The Grand Palace was built at the same time as the city of Bangkok in 1782-1783 to house the sovereign's living quarters, many of the principal government offices and the precincts of the Royal Chapel of the Emerald Buddha. The Grand Palace occupies an area of one square mile. In the front court at present are the offices of the Ministry of Finance, the Comptroller General's Office, and the Royal Household Office.

Formerly, the Foreign Office, the office of the Civil Service Commission and the Ministry of Interior were also in the front court before they were removed to larger sites outside the Palace. On the cast side is Sala Sahadaya, formerly a palace club called "Concordia Hall", built by King Chulalongkorn in 1872. It has served various reception purposes, including that of being the place for a foreign state guest to entertain their Majesties as a return courtesy. To the cast of Sala Sahadaya lies the extensive ground of the Royal chapel of the Emerald Buddha.

Passing through the double gate of Piman Jayasri, we come upon an inner court, consisting of four groups of main buildings as well as a few detached ones. Along the wall of the inner court are what used to be stables of the royal elephants, now stores the Royal Household Department. Starting from the west of the inner court, is Dusitmaha Prasad or the Hall of Dusit. constructed by King Rama I in 1789 on the same site of a former audience hall of Amarindrabhisek which was burnt down during the beginning of his reign. This audience hall is built in the shape of a cross. Its four wings are covered with four tiered roofs from the centre of which rises a beautiful nine-tiered prasad-spire. Its bases arc supported by four Garudas (King of Mythical birds). Its north wing leads to a balcony with a throne for formal outdoor receptions, but is now seldom used.

The last occasion was when King Rama VI received the oath of fealty from the court after his coronation in 1911. Inside the hall are a throne inlaid with mother of pearl, surmounted by a nine-tiered white canopy and a bed inlaid with mother of pearl, used on occasion of ceremony in modern days as an altar. On the south wing is a window in the form of a throne built by King Mongkut rather resembling King Narai's throne in the Palace of Lopburi. The interior walls are painted with delicate Thai designs.

The hall also communicates with a living quarter situated among the gardens named "Piman Ratya". Dusit Hall was the first royal building built in the Grand palace and is famous for its pure Thai style and dignified simplicity. This audience hall was used for coronation ceremonies, formal audiences and for the monks to study the Buddhist scriptures. Since King RamaITTeath, it has been the lying-in-state place for royal remains, kept in a golden urn before the cremation. Some state ceremonies are still performed in this hall.On the wall around the Dusit Maha Prasad is Abhornpimok Pavilion, a lovely little pavilion of typical Thai architecture, built by King Mongkut as a "Disrobing pavilion".

In the old days the King was carried on a palanquin to the shoulder-high step of the pavilion where he alighted from his state chair. Here he left his ceremoitial hat and gown before proceeding to the audience hall of Dusit. This pavilion was reproduced by kin Chulalongkorn at Bang Pa-In palace and a replica of this pavilion was exhibited at the World’s Fair in Brussels in i958. Around this group are a number of smaller buildings among which is a two-storeyed Council Chamber built by King Chulalongkorn for his meetings of the Cabinet Council. Raj-Kranya-Spa Pavilion is now the seat of the King's Privy Council. Turning now further east we come to the centre of the Inner Court with the Chakri Residence. Chakri Maha Prasad or Chakri Hall was constructed during King Chulalongkorn's reign to commemorate the centenary of the Chakri Dynasty. It was_ designed by a British architect, in the European style with a roof in pure Thai style, which is a beautiful and delightful blending of_ East and West. The construction lasted six years from 1876-1882.

The top floor contains golden urns with ashes of the deceased kings of the Chakri dynasty. On the second floor the reception halls on either side, leading to the "private room" for Their Majesties to receive individual guests. On the cast side are portraits of the former kings hanging on the wall, and portraits of the queens are on the west side. In the centre is the Chakri Throne Room where the King receives ambassadors on the occasion of the presentation of their credential letters.

At the end of the throne Room is the niello throne with a nine-tiered white canopy made for King Chulalongkorn. The wall is decorated with four canvasses depicting diplomatic receptions of the past. The crystal lamps and vases decorating the hall were presented to King Chulalongkorn by foreign monarchs. Behind the Throne Room used to be the living quarters of King Chulalongkorn, which were the inner court of the palace. On the wall in front of the Chakri Throne Room are portraits of their Majesties and King Ananda Mahidol painted by an Indonesian painter, Raden Bazuki. On the third floor is the office of the royal guards.