Have you ever dreamt of time travelling to the simplicity of a beautiful ancient city? If history fascinates you and you wonder how on earth people survived in the past and what wearing their shoes might have felt like, the Muang Mallika Project, also known as The Siamese Living Heritage Town, will most definitely entice you. This little town, situated in the Sai Yok District of the Kanchanaburi Province, around 150 Km’s west of Bangkok city, is similar to a market and is a unique representation of what living a century ago in Thailand may have felt like. The little heritage town is the perfect place for individuals or families to casually travel back in time, all in the style of King Rama V of Thailand at only two and a half hours by car from Thailand’s modern capital city, Bangkok.
This theme park allows visitors to travel back to the Chakri Dynasty ‘s days, meaning it takes you back all the way to roughly the years 1850 to the 1900. The Siamese living heritage town makes visitors have a first-hand experience of the lifestyle back then, with exposure to anything and everything one can think of from that time; the first thing visitors are required to do is to exchange their current money to currency used during the old days. In addition, one must change their modern attire to typical Siamese clothing of the 1900s. The town takes you back in every aspect possible; this includes the people walking around, the cultural aspects of that time, the environment, the food and the many activities that were popular during those days.
The little settlement is a tranquil area surrounded by peaceful water bodies, lots of tall trees and breath-taking greenery which adds to the vivid and picturesque environment of the past and which we very much lack in our modern cities. The essence of the 1850s is brought alive with the richness of vintage architectural style throughout the heritage town, with predominantly buildings made from wood and lots of open spaces built specifically for the natural ventilation of the houses. While walking around, one can observe the various activities which have been brought back from the past; from canoe trips through a little lake, to rickshaw rides throughout the city and women creating flower crowns and necklaces, the town is truly captivating to the imaginative mind.
With the money exchanged at the entrance, one can enjoy traditional dances of the Siamese in the evening, purchase goods sold around the town, all of which are fit to the period, as well as get cooking classes to learn the culinary specialties of the 1850s.
The Muang Mallika Project is a culturally rich space which aims at educating the youth and demonstrating to all what life in the 1900s in Thailand might have been like; a period in which slavery had been brought to an end and slight foreign cultural influences began to enter the great kingdom of Siam. The Siamese Living Heritage Town has been the backdrop of famous movies such as the film series King Naresuan and will likely be fit as the backdrop of a culturally rich and educating weekend getaway.