Many Bangkokians’ first encounter with the ocean was not at a beach, but in the sprawling amusement park known as Suan Siam (Siam Amazing Park). News that the 46-year-old attraction is closing permanently following severe flood damage has broken hearts across the capital.
“I visited the park as a kindergartener, a teenager and a young adult, creating so many memories that still make me smile,” one city resident told ThaiPBS World. “I am praying it will reopen so I can go again.”
‘Sea of Bangkok’
Spread over more than 300 rai (48 hectares) in Bangkok’s Khan Na Yao district, Suan Siam earned the nickname “Sea of Bangkok” from iconic commercials advertising its massive pool. Spanning more than 13,600 square metres, the expanse of water earned a Guinness World Record in 2009 as the world’s largest wave pool.
Another thrilling attraction was the Rainbow Slide, which, at 21 metres, was once recognised as the tallest water slide of its kind in the world.
Affordable joy for every Thai
Founded by self-made real estate tycoon Chaiwat Luang-amornlert, Suan Siam featured a wide array of attractions – including a double-decker carousel that recently appeared in Blackpink star Jisoo’s music video “Click”.
The list of rides at the park ran long, and everything was affordable. Before the floods submerged the property, visitors could snag a standard adult pass for as little as 300 baht (down from 1,000 baht) simply by presenting three Coca-Cola, Sprite or Fanta bottle labels at the entrance.
The venue rebranded as Siam Amazing Park in 2019 but maintained Chaiwat’s founding vision to offer affordable thrills for every Thai family.
Along with Guinness honours, the park earned multiple accolades over the decades, including the Thailand Tourism Award and a place among Forbes magazine’s top Asian theme parks.
Turbulent business journey
Despite its popularity, the low admission fees meant Suan Siam was never a cash cow. Chaiwat claimed he sold off other land over the years just to keep the gates open.
“What I got in return was happiness,” he recalled. “Whenever I walked through the park, I was greeted with smiles.”
Beyond financial hurdles, the park suffered two major safety incidents in quick succession. In October 2007, a sudden power cut disabled the water pumps on the Indiana Log Ride and sent two log carriages plummeting down the dry channel. The disaster killed a 35-year-old woman and injured five others, including four children. The ride was permanently closed.
Less than four months later, on Children’s Day (January 12, 2008), a support gave way on the three-storey Super Spiral waterslide. The accident injured 28 children, leaving four hospitalised with severe injuries.
The final chapter
Through every setback, Chaiwat’s family pushed forward. The park turned a profit of 1 million baht in 2018, but financial shortfalls returned in 2019 and worsened over time. The venue reported steep losses of 164.5 million baht in 2023, 139 million baht in 2024, and 145.7 million baht in 2025.
Despite deepening financial gloom, the park’s management remained optimistic. Just weeks before September’s flood disaster, the team launched a campaign inviting K-pop fans to explore locations featured in Jisoo’s music video.
Even after the park was submerged late last month, Chaiwat clung to hope that emergency funding or bank loans would allow his family to rebuild the attraction. But when no financial lifeline emerged, the founder decided to abandon the dream he nurtured for nearly half a century.
Now, he has put a 10-billion-baht price tag on the property, hoping a new buyer will step forward to refurbish and restore the landmark that generations of Thais hold dear and remember fondly.
