearly fee to 3,500 baht (which unfortunately is a bit steep, in our opinion, and will deter potential members). You will get information on all the activities of the Society and have free access to regular lectures. There are also discounts for members for some items (books) on sale.
Being a member also allows you to access the library of Siam Society, which is located on the second floor of the main building. The library contains thousands of works related to Thai history and culture and is a necessity for people who want to dig deep into the backgrounds of Thai Society.
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(From Kamthieng House)
The 'mom', a mythical animal resembling a miniature Chinese lion, was believed to have the power to bring rain. In a ritual procession accompanied by gongs and drums, the mom would be carried on a bamboo tray with incense and candles offerings, while onlookers splashed water on it. In recent years, some localities have replaced the mom with a (live) cat. |
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Siam Society organizes regular lectures, as well as cultural tours around Thailand.
Lectures are usually on thursday evenings at 7:30 P.M. There is however no regular weekly schedule, and you need to access their website to see what's on. Non-members can attend the lectures, for a fee of 150 baht.
The tours inside Thailand can really be recommended. They are very well organized, both the day tours (best value) and the weekend tours. Very often places are included that an individual traveller will not be able to access easily on his own. Besides the knowledgeable staff of Siam Society itself, local top level guides of the places visited will also join the tours. You do not need to be an aspiring scholar of all things related to Thai culture and history. The tours can be enjoyed by the 'average' visitor or resident. Besides, if you are a long-term resident of Bangkok, it is a great way to get out of the city for a day or two.
The Siam Society also regularly organizes visits to Asian countries. However, they are not competitively priced.
Siam Society website
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