Chitralada Palace
Chitralada Palace is the residence of King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) and Queen Sirikit in Bangkok.
The king’s residence is the former summer villa of Chulalongkorn. It is surrounded by a park of about 1 square kilometre with numerous artificial lakes. Here the king, known for his scientific interests, conducts numerous agricultural and technical experiments. Pumipon Adulyadej is the first monarch in the world to receive a patent (in 1993) for the invention of a water treatment plant. Within the park is a cattle farm, an experimental dairy, several laboratories and fish cages.
.The residence of Chitralad is home to eleven famous royal white elephants. The number of these noble animals has long measured the prestige of Thailand’s monarch. King Bhumibol far surpassed his predecessors in this respect. Never before in one reign have so many albino elephants been received as a gift.
The canal surrounding the park played its historic role in 1973, during the student unrest. At that time, the demonstrators sought shelter in the grounds of the royal residence – and got it. This increased the popular love for the already popular King Bhumibol.
The palace is closed to public access.
