Thailand’s first brewery since 1933. The museum is situated within Brewhouse 2 on Samsen Road, telling the story of the founder, Praya Bhirom Bhakdi, and the journey of his building the brewery. The museum is divided into 5 sections, beginning with the timeline and ending with the continuation of the founder’s legacy passed down through generations of the Bhirombhakdi family.
The Singha Museum was launched on 1 December 2016 at the original 1967 Brewhouse No. 2 which lay neglected since 2001 when all beer production moved off premise to other locations around Thailand.
The museum and archive are on-going projects, expanding as historical materials are being cleaned, catalogued and divided into different stories.
The Singha Story
The Singha Story was initially a book project, chronicling the journey of one man, Praya Bhirom Bhakdi, from a school teacher to one of Thailand’s most successful businessmen. The content of the book is transformed into the Singha Museum, turning text into a tangible visual walk-through.
1 - timeline
Introductory information of Thailand’s first brewery began in 1929 when Praya Bhirom Bhakdi thought of starting a new business venture, to the building of the second brewhouse in 1967, expanding production of the most famous Thai beer, Singha.
2 - Copper Vats Hall
The original hall contains 3 original copper vats on the lower lever and one on the upper level is the main attraction in itself. All of the machines as well as wall tiles, floors, windows and ceilings are original, imported from Germany. It was the most technologically advanced brewery in its day, continually updated and used until 2001. The story of Boon Rawd Brewery from 1930s-1950s is shown here, divided into 10 display units.
3 - The Founder
The story of Praya Bhirom Bhakdi, Boon Rawd Brewery's founder, is told here. From being the oldest son of an aristocrat, Pra Bhirom Bhakdi, who was a civil servant to King Chulalongkorn, to his start in the business world as a clerk at one of Siam's leading teak company. He eventually started his own teak company, before starting the ferry business with the son of his first boss. The business soon grew until the building of the first bridge linking Bangkok and Thonburi. He began Thailand's first brewery when he was 60 years old, an age at which many started their retirement. The rest, as they say, is history!
4 - PEOPLE & EMBLEMS
Boon Rawd Brewery’s official logo is the Monkey God with an Arrow – the Arrow being the center of the story here, having been one of three arrows of King Prajadhipok’s emblem, the shape of Memorial Bridge, the first bridge to be built across the Chao Praya River, and the king granting the use of one as part of the company’s logo. Important individuals who made the building of this brewery possible are also recorded in this section.
5 - The Legacy Continues
Praya Bhirrom Bhakdi's 3 sons continued his legacy, in turn passing the founder's and his teachings on to the 3rd and 4th generations of the family, who have expanded the Boon Rawd into a large holding company it is today.
