Lopburi Attractions

Khuen Pa Sak Cholasit The biggest reservoir in Central Thailand, the Pa Sak Cholasit Dam was constructed as part of the Maenam Pa Sak Royal Development Project, an initiative of King Bhumibol. Constructed in 1989, the earth (soil)-filled dam with a clay core was granted the name by His Majesty the King who presided over its opening on 25 November 1999.

The biggest reservoir in Central Thailand, the Pa Sak Cholasit Dam was constructed as part of the Maenam Pa Sak Royal Development Project, an initiative of King Bhumibol. Constructed in 1989, the earth (soil)-filled dam with a clay core was granted the name by His Majesty the King who presided over its opening on 25 November 1999. The Dam stretches over Lop Buri and Saraburi Provinces. It is 4,860 meters long with a capacity of 785 million cubic meters.

Pa Sak Cholasit Dam is a major source of water for household, agriculture and industrial use in Lop Buri and Saraburi Provinces. Moreover, it helps prevent flooding on the Pasak riverside and Bangkok and its outskirts. The dam also provides large-scale, fresh-water fish for locals.

An emerging tourist attraction, Pa Sak Cholasit Dam offers a unique opportunity to travel across the reservoir by train. The railway was constructed along the dams ridge which leads to Pa Sak Basin Museum and a scenic lookout point above the dam. The journey offers a breathtaking and refreshing view of the reservoir, and also a bed of sunflowers. It serves daily from 7.30 a.m.-18.00 p.m. The fare is 25 baht for adult and 10 baht for children.

Getting to Pa Sak Cholasit Dam is easy. By car from Lop Buri city, take Highway No. 3017 (Phatthana Nikhom Wat Mueang) for a total distance of 60 kilometers. It is highly recommended to take the trip by train during November January. The State Railway of Thailand operates a special route to and from Bangkok-Pa Sak Cholasit Dam every Saturday, Sunday and public holidays. For more information, contact tel: 02 223 7101 or 02 223 7020.

Phra Narai Ratchaniwet (King Narais Palace)

The palace was built in 1665 and 1677, when King Narai the Great decided to make Lop Buri the second capital of the Ayutthaya Kingdom. Although the buildings were designed by with the contributions of French architects, the Khmer influence was still strong. The Palace was a perfect blend of the both world, an awesome mixture of Khmer-European styles.

After the death of King Narai the Great in 1688, the palace was deserted. It was not until the reign of King Rama IV during the Ratanakosin era, that the Palace was restored and renamed Narai Ratchaniwet.

The Palace is located in the town center, between Ratchadamnoen Road and Pratu Chai Road. The whole complex has been turned into the Lop Buri National Museum (commonly known as King Narai National Museum).

The Palace can be accessed through the Pratu Phayakkha, which is currently a town park, located off Sorasak Road. The Palace opens Wednesdays through Sundays from 7.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.

Within the Palace lies a number of compounds containing pavilions, some built during the reign of King Narai and others constructed during the reign of King Rama IV.

Structures built during the reign of King Narai the Great include:


Chantara Phaisan Pavilion
The first Palace of King Narai the Great in Lop Buri, the Pavilion was subsequently turned into an audience hall after he moved his residence to the Suttha Sawan Pavilion. The fact that the building is of pure Thai architectural style indicates that no French architects were involved in the design and construction process. King Rama IV (King Mongkut of the Ratanakosin era) restored the building in 1863. The Pavilion was once used by the privy-council as a meeting hall. Now, it serves as a hall displaying archaeological and art objects, especially the Lop Buri-style stone Buddha images, historic paintings from the era of King Narai the Great and Buddhist art objects from the Ayutthaya and Ratanakosin period.

Phra Khlang Supharat
This compound was built as a place to store royal treasures and royal goods sold to foreign merchants during the late 1600s. It is commonly known as the Twelve Treasure Houses.

Elephant and Horse Stables
This compound is located close to the wall separating the outer and middle sections of the Palace.

The Water Reservoir
Constructed during the reign of King Narai the Great, the reservoir stored water which came from a freshwater lake Tale Chupsorn, through the well designed terra cotta pipes. Tale Chupsorn was the main lake supplying drinking water to Lop Buri residents.

The Dusit Sawan Thanya Maha Prasat Hall
Constructed under the royal command of King Narai the Great, the Hall was formerly used by King Narai as an audience hall receiving high-ranking foreign ambassadors. This was the place where the King received Chevalier de Chaumont, the representative of King Louis XIV of France. The Hall was built in a perfect blending of French and Thai architectural styles.

The Suttha Sawan Pavilion
The Pavilion was once located amidst a beautifully decorated garden with ponds and fountains. This was the place where King Narai the Great resided and died on 11 July 1688. Apart from the Pavilion, which had been restored by King Mongkut, only the remains of man-made hills and fountains can be seen.

Kraison Siharat Hall
Commonly known as Phra Thinang Yen, the Hall is located on an island in a dried up lake, Thale Chupson, which once supplied fresh drinking water to the people of Lop Buri. Kraison Siharat Hall was used as the residence of King Narai, Jesuits and envoys of King Louis XIV of France when they came to witness a lunar eclipse on 11 December, 1685

Phra Chao Hao Building
Built by King Narai the Great, the building is located to the south of the outer section of the palace. Serving as the Kings private audience hall, the building featured Thai-style architecture of which it is currently possible to see only the remains of wall sections with visible decorative motifs at the doors and windows.

Banquet Hall
Surrounded on three sides by ponds, the Hall was built to entertain important foreign visitors. One of the remains includes a brick platform facing the Hall, which was used as a stage or theater possibly for shadow plays or dances indicating that the place was once used as an entertainment compound.

Phiman Mongkut Pavilion
This pavilion was a three-story brick building where King Rama IV (King Mongkut) resided when he visited Lop Buri during the renovation of the Palace. Connected to the pavilion are three other buildings namely Suttha Winitchai Pavilion, Chai Sattrakon Pavilion and Akson Sattrakhom. All of these buildings are now being used as the offices of the Lop Buri National Museum.

Phra Prathiap Building
A group of eight two-story buildings built behind King Mongkut's residence (Phiman Mongkut Pavilion), which were used as residences for inner court officials.

Royal Guards Residence
This is located at the entrance of the middle court.

Phra Prang Sam Yot Located on Vichayen Road, approximately 200 meters from the railway station, Phra Prang Sam Yot is Lop Buris best known landmark and provincial symbol. A former Hindu Shrine built in the 13th century in the classic Bayon style of Khmer architecture, the compound comprises three prangs (towers) linked by a corridor. The three laterite and sandstone spires decorated with classic stucco are believed to have originally represented the Hindu Trimurti; Brahman (the creator), Vishnu (the preserver) and Siva (the destroyer). During the reign of King Narai, the shrine was converted into a Buddhist temple when a brick viharn located to the east which houses a grand U-Thong-Ayutthaya style Buddha image was probably built. Buddha images were later added to the two prangs. The temple is open at 8.00 a.m. until 6.00 p.m., admission fee is 30 baht.

Located on Vichayen Road, approximately 200 meters from the railway station, Phra Prang Sam Yot is Lop Buris best known landmark and provincial symbol. A former Hindu Shrine built in the 13th century in the classic Bayon style of Khmer architecture, the compound comprises three prangs (towers) linked by a corridor. The three laterite and sandstone spires decorated with classic stucco are believed to have originally represented the Hindu Trimurti; Brahman (the creator), Vishnu (the preserver) and Siva (the destroyer). During the reign of King Narai, the shrine was converted into a Buddhist temple when a brick viharn located to the east which houses a grand U-Thong-Ayutthaya style Buddha image was probably built. Buddha images were later added to the two prangs.

The temple is open at 8.00 a.m. until 6.00 p.m.

The admission fee is 50 baht each. A package ticket is also visiting at 150 baht each, covering admission to Vichayen House, Wat Phra Si Maha That and Kraison Siharat Hall.

Lop Buri Zoo A 25-acre zoo is well known for its interesting residents: Asian and Australian birds and mammals. The most striking feature of the zoo is the unusual family of three tigers and four dogs who live harmoniously together in the same quarters. The zoo is located behind the Army Theatre near the Sa Kaew Circle. Opens daily from 8.00 a.m. 6.00 p.m.

A 25-acre zoo is well known for its interesting residents: Asian and Australian birds and mammals. The most striking feature of the zoo is the unusual family of three tigers and four dogs who live harmoniously together in the same quarters. The zoo is located behind the Army Theatre near the Sa Kaew Circle. Opens daily from 8.00 a.m. 6.00 p.m.

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