Background (Rama V) found the
Grand Palace too overcrowded and unhealthy, as a result he began construction on a new palace, which eventually became Dusit Palace. , built in 1900, is entirely made of teak. It was built in
Ko Sichang,
Chonburi Province, but was dismantled on the orders of the king and reconstructed at Dusit Palace in 1901. Since 1782 and the foundation of
Bangkok as the capital city of the
Kingdom of Siam, the monarchs of the
Chakri dynasty have resided at the
Grand Palace by the
Chao Phraya River. The palace became the focal point of the city as well as a seat of the
royal government and the home of the king and his court (his children and his
polygamous household). During the reign of King
Chulalongkorn, the Grand Palace was transformed, with reconstruction and additions made to the main
Middle Court (state buildings) and the
Inner Court (residential buildings) of the palace. The changes sought to modernize the palace as well as accommodate its growing population. As a result, the palace, particularly the Inner Court, became extremely overcrowded. The Grand Palace also became stiflingly hot during the summer months, with the passage of air blocked by the closely clustered new buildings. Epidemics, once started, were liable to spread easily within the crowded compound. The king, who enjoyed taking long walks for exercise and pleasure, often felt unwell after prolonged stays inside the Grand Palace. He consequently took frequent trips to the countryside to seek relief.
Celestial palace Chulalongkorn got the idea of having a royal residence with spacious gardens on the outskirts of the capital from European monarchs during his trip to Europe in 1897. When he returned to Bangkok he began to build a new royal compound within walking distance of the Grand Palace. He began by acquiring farmlands and orchards between Padung Krung Kasem and Samsen canals from Privy Purse funds. The king named this area
Suan Dusit meaning 'celestial garden'. The first building in the area was a single story wooden structure, used by the king, his consorts, and his children for occasional stays. In 1890s, plans for a permanent set of residences were drawn up and construction began under the supervision of Prince
Narisara Nuvadtivongs (the king's brother) and C. Sandreczki (a German architect, responsible for the
Boromphiman Palace). Apart from the prince all other members of the team were Europeans. When it became clear that Chulalongkorn preferred to stay in the garden, with only occasional visits to the Grand Palace for state and royal ceremonies, the name was changed to
Wang Dusit meaning 'celestial dwelling'. In 1970, the National Assembly of Thailand requested a new plot of land for the building of a new legislature, as the Ananta Samkhom Throne Hall had become too small and was unable to accommodate the growing assembly and its secretariat. The king granted a plot of land on Dusit Palace grounds immediately north of the Throne Hall for the building of a new
Parliament House of Thailand. With the completion of this new building the Ananta Samkhom Throne Hall was returned to the king as part of the palace once more.
Tenth reign King
Vajiralongkorn chose to keep his residence at the
Amphorn Sathan Residential Hall, where he was already living before the death of his father Bhumibol. In 2019, the National Assembly of Thailand moved into new premises, named the
Sappaya-Sapasathan. As a result, the old parliament building was returned to the King and was promptly demolished and the area was merged into part of the Dusit Palace. Currently several museums and exhibitions are displayed inside the various buildings within the Dusit Palace precinct, only a few of these are open to the public. ==Layout==