Kwan Phayao Palace and Phayao Inland Fisheries Research and Development Center

Kwan Phayao Palace and the Phayao Inland Fisheries Research and Development Center share one lakeside compound in Phayao — a modest former royal residence next to a working freshwater fish-breeding station. Entry is free, daily 08:30-16:30.

The Department of Fisheries built the two-storey, pale-blue residence in 1971 as accommodation for HRH Princess Srinagarindra, the Princess Mother, who stayed here in stretches over roughly seven years during visits to Phayao. Termite damage forced a full rebuild in 2017, completed to match the original design rather than modernised — so what you see today is a faithful, small-scale reconstruction rather than a grand palace tour. The bigger draw for most visitors ends up being next door: the fisheries center made history in 2001 as the first facility in the world to breed the Mekong giant catfish (pla buek) from broodstock in captive ponds, and now produces hundreds of thousands of juvenile catfish annually alongside farmed species like tilapia, common carp, and silver barb distributed to local farmers. A small museum shows tanks of rare native fish, and boat trips run out onto Kwan Phayao itself — one of the largest natural freshwater lakes in northern Thailand.

The grounds are quiet outside of school-group visits, with lawns running down to the water and a restaurant serving fresh lake fish. Petanque courts and shaded seating make it a rest stop as much as a sight, popular with locals as a lakeside picnic spot rather than a bucket-list attraction for foreign travellers.

Watch out: Don’t expect a lavish royal-palace experience — the residence itself is small and the interior displays are modest. The lake views, fish museum, and boat trips are the real reasons to stop.

Insider Tip: Combine the visit with a walk or cycle along the Kwan Phayao lakefront promenade in town — the palace grounds make a natural bookend to a loop around the lake.