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Samut Prakan Travel Guide :
Pom Phra Chulachomklao
| Pom Phra Chulachomklao played a very important role in the history of Thailand. It is a fortress that helped to protect the sovereignty of the country in 1893. During the reign of King Rama V, the British and French empires were looking to colonize countries in Asia. |
Nearly all countries neighboring Thailand had been colonized by these two empires and there seemed to be a situation where it was possible that the British and French would try to colonize Thailand. So, King Rama V sought different ways to protect his kingdom, and he got the fortresses at river mouths renovated and re-equipped to fight any aggression. The king also got a foreign naval specialist as a consultant to plan the development of the Thai navy.
This saw the emergence of Pom Phra Chulachomklao. Today this modern fortress is still in use as a Naval History Park and under the command of H.M.S.Mae Klong Battleship Museum. There is a magnificent monument of King Rama V located right in front of the fortress.
In the fortress at the lower base, you can see the machine gun or the Pom Puen Suea Mop that was used to fight away the invading armies. There is an exhibition hall where you can see photographs relating to the battle and the development of the Royal Thai Navy. The HMS Mae Klong Battleship after serving for 60 years was decommissioned and turned into a museum. You can also take a walk along the path to observe nature and ecological preservation. You can visit the nearby mangrove to see egrets, sea gulls, mudskippers and many types of crabs.
Pom Phra Chulachomklao is open daily from 8.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. but visitors have get permission to enter it. There is no admission fee.
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