A few hundred meters from Asoke, one of the busiest intersections on Sukhumvit, is the Kamthieng House Museum, run by the Siam Society. It is a series of tiny 160-year-old teak houses that have now been converted into museums. The Baan Kamthieng House Museum in the Watthana district of Bangkok is an oasis in the concrete jungle surrounding it. This attraction is worth a visit if you are in the area. Kamthieng House was originally a 19th-century traditional house on the banks of Mae Pin in the Chiang Mai district, later moved to Bangkok.
Now it is the headquarters of the Siam Society and houses carefully annotated archival pieces to promote Thai Lanna heritage, culture and traditions.
Things to do at Sukhumvit:
The house museum displays many exhibits, such as an original loom used to weave silk, a rice barn, a variety of farming and farming tools, etc. The supernatural beliefs of Thai people are represented in this museum with jewelry and other amulets well depicted. There is also a unique animation that shows the entire building from a lizard’s point of view. Exploring the Kamthieng Royal House Museum takes about an hour and gives you a glimpse of Thai history. When Ban Kamthieng’s home moved to Bangkok from Mae Ping’s Bank in Chiang Mai, the royal family moved in the 1960s.
In earlier times, the houses were occupied by rural farmers, so you’ll get demonstrations of 19th-century practices and peasant culture, some of which are maintained to this day. Browsing the Kamthieng House Museum on busy Sukhumvit Soi 21 is a breeze as it stands out between the soaring spires. Walk a few hundred meters from the Asoke intersection along Sukhumvit Soi 21 and Siam Society. It takes only five minutes on foot from Sukhumvit MRT and Asoke BTS station. Stations to the museum. When using public transportation such as Skytrain, please use MRT Exit 1 and BTS Exit 3.
Kamthieng House Museum highlights:
Exploring this museum takes less than an hour, but there is enough to keep you interested. Artifacts are well displayed and include a rice barn, a selection of tools and an original loom used to weave silk. There is also a fascinating display of amulets and trinkets detailing Thai beliefs in the supernatural. Everything in this museum is carefully annotated to help you better understand Thai history. The house is also ideal for photographers as the quaint buildings starkly contrast with the Mall. Children will also enjoy it with a fun animation that describes the construction of the house from the point of view of a lizard and the possibility of climbing near many elements.
Baan Kamthieng is also a remarkable museum with decent exhibits. If you liked Jim Thompson’s house and want to see the rural version of Thai life 100 years ago, this is the place for you.
Good to know about Baan Kamthieng House Museum
A visit to this traditional house will give you a taste of traditional rural life in Thailand. It’s not worth making a long journey to see unless you’re passionate about Thai history, but take a look if you’re in the Asok area. Baan Kamthieng House Museum is easy to reach; walk down Sukhumvit Soi 21, and Siam Society is just a few hundred meters from Asoke Junction and a 5-minute walk from Sukhumvit MRT Stations and BTS Asoke Skytrain Stations. Use MRI exit one or BTS exit 3.
