MOLLUSC MUSEUM

The Bangkok Sea Shell Museum offers a rare glimpse into the private collection of Jom Patamakanthin - a two time Fanpantae (Thai TV Quiz) programme winner - and Orapin Sirirat, a jeweller by profession.

Located in the heart of Bangkok on Silom road, the three-storey building has an interior that resembles a boutique hotel, and the displays are neatly arranged to make it easy for visitors to browse through the exhibits.

There are approximately 3,000 sea shells - representing about 600 shell species - on display. Hours can be spent admiring and reading up on the exhibits, one of which explains how a shell inspired a talented engineer to build a submarine. Elsewhere in the museum, visitors are taken back in time to when shells were used as currency, to purchase goods.

I found it very relaxing to just take the time to marvel at the way each shell stands out from the others in size, shape and colour. Mr Jom, 32, who already manages a similar museum in Phuket, said he especially wanted to bring his collection to Bangkok for the enjoyment of young people.

"I felt Bangkok didn't have a museum catering to students interested in learning about sea shells, so I decided to give it a go.

"Adults will also find our museum a good place to spend their free time and improve their knowledge. We hope that people will have a better appreciation for sea shells after visiting us."

Setting up the entire museum was time consuming, he added. It took two years to bring part of his collection from Phuket.

One of the most stunning displays is that of the Tridacna gigas - also known as the giant clam. An accompanying caption reads: "One of a number of large clam species native to the shallow coral reefs of the South Pacific and Indian oceans, they can weigh more than 200 kilogrammes, measure as much as 4 feet [1.2m] across, and have an average lifespan in the wild of 100 years or more."

There are many more exhibits of various sizes, shapes and colours that leave visitors with a sense of awe.

Asked what he thought to be the highlight of the museum, Mr Jom said each exhibit was special in its own right because of its history and the way it became part of the collection. He then singled out a few rare specimens from the Olividae family which many visitors find especially interesting - tiny glossy gastropods that can be spotted in warm tropical seas. Formed liked pointed olives, they have long been used for jewellery and as ornaments. The unique feature of the particular Olividae species Mr Jom described is that each shell has its own colour and design. This, he said, is due to a dye the animal secretes over its lifetime.

One doesn't necessarily have to be a marine enthusiast to enjoy the museum. The shells of land snails are also captivating more and more collectors these days, and these air-breathing molluscs are also well represented at the museum. For readers interested in figures, Mr Jom explained that there are over 60,000 types of snails residing on our planet. About 30,000 of these species are land snails, divided into 85 families. Mr Jom said it is estimated there are around 25,000 marine species and 5,000 that live in freshwater.

When asked what inspired him to start a shell museum, Mr Jom explained: "My father always taught me that nothing belongs to us forever, as we all have to die one day. So we should focus on the things that bring us happiness, and share them with people around us. It's such a waste if what you love is only kept for your personal viewing. It's appreciated so much more if you get it out in the open. Running a private museum for me is not done for profit - it's for the sheer joy of putting smiles on peoples' faces. There are over 200,000 shelled species across the globe - and just a portion of them are housed at the Bangkok Sea Shell Museum," he concluded.