January 6 2006

Fishy fun at the Siam Paragon Aquarium

The new Siam Paragon Aquarium in Bangkok (Siam Ocean World) has made quite a splash so, on Boxing Day, we dropped in to test the water.

Their Christmas tree was set up, not in the lobby, but in a fish tank - complete with tinsel and baubles (floating upwards). What the fish made of pine needles coated in fire-retardant chemicals is anyone's guess but I think we can safely assume that the Siam Paragon Aquarium is in the business of crowd-pleasing rather than yawn-inducing marine conservation.

The lighting is set very low and, in the gloom, we kept getting jostled by overexcited Singapore businessmen acting like they'd never seen a fish before. Chanting "Nemo, Nemo" their cameras were flashing as if Paris Hilton had just entered the room.

The fish seemed fairly unconcerned, however. The aquarium has already been open for several weeks so most of the inmates must have had their retinas burnt out by now.

Your Ad Here

The aquarium is huge by any standards. Its centrepiece is a vast two-storey labyrinth of interconnected Plexiglas chambers that houses a complete reef-like ecosystem. Hundreds of different species - including sharks - go about their fishy business like extras on the Discovery Channel.

Tiny Zebra fish were busily nibbling parasites off huge groupers - whether the giants liked it or not. The spectacle of a particularly sensitive 200kg grouper having a hissy fit was the highlight of the afternoon.

Numerous other exotic specimens are housed separately. There's also a small open pool where visitors are encouraged to handle spiny sea urchins. Friendly staff are on hand to prevent patrons from hurling them at misbehaving Singaporeans like kung fu death stars.

The aquarium also features some aquatic mammals. The playful sea lions were drawing a crowd but, unfortunately, the Oriental Small-Clawed Otters were fast asleep. The male lay on his back, legs akimbo, revealing a tiny pink knob that looked like a cake decoration. Evidently, it's not just their claws that are unusually small.

I was a little concerned that, in a crude bid to inherit the Mango Sauce millions, my girlfriend might push me into the piranha pool but the residents were, in fact, harmless silver dollars which resemble piranhas in almost every detail except that they lack an insatiable craving for human flesh.

Behind their tank was a mysterious cave entrance. With some trepidation, we followed the dark tunnel into a secret chamber. I was expecting a ferocious giant squid or some other nameless monster of the deep but all it contained was a small bowl of tiny blind cave fish - which were about as exciting as a tuna salad.

Our disappointment was soon forgotten when my girlfriend spotted a car that had been cleverly converted into a huge goldfish tank. She tried her best to pull open the passenger door (See My Thai girlfriend's unusual cruelty) - much to the amusement of onlookers - but, fortunately, it was welded shut.

The aquarium sits in the basement of the new Siam Paragon shopping centre - noted for its exclusive shops and upscale restaurants. It's perfectly possible for wealthy fish-loving Singaporeans to marvel at the aquarium for a couple of hours before retiring upstairs for a reviving bowl of sharks fin soup.

More Details

Entry to Siam Ocean World is 450 Baht for adults and 280 Baht for children (No discounts for Thai nationals). Open daily from 09:00 to 22:00 hrs, the aquarium is located right next to Siam Square BTS Station.

http://www.sow.champ.co.th

[Posted to Activities by David]

Your Ad Here