Garden Birds of Thailand

Reached through the Sergeant-Major Thawee Buddha-casting foundry, a gate leads into Garden Birds of Thailand, a collection of birds native to the country kept in cages for viewing. It is, of course, a far easier way to see some unusual species than waiting for days in a countryside hide.

The small area is alive with birdsong, and children may enjoy it, especially as some birds can mimic human speech in both Thai and English; the many parrots, particularly those that greet visitors, are a firm favourite. The garden also aims to conserve endangered species such as the helmeted hornbill, the jambu fruit-dove and the black and white laughing thrushes, though the cages are so small that the huge hornbills scarcely have room to stretch their wings. The place is tiny and quickly seen, and most visitors combine it with the folk museum and the neighbouring Buranathai Buddha Casting Foundry.