Tha Chang (, ), or Tha Chang Wang Luang (, ), with designated pier code N9, is a pier on the

Chao Phraya River The Chao Phraya River is the major river in Thailand, with its low alluvial plain forming the centre of the country. It flows through Bangkok and then into the Gulf of Thailand. Etymology Written evidence of the river being referred to by the ...

at the end of Na Phra Lan Road in the area behind the

Grand Palace The Grand Palace (, Royal Institute of Thailand. (2011). ''How to read and how to write.'' (20th Edition). Bangkok: Royal Institute of Thailand. . ) is a complex of buildings at the heart of Bangkok, Thailand. The palace has been the officia ...

next to Nagaraphirom Park and Ratchaworadit Pier.

Description

250px, The old Neoclassical shophouses lined up on the front of Tha Chang Pier Its name meaning ''Elephant Pier'' (''Tha'' is jetty, pier and ''Chang'' is elephant), it was built in the reign of King

Phutthayotfa Chulalok Phutthayotfa Chulalok (born Thongduang; 20 March 1737 – 7 September 1809), also known by his regnal name Rama I, was the founder of the Rattanakosin Kingdom (now Thailand) and the first King of Siam from the reigning Chakri dynasty. He asce ...

(Rama I), who was the first monarch of the

Chakri Dynasty The Chakri dynasty is the current reigning dynasty of the Thailand, Kingdom of Thailand. The head of the house is the Monarchy of Thailand, king, who is head of state. The family has ruled Thailand since the founding of the Rattanakosin era and ...

and the founder of the Rattanakosin Kingdom. At that time, elephants from the Grand Palace were brought to this area to take a bath, so it was called ''Tha Chang'' in Thai. It was also known as ''Tha Phra'' (, , "Pier for Buddha") in those days because it was the point where a large Buddha image named Phra Sri Sakyamuni was brought from a raft to be enshrined in the inner city (now called

Rattanakosin Island Rattanakosin Island (, , ) is a historic area in the Phra Nakhon District in the city of Bangkok, Thailand. It is bordered by the Chao Phraya River to the west and various canals to the east that were dug to serve as moats for what was originall ...

). Phra Sri Sakyamuni is now the principal Buddha image of

Wat Suthat Wat Suthat Thepwararam (, ) is a Buddhist temple in Bangkok, Thailand. It is a royal temple of the first grade, one of ten such temples in Bangkok (23 in Thailand). Construction was begun by King Rama I in 1807. In the beginning, it was initiall ...

. At present, Tha Chang is a pier that hosts the

Chao Phraya Express Boat The Chao Phraya Express Boat ( ''Ruea Duan Chao Phraya'') is a transportation service in Thailand operating on the Chao Phraya River. It provides riverine express transportation between stops in the capital city of Bangkok and to Nonthaburi Pro ...

that runs between Bangkok and the north ends in Nonthaburi Province, including a ferry pier that crosses to

Thonburi __NOTOC__ Thonburi () is an area of modern Bangkok. During the era of the Ayutthaya Kingdom, Kingdom of Ayutthaya, its location on the right (west) bank at the mouth of the Chao Phraya River had made it an important garrison town, which is ref ...

side at the Wat Rakhang in Bangkok Noi District and Tha Wang Lang in the area of

Siriraj Hospital Siriraj Hospital (; ) is the oldest and largest public hospital in Bangkok, Thailand on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River, opposite Thammasat University's Tha Phrachan campus. It is the primary teaching hospital of the Faculty of Medicine S ...

as well. In addition, it also has a number of retail shops and eateries. At the corner of the Tha Chang area, there are old

shophouse A shophouse is a building type serving both as a residence and a commercial business. It is defined in the dictionary as a building type found in Southeast Asia that is "a shop opening on to the pavement and also used as the owner's residence ...

s built during King

Chulalongkorn Chulalongkorn (20 September 1853 – 23 October 1910), posthumously honoured as King Chulalongkorn the Great, was the fifth king of Siam from the Chakri dynasty, titled Rama V. Chulalongkorn's reign from 1868 until his death in 1910 was cha ...

's (Rama V) reign with a beautiful plaster pediment, pilasters, and stucco. The buildings have all been registered as archaeological sites by the

Fine Arts Department The Fine Arts Department (, ) is a government department of Thailand, under the Ministry of Culture. Its mission is managing the country's cultural heritage. History The department was originally established by King Vajiravudh in 1912, split o ...

since 2001 and have been renovated and maintained at present.

Another Tha Chang

There is another Tha Chang, Tha Chang Wang Na (, ). It was formerly a royal pier and then a ferry port, taking passengers to

Bangkok Noi railway station The Siriraj Bimuksthan Museum, originally known as the old Thonburi station (, ), built as Bangkok Noi station (, is a Brick Expressionism style building in Siri Rat subdistrict, Bangkok Noi district, Bangkok. It was built as a railway station ...

and other places along the canal

Khlong Bangkok Noi 250px, Khlong Bangkok Noi near Wat Si Sudaram Khlong Bangkok Noi (, ; lit 'Small Bangkok Canal') is a ''khlong'' (คลอง; canal) in Bangkok; its name is the origin of the name Bangkok Noi District. The mouth of Khlong Bangkok Noi is loca ...

. The area was once located back gate of the Wang Na (Front Palace). There was a royal elephant

kraal Kraal (also spelled ''craal'' or ''kraul'') is an Afrikaans and Dutch language, Dutch word, also used in South African English, for an pen (enclosure), enclosure for cattle or other livestock, located within a Southern African Human settlement ...

nearby. The pier where royal elephants were brought for bathing known as ''Tha Chang Wang Na'' (The Front Palace's Elephant Pier). In

King Rama IV Mongkut (18 October 18041 October 1868) was the fourth king of Siam from the Chakri dynasty, titled Rama IV. He reigned from 1851 until his death in 1868. The reign of Mongkut was marked by significant modernization initiatives and diplomati ...

's reign, Prince

Pinklao Pinklao (; 4 September 1808 – 7 January 1866) was the viceroy of Siam. He was the younger brother of Mongkut, King Rama IV, who crowned him as a monarch with equal honor to himself. Early life Prince Chutamani was born on 4 September 1808, as ...

(second king resided at front palace) preferred his courtiers to park their barges at the pier near his residence. He ordered the demolition of part of the city wall and its replacement by a gate for the royal elephant passing by. The pier has been called ''Tha Chang'' since then. The former elephant pier was later renamed as ''Tha Khun Nang Wang Na'' (ท่าขุนนางวังหน้า, "The Front Palace's Courtier Pier"). For the present, Tha Chang Wang Na has long lost its status as a pier. It is located under the

Phra Pin Klao Bridge The Somdet Phra Pinklao Bridge (, , ) is a bridge near the Grand Palace over the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, Thailand. It links Rattanakosin Island with Thonburi. Background The bridge is named after Pinklao, vice-king of Siam, 1851–1866. In ...

on the beginning of

Phra Athit Road Phra Athit Road (, , ; lit: ''"Sun Road"'') is a short street, long along Chao Phraya River to the northeast. Back in the past this road was full with important buildings such as houses of nobility and mansions as residence of ambassadors from ot ...

next to Bangkok Tourism Division. Moreover, its vicinity is the location of Phra Arthit Mansion, unofficially known as ''Tham Niab Tha Chang'' (ทำเนียบท่าช้าง, "Tha Chang House"), it was the residence of senior statesman

Pridi Banomyong Pridi Banomyong (, , ; 11 May 1900 – 2 May 1983), also known by his noble title Luang Praditmanutham (), was a Thai lawyer, professor, activist, politician, and senior statesman. He served in multiple ministerial posts, as regent, and as pri ...

during his regent tenure in the World War II period.

References

External links

* {{coord, 13, 45, 08.7, N, 100, 29, 17.8, E, display=title Phra Nakhon district Neighbourhoods of Bangkok Chao Phraya Express Boat piers category:Piers in Thailand