Kamthieng House Museum (The Siam Society), Bangkok

Kamthieng House Museum, Bangkok Overview

A couple of hundred meters away from Asoke, one of the busisest junctions in Sukhumvit, is Kamthieng House Museum run by the Siam Society. It is a string of 160-year-old tiny teak houses now converted into a museum. Situated in the Watthana District of Bangkok, Baan Kamthieng House Museum is an oasis in the concrete jungle surrounding it. This attraction is worth dropping by, if you are in the area.

The Kamthieng House was originally a traditional 19th-century house sitting on the banks of Mae Pin in Chiang Mai district which was later relocated to Bangkok. Now the headquarters of The Siam Society, it houses carefully annotated archival pieces with an aim to promote Thai heritage, culture and traditions of the Lannas.

Exhibits and Artefacts at Kamthieng House Museum

The House Museum displays a wealth of exhibits such as an original loom used to weave silk, a rice granary, a selection of farming and agricultural tools etc. The Thai’s beliefs of supernaturals are well displayed with trinkets and other charms in this museum. There is also a unique animation that shows the entire building with the point of view of a lizard.

History and Significance

Exploring the royal Kamthieng House Museum takes around an hour which gives you a brief insight into Thai history. When Ban Kamthieng House shifted from the bank of Mae Ping in Chiang Mai to Bangkok, the royal family moved along in the 1960s. In earlier times the houses were inhabited by rural farmers, hence, you get demonstrations of the 19th-century practices, more about the culture of farming, some of which have been carried forward even to this day.

How to Reach Kamthieng House Museum

Spotting Kamthieng House Museum on the busy Sukhumvit Soi 21 is a piece of cake as it stands out among the soaring towers. A few hundred metres stroll from Asoke junction along the Sukhumvit Soi 21 and the Siam Society. It hardly takes five minutes to walk from Sukhumvit MRT and Asoke BTS stations to the museum. In case of using public transport like sky train, make sure to take the MRT exit one and BTS exit three.

Tips

1. Make sure that you understand the address as it gets overshadowed by surrounding huge buildings.
2. It is better to take a cab if you are not sure about the location.
3. Buy your tickets at the official counter only.