Wang Derm Palace

Wang Derm Palace — also called Phra Racha Wang Derm or Thonburi Palace — was the royal residence of King Taksin the Great, built in 1767 when Thonburi briefly served as Thailand’s capital after the fall of Ayutthaya. It stands on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River at the mouth of Khlong Bangkok Yai in Bangkok’s Bangkok Yai district — inside the grounds of the Royal Thai Navy headquarters, which has controlled the site since King Chulalongkorn granted it to the navy.

Watch out: This is not a walk-up attraction. Because the palace sits inside an active naval base, casual visitors are turned away at the gate. Seeing it requires a pre-arranged group tour (minimum five people) booked in advance through the Phra Racha Wang Derm Restoration Foundation, or a visit on the palace’s one free public day, around 28 December each year, marking King Taksin’s birthday. A maintenance fee of roughly 100 THB per adult and 50 THB per child applies on booked tours.

The Throne Hall is the only structure that survives from the original 1767 palace, built in Thai style and divided into two sections: the Winitchai throne room, once used for royal councils and now used by the navy for ceremonies, and the Ratcha Montien residential hall, used today to receive VIPs. Wichai Prasit Fort, at the river’s edge, was rebuilt on the ruins of Wichayen Fort — a fortification dating to King Narai’s reign in the Ayutthaya period — and its riverside position made this stretch of the Chao Phraya strategically valuable long before Taksin built his palace here. Two small Chinese-style residences built for King Pinklao and a shrine dedicated to King Taksin round out the compound.

The palace’s link to the wider Chakri dynasty runs deep — several Thai kings, including Rama III (Nangklao), Rama IV (Mongkut), and King Pinklao, were born within its walls. Because it remains a working naval facility rather than a museum, expect the formality of a military site: bring photo ID, dress modestly, and follow the guide’s instructions on where cameras are and aren’t permitted.

Insider Tip: The annual free public day around 28 December is the simplest way to see the palace without arranging a group tour — check the current year’s date with the Restoration Foundation, since the opening can shift slightly year to year.

See the Bangkok destination guide for how Wang Derm fits alongside the city’s other royal sites.