5/5 Gordon K. 6 years ago on Google • 521 reviews
I
had
seen
this
Palace
a
number
of
times
but
I
could
never
find
out
what
it’s
name
was
or
much
about
it.
October
2013
all
that
changed.
I
set
out
to
find
as
much
as
I
could
about
this
beautiful
building
the
same
time
as
visiting
the
City
Shrine.
No
signs
could
be
seen
outside
to
give
it
a
name.
However
a
friend
of
mine
found
out
all
about
it
from
people
in
the
office
were
they
worked.
It
is
not
a
palace
you
can
gain
entry
to,
but
the
outside
of
it,
is
really
imposing
to
photograph,
video
or
just
to
see.
Saranrom
Palace
lies
to
the
east
of
the
Grand
Palace.
It
was
built
towards
the
end
of
the
reign
of
King
Rama
IV.
After
the
death
of
King
Pinklao
in
A.D.
1866.
King
Rama
IV
decided
to
give
the
throne
to
the
Crown
Prince
who
later
became
King
Chulalongkorn,
and
planned
to
retire
to
this
palace
to
live
in
retirement
as
advisor
on
state
affairs.
Unfortunately
King
Mongkut
died
in
A.D.
1868.
King
Rama
V
then
gave
Saranrom
Palace
to
his
brother,
Prince
Kroma
Phra
Chakrabaddibongse.
Later
King
Chulalongkorn
let
another
younger
brother,
Prince
Kroma
Phraya
Bhanubandh
Wongseworadej
stay
here.
Afterwards
this
palace
became
the
Ministry
of
Foreign
Affairs,
and
state
guests
were
received
here.
It
was
used
as
the
first
office
for
Foreign
Affairs
until
1885,
the
residence
of
the
Senabodi
had
been
used
as
Office
of
Krom
Tha.
On
obtaining
his
new
post,
Krommuen
Devawongse
Varopakarn
submitted
a
request
to
the
King
for
an
office
of
his
own,
separate
from
his
residence.
The
request
was
granted
and
royal
permission
given
to
use
Saranrom
Palace
as
the
first
separate
Office
for
Foreign
Affairs.
Another
significant
change
was
also
made,
the
appointment
and
general
supervision
of
Thai
diplomatic
missions
abroad,
hitherto
entrusted
to
the
Prince
in
his
capacity
as
Secretary
General
to
the
King,
were
transferred
with
him
to
the
Krom
Tha
Office.
Seven
years
later,
in
the
complete
government
reform
of
1892
resulting
in
the
creation
of
twelve
ministries,
based
on
western
standards,
the
Krom
Tha
Office
became
a
fully
fledged
Ministry
of
Foreign
Affairs.
Its
judiciary
functions
and
its
administrative
control
of
the
seaboard
provinces
were
respectively
transferred
to
the
Ministries
of
Justice
and
Interior.
The
definition
of
Saranrom
Park
is
the
old
royal
garden.
Built
in
1866
by
King
Rama
IV,
it
was
a
part
of
Saranrom
Palace
located
to
the
outside
wall
east
of
the
Grand
Palace.
The
King
intended
to
stay
at
this
palace
after
his
son
became
king.
However,
he
passed
away
before
its
completion.
The
construction
was
completed
in
the
reign
of
King
Rama
V.
The
palace
was
used
as
a
residence
for
many
of
the
king's
brothers
while
they
were
waiting
for
the
completion
of
their
own
palace
construction.
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