200th Anniversary Clock Tower

200th Anniversary Clock Tower, Bangkok (28 October, 2006)


The 200th Anniversary Clock Tower (GPS: 13.74664, 100.49445) along Sanam Chai Road was constructed to commemorate a mansion that was used when King Rama IV wanted to establish a standard time in Siam. This took place in 1857, much earlier than the Greenwich Mean Time was established in 1884.

Siam was the first nation in the world to announce a Standard Time, which they did in 1868. The Siamese Standard Time was based on astronomical calculations of the position of the sun and the moon. It was only during the reign of King Rama VI that Siam switched to follow the GMT time.

The present Clock Tower was erected in 1982, along with the nearby Drum Tower, in conjunction with the 200th anniversary of the founding of Bangkok.

Updates on the 200th Anniversary Clock Tower

2 August 2011
* According to reader, Mr Paul Kirby, although the present clock tower is based on the design of the mansion, both the present clocktower and drum tower are smaller than the original structures. The original mansion was actually located across Sanam Chai Road, inside the walls of the Grand Palace, south of where the Borom Phiman Mansion now stands. The original clocktower was built between 1858 and 1858. It was torn down some time after 1889.

Both the clock tower and drum tower were approximately equal in size, judging from old photographs taken around 1860s. The drum tower is almost as tall as the Viharn of Wat Pho, while the present drum tower is only about half the height.

Front view of the 200th Anniversary Clock Tower (28 October, 2006)


A full-height view of the 200th Anniversary Clock Tower (28 October, 2006)


200th Anniversary Clock Tower, Bangkok (28 October, 2006)

The Clock Tower on Google Street View

(Aug 2016)

Getting there

The 200th Anniversary Clock Tower is located along Sanam Chai Road. It is across the road from Wat Pho. The easiest way to reach this part of Bangkok is by taxi. Otherwise, you can also take the BTS Skytrain to the Saphan Taksin Station (S6)) and then catch a ferryboat to Chang Pier (N9).

Nearby Sights

200th Anniversary Clock Tower is on the Map of Bangkok

Bibliography

List of Historic Buildings in Bangkok; list of Districts of Bangkok

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