The Royal Plaza
Encyclopedia
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
as Equestrian Plaza , is a public square in Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
, Thailand (13°46′8"N 100°30′44"E).
It is located in front of Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall in Dusit Palace, Dusit
Dusit
Dusit is one of the 50 districts of Bangkok, Thailand.The district forms the main administrative center of Thailand, as both the national parliament as well as the royal palace are located in this district, as well as several ministries...
, Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
, which was the former reception hall of the palace where King Chulalongkorn
Chulalongkorn
Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramintharamaha Chulalongkorn Phra Chunla Chom Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Rama V was the fifth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri. He was known to the Siamese of his time as Phra Phuttha Chao Luang . He is considered one of the greatest kings of Siam...
Rama V once lived, and was later used as the first parliament building. On 24 June 1932, the plaza and the throne hall witnessed one of the most important events in Thai history as the People's Party staged a bloodless revolution
Siamese Revolution of 1932
The Siamese Revolution of 1932 or the Siamese Coup d'état of 1932 was a crucial turning point in Thai history in the 20th century...
that transformed the country from absolute monarchy to democratic constitutional monarchy. The plaza was the rally site for People's Party supporters demanding the constitution. The first permanent constitution was ceremoniously granted in the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall on 10 December 1932. Next to the plaza is Amporn Garden, the venue of the annual Red Cross Fair. Dusit Zoo
Dusit Zoo
Dusit Zoo at Khao Din Park is a city zoo in Bangkok, Thailand.Located at Khao Din Park in Bangkok's Dusit District next to the Parliament House and Dusit Palace, it is the oldest zoo of Thailand, built by King Chulalongkorn as his private garden adjacent to the royal palace. After the King's...
is also located near the plaza. At the center of the plaza is the Equestrian Statue of King Chulalongkorn Rama V, the Great Beloved King.
History
The Equestrian Statue of King Chulalongkorn Rama V the Great was erected in 1908 two years before his death from a fund raised by the Thai people. The statue was cast in Paris by a French craftsman. The remainder of the fund was spent by King Rama VI on the establishment of Chulalongkorn UniversityChulalongkorn University
Chulalongkorn University is the oldest university in Thailand and is the country's highest ranked university. It now has nineteen faculties and institutes. Regarded as the best and most selective university in Thailand, it consistently attracts top students from around the country...
, which was named after King Chulalongkorn, Rama V.