The Abhisek Dusit Throne Hall – in support of Thai handicraft

The Abhisek Dusit Throne Hall
in support of Thai handicraft

The Abhisek Dusit Throne Hall is a single story ornate building with beautifully carved floral motifs on panels adorning the gables and eaves.

Located near the east entrance of Dusit Garden, the throne hall was completed in 1904 and was used for official receptions of foreign dignitaries during the reign of King Rama V.

After decades of disuse this throne hall was restored in the late 1980s and officially opened on 20 January 1993 by Their Majesties the King and Queen.

The grandeur within the main throne hall is accentuated by the high ceiling with elaborate designs and plush carpeting. The throne still stands at the far end of the throne hall.

This main hall in the Abhisek Dusit Throne Hall, where foreign dignitaries used to come to pay homage to King Rama V, is now filled with exhibits of Thai handicraft.

These are the products of work sponsored by the Foundation for the Promotion of Supplementary Occupations and Related Techniques or SUPPORT Foundation. The foundation was established in July 1976 under the royal patronage of HM Queen Sirikit to preserve traditional Thai art and handicraft and to assist rural folks in marketing their work to augment their incomes.

Some examples of this collection are:

Silverware – Intricate Thai designs elaborately chiseled on the surfaces of handmade silverware.

Neilloware or Krueng Thom - An exquisite art form, in which thin sheets of silver coated with gold are cut, bent, twisted and molded into various shapes. Designs are engraved on the surface and painstakingly filled with a black a metallic amalgam.

Khram – delicate floral designs with fine pieces of gold and silver beaten and stamped onto the surfaces of boxes or vases.

Another cabinet displays necklaces and brooches made from precious stones presented by northern hill tribes to HM the King and HRH the Crown Princess during the royal visits to these remote areas.

The second room in the Abhisek Dusit Throne Hall holds a splendid array of fine Thai silk from the different provinces, each with their own distinctive styles and textures. The collection includes traditional northern hill tribe embroidery and baskets woven from indigenous vine.

The remaining two rooms display sculpture, carvings from soap and wood. Of particular interest are framed figures of Talung puppets used in a shadow drama from Southern Thailand in which puppets chiseled from buffalo hides are manipulated from behind a lit screen to a running commentary.

The collection of Thai handicraft within the Abhisek Dusit Throne Hall exemplify the versatility and skill in Thai arts

The Abhisek Dusit Throne Hall not only preserves the architecture and lifestyle of a bygone era but also a treasure house of handicraft representing the finest in Thai artistry and craftsmanship.

Treasure house of Thai handicraft

To return to Dusit Garden.

No cameras are allowed in the throne hall

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