Advertisement
Thai Labour Museum
Message from Tripadvisor
Closed until 30 Apr 2025

Thai Labour Museum

Thai Labour Museum
4
Speciality MuseumsHistory Museums
Temporarily closedClosed until Apr 30, 2025
About
A museum of labour dignity and rights. Rediscover the struggles of the working class in Thailand, from the 'Sakidna' 1880s feudal era to the Siamese revolution of 1932, and the military dictatorships of the 1970s. We're temporarily closed for renovations and will reopen again on May 1st, 2025
Duration: 1-2 hours
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.

Top ways to experience Thai Labour Museum and nearby attractions

The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Ratchathewi
Reach out directly

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles27 reviews
Excellent
12
Very good
9
Average
6
Poor
0
Terrible
0

Robyn_the_devilled
Hobart, Australia29 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2014 • Friends
My favourite museum in Bangkok.
This is my second visit and I will visit again, I am sure. This museum is amazingly educational and interesting and triggers as many questions as it answers. The displays start with slavery and serfdom and move to the current day. We were lucky to arrive mid workers' conference and even convinced our friendly, helpful guide to sing us 'solidarity forever' in Thai.
Yes, I confess, I even love the museum shop... I bought super cool tee shirts for family and friends.
The only downside is that it is hard to find... I recommend you find Makkasan train station (the one on land, not the airport link one with the same name). Put the train station to your left and walk about 300m. Then, voila!
Written 30 October 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Bobby B
Fremantle, Australia116 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
An excellent little museum about labour in Thailand from feudal times and slavery through the times of labour for wages with the arrival of Chinese coolies up to modern attempts to improve the condition of labourers and the lethal assaults on Thai workers and students by the Thai military such as in 1976 & 1992. Excellent historical exhibits touching on sensitive aspects of Thai history such as the Thai alliance with Japan in World War II and the death of so many labourers on the Thai-Burma railway. Outstanding exhibits on Thai cultural history.

The museum itself may seem old and low tech but then it relates to older, low tech times so that’s okay.

It’s at an obscure location beside the railway tracks near Makkasan Station – more than a 1 km walk from either Phetchaburi Station on MRT or Phayathai Station on BTS. There is an office in the back where the curators may be working and the reception desk may be unattended. There is a bell beside the door to ring to attract attention. Admission is free; there is a voluntary donation box by the reception desk.

There are wonderful sights to behold in Thailand where, as elsewhere, we can learn of the good works of monarchs and the ruling elite but don’t find so much about the labourers who were supporting their efforts – this museum addresses the stories of some of those labourers.

The information in this museum is not easily found elsewhere and I rate this as a 5/5 attraction. There is information here about those sensitive periods in Thai history when news was suppressed and Thai people asked what was happening. Fascinating!
Written 8 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

lihaiwubi
Singapore32 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2014 • Solo
If you want a change from the big museums in Bangkok showcasing state narratives, this small museum on the history of Thai labour movements helps fill in a missing voice in the museum scene. It documents the development and history of Thai labour from pre-colonial to present times, including topics such as the phrai system and key labour movement milestones and pioneers.

Personally I found the exhibits to be rather moving, especially the documentation on workers' rights in Thailand. The efforts are even more commendable considering the fact that the museum is entirely funded and maintained by unions, scholars and NGOs.

The museum is located about 15 minutes by walking from Phetchaburi MRT station. Admission free though donations are appreciated. Open from Wed- Sun, 10-5pm. Door was closed when we went. Just ring the bell and one of the workers at the museum will open up the building and turn on the lights and exhibits.
Written 18 October 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

JonG88
Hong Kong, China43 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2018 • Solo
This museum tells the history of the Thai working people, from the caste system, through waves of Chinese migration and labor organizing, on to the modern struggle for survival in the global capitalist economy. Along the way it talks about the political changes in Thailand, efforts to suppress labor groups, and tragedies like the suppression of the 1973 uprising and the Kader toy factory fire. Many displays are in English.

Budget about an hour. It's a tiny museum, seemingly run by labor organizers who are genuinely happy to have visitors. No entry fee but donations welcomed.

This museum is a 20 minute walk from the Erawan Shrine, not a very scenic walk but goes through an area with a lot of cheap restaurants. It's also readily accessible from BTS Ratchaprarop and MRT Phetchaburi stations.
Written 11 October 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

LearnAsIgo13
Johannesburg, South Africa135 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2018 • Solo
If you're in Bangkok for only a few days this may not be the museum for you, but if you live here or have an interest in Thai history then this is the missing piece. I was fascinated by the information and materials available and spent one hour and 15 minutes enjoying the museum to myself.

On a recent visit to another museum I was surprised to hear the guide say Thailand has a caste system, similar to India. I almost didn't believe him. The Thai Labour Museum, however, provided a great deal of context to support that view.

I also left with a much deeper understanding of why King Rama V is still loved by the Thai people to this day, 100 years after his reign. Abolishing corvee and slave labour were reforms he implemented in addition to modernizing Thailand with roads, a postal system, telephones, etc.

It's open Wednesday to Sunday from 10:00-4:00 and as the other reviews say, just ring the bell.
Written 15 March 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

BEEing_There
VICTORIA76 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2017 • Solo
I'm glad that I read the other reviews, or else I might not have known to ring the bell. My "donation" must have been considered generous (100฿) since they gifted me a DVD!

Please note the following - this place is dark in places, and has no aircon. So - go in the morning and bring a flashlight (torch). The written info is in Thai and English. Unfortunately, some placards are low (which require bending down) and printed in black on a dark background - another good reason to bring some illumination.

There are plenty of artefacts and they are generally well displayed in separate rooms. The only issue I had was that they didn't seem to be chronically organized within each room - Not a big deal.

I spent well over an hour here and found it most interesting.
Written 9 February 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

corkdave
Cork, Ireland325 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2015 • Solo
When I eventually found this museum I was very disappointed to find it closed for the day. (Sign on the door said closed at 4.30pm) However before noticing the sign I had rung the doorbell and I was allowed in for a browse. What a privilege. The choice of materials was excellent with superbly written and illustrated history plus commentary. This is the only labour museum in Asia. What a story it tells, describing the relationship over time between the least powerful workers with the might of the economic systems in which they lived and were exploited. What a find!!!
Written 4 June 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Iratdog
Kerhonkson, NY1,349 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2014 • Solo
Found this little gem off Makkasan train station. Seeing as how I was a proud Union member for the last 40 years I was very happy to find out there is a Labor Movement here in Thailand. I was quite surprised to see they even had the equivalent to our Triangle Shirt Waist Fire! Amazing how the world is so similar. It's not much but for me? Not to be missed
Written 18 December 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Angie K
Melbourne, Australia485 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2016 • Family
This museum is simple and informative. There is ample information available on each items on display. However, it is a small museum, so it's quite compact and crowded. The lone service staff on duty is friendly. Do not be fooled if the museum is in darkness, if you have arrived at the glass sliding door. Ring the bell and the service staff will come and open up as well as switch on all the lights for visitors. This is a good way to save cost since the museum does not charge entrance fees and you can donate what ever amount you feel like.
Written 14 August 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Chita & Nigel
Bangkok, Thailand350 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2019 • Friends
Stumbled on this museum by accident and spent a fascinating half hour there learning in particular about indentured labour in Thailand and how the system was overthrown. Also displays relating to Thailand in WW2, a subject not frequently discussed. Quite old fashioned displays and quite difficult to read at times, but well worth the effort. Entrance by donation.
Written 28 March 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Showing results 1-10 of 14
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing

THAI LABOUR MUSEUM (2024) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

All Bangkok HotelsBangkok Hotel DealsLast Minute Hotels in Bangkok
All things to do in Bangkok
Day Trips in Bangkok
RestaurantsFlightsHoliday RentalsTravel StoriesCruisesCar Hire