Lumphini Park - Where Dragons Roam
- shan157
- May 30
- 3 min read
Lumphini Park was established in 1925 by King Rama VI, who sought to create a space for learning and leisure in what was then the outskirts of Bangkok. While a museum never fully came to life, the space evolved into Bangkok’s first public park, named after Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha in Nepal, reflecting the King’s emphasis on cultural heritage and Thai identity in a rapidly modernising world.
Today, Lumphini covers around 142 acres and functions as an essential oasis in a city known for its density and movement. Locals begin arriving before sunrise to walk, stretch and practice tai chi, while joggers weave between retirees and families enjoying the cooler hours. At 6am and 6pm everyday, the national anthem plays through loudspeakers and in a quiet, moving ritual, everyone pauses just for a moment, to stand in respect, uniting modern life with tradition.
Despite being in the heart of Bangkok, the huge park is home to monitor lizards, some reaching over 6 feet in length. These prehistoric-looking reptiles are generally harmless and are considered good luck by most locals, though urban legends say they’re the reincarnated spirits of park workers who died during the parks construction. Birds, turtles, cats and over 30 species of fish also inhabit the lakes and canals within the park, making it one of the best spots in the city for urban wildlife watching.
During World War II, Lumphini was used as a Japanese military camp and though many of the temporary structures are long gone, older locals still recall tales of tunnels and bunkers crisscrossed beneath its grounds. Urban explorers have tried to sneak in and find these entrances, but the park’s night patrols are notoriously tight-lipped and quick to move you along. Whether these stories are based on fact or faded memory is hard to say, but they remain part of the park’s layered identity.
Throughout the year, the public park transforms into a stage for Bangkok’s social and cultural life. It hosts open-air concerts, fitness classes, literary events and occasional political gatherings. During festivals, the park becomes especially vibrant, with locals and tourists mingling under lanterns, surrounded by food stalls and traditional performances. Lumphini is more than just a green space, t’s a reflection of Bangkok’s soul. It holds the memory of kings, the echoes of wartime, the quiet pulse of everyday life and the spirit of a city that never sleeps.
Location : Wireless Road, Lumphini, Pathum Wan, Bangkok
How to get there: We travelled from a hotel very close to Jacks Bar on the Chao Phraya River. From there walk to Charoen Krung Road towards the Surasak BTS Station. Board the train heading towards Bang Wa, travel for two stops and alight at Sala Daeng Station. Walk east along Silom Road and the main entrance to Lumphini Park, marked by the King Rama VI statue, is approximately a 5-minute walk from the station. Alternatively a taxi will take about 15 minutes from the riverfront.
Attraction info : Lumphini Park is open to the public daily from 4:30am to 9pm and entry is free. The park has several entrances, with the most popular one located by the Rama VI statue on Silom Road, just steps away from Sala Daeng BTS Station and Si Lom MRT Station. Other entry points include the Wittayu (Wireless Road) gate, the Ratchadamri entrance and the Sathorn side, near Lumphini MRT Station.
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