Royal Plaza (Thailand)
The Royal Plaza, or formally Dusit Palace Plaza (Thai: ลานพระราชวังดุสิต; rtgs: Lan Phra Ratcha Wang Dusit), and also known in Thailand as Equestrian Plaza (Thai: ลานพระบรมรูปทรงม้า; rtgs: Lan Phra Borommarup Song Ma), is a public square in Bangkok, Thailand (13°46′8″N 100°30′44″E / 13.76889°N 100.51222°E).
It is located in front of Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall in Dusit Palace, Dusit, Bangkok, which was the former reception hall of the palace where King Chulalongkorn Rama V once lived, and was later used as the first parliament building. On 24 June 1932, the plaza and the throne hall witnessed one of the most important events in Thai history as the People's Party staged a bloodless revolution that transformed the country from absolute monarchy to democratic constitutional monarchy. The plaza was the rally site for People's Party supporters demanding the constitution. The first permanent constitution was ceremoniously granted in the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall on 10 December 1932. Next to the plaza is Amporn Garden, the venue of the annual Red Cross Fair. Dusit Zoo is also located near the plaza. At the center of the plaza is the Equestrian Statue of King Chulalongkorn Rama V, the Great Beloved King.
History
The Equestrian Statue of King Chulalongkorn Rama V the Great was erected in 1908 two years before his death from a fund raised by the Thai people. The statue was cast in Paris by Georges Saulo, a French craftsman well known at that time. The remainder of the fund was spent by King Rama VI on the establishment of Chulalongkorn University, which was named after King Chulalongkorn, Rama V.
See also
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