Thailand Guide
The central plains
Ramkhamhaeng National Museum
Opening time: Daily 9am–4pm
Price: B100
Address: At the entrance to Sukhothai Historical Park, 12km west of New Sukhothai
Website: www.thailandmuseum.com
The well-presented Ramkhamhaeng National Museum features several illuminating exhibitions and contains some of the finest sculptures and reliefs found at the temples of Sukhothai's Old City and nearby Si Satchanalai. Outstanding artefacts in the downstairs gallery of the main building include the 14th-century bronze statue of a walking Buddha, and a large Buddha head. Also here is a useful guide to the many different stucco motifs that once decorated every Sukhothai-era temple, along with a copy of one of the finest local examples of stucco relief, depicting the Buddha being sheltered by a naga, whose original is still in situ at Si Satchanalai's Wat Chedi Jet Taew. The wide-ranging section on Ramkhamhaeng's famous stele features a complete translation of the inscription, plus a detailed look at the origins and evolution of the original "Tai" script. The upstairs gallery concentrates on Sangkhalok ceramics.