By Wisuta Jeangprajak, BBA#17

On June 4, 2008, as a part of our first summer intensive course together, BBA #17 students visited the Siam Museum and took a tram tour of the surrounding areas. Many would have thought, at first, that the Siam Museum would be like any other Thai traditional museum, but from the moment we set foot into the first exhibition, we knew that we will be experiencing something entirely new.

Unlike other museums we may have visited in Thailand, the Siam Museum is very modern and well designed, attracting the eyes of younger generations. Each exhibition is a part of a collective storyline of Thai people?s lives, from the past until the present, and helps us better understand who we are and the meaning of ?Real Thai?. The exhibitions tell the story of various historical events, such as Siam?s trade with foreigners, fights in the battlefields during the Siam and Burmese war, the days of our first broadcasting station, government reforms and other remarkable events that shape the Thai history. Moreover, the Siam Museum shows how Thai lifestyle has transformed over the centuries?ranging from the lives of Thai cavemen to lifestyles that have been adopted from other cultures, eventually leading to the modern era. All of these exhibits were presented through video presentations, animated virtual worlds, games, and artistically designed setups of various lifestyles, allowing us to have a hands-on experience of each time period.