Chiangrai Museums

Long ago in a reality almost forgotten, wealth and status was occasionally displayed in “learned cabinets of curiosities” (while imported wild animals were displayed in cages). Chiang Rai has two or three zoos, but nothing to rival Seargeant-major Thawee’s Folk Museum in P’lok (พิพิธภัณฑ์พื้นบ้าน จ่าทวี พิษณุโลก) or either the National Museum or the glorious Wat Phumin murals of Nan Province. We have no sex or barbed-wire museum, but we DO have a Toy Museum (พิพิธภัณฑ์ของเล่นเชียงราย (Chiang Rai Toy Museum), no more to compete with Bangkok’s House of Museums (formally known as Kids Museum, 170/17 Moo 7 Kong Pho Land Village, Soi Klong Pho 2, Salathummasok Rd.) than our Oldies Karaoke could have with Bangkok’s (พิพิธภัณฑ์เพลงเก่า 204, 74 Phatthanakan Rd, Khwaeng Prawet, Suan Luang, Bangkok 10250). But as so much of Bangkok is moving to ChiangRai, that could change.

Chiang Rai DOES have the excellent, private Oub Kham Museum, both an Opium Museum and Hall of Opium (run now by the Office of Narcotics Control Board (Bangkok), a human zoo (Long-neck Karen Village, Nang Lae, near Ban Pa-O), the Cabages & Condoms Hilltribe Museum and the National Museum in Chiang Saen. We also have the rather unique and interesting Plaek Phibun Songkhram House atop Doi Jom Tong, and the Busabok Royal Chariot Hall on GohLoi (อาคารเทิดพระเกียรติ 90 ปีสมเด็จพระศรีนครินทร์, near The Legend). The Rai MaeFaLuang Cultural Park near Rice-box Hill, and Ban Dam in Ban Du almost to NangLae, are not to be missed.
Rajapat U in Ban Du has an art gallery and magnificent weaving display in their own buildings), and there’s a Chiang Saen Lanna Weaving Museum (tel 0-5377-7151-2). MaeFaLuang University boasts the Mekong Basin Civilization Museum and the Sirindhorn Chinese Language and Cultural Center. Atop Doi MaeSalong is the Chinese Martyr’s Memorial Museum, near Khun Sa Old Camp.

Lesser lights are the Lanna Museum at Rongrian Ban SanKhong Yai (SW of RoBan Thai), and the Cultural Hall Museum at Old Town Hall on Singhaklai (between the old jail and Overbrook Hospital, across the street from HorngLuang SaengKaeo Museum of Wat PraKaeo). Long ago we had the Princess Mother 90 Museum, by the huge tree at YMCA and the library, displaying beautiful traditional dresses, which was rumored to be set to reopen. Then there was also a Yao (Iu-Mien tribe) Museum (at 2 locations – Ban Yao Lao Chi Kwai by Ban Huai Tong, Po Tong, off Hwy 1089 (k. 71). Apparently got insufficient traffic.

Lastly there’s the tiny Ban Jalae Hilltribe Life and Culture Museum at Huai MaeSai, which attempted to inform as to Musur/Lahu material culture, of which bamboo is the main ingredient. A green Coleman lantern was displayed when I went there with my Lahu wife, maybe 20 years ago. I don’t think even Ja Thawee has THAT.

Against any criticisms of the limited and propagandistic nature of SE Asian ‘history’ must be held the FACT of European colonization. Without a manufactured narrative somewhat parallel to or reminiscent of the lies Europeans were telling (and largely still tell) themselves, Siam would likely not have been able to remain uncolonized by Europeans. Lanna was lost to the Burmese resulting in an over 200 year historical gap; French “Indochina” lost even more.