Memory Lane (In my own language)

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Originally Posted by nathanielnong

the third one (#3) is Queen Saowapa Pongsri.
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... #3 who also had a son was elevated to become the King's #1. This son of hers or the 2nd Crown Prince lived long enough to finally take the throne as King Rama VI.

In the end, the youngest or #3 was elevated to the Supreme Queen Consort of King Rama V. Her eldest (dead) and her elder sisters or #1 and #2 were Queen Consorts.
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Since he produced no heir, when King Rama VI died, his younger brother took the throne as King Rama VII.

King Rama VII also produced no heir and he was the youngest among his siblings. So, when he died, according to the law of succession, the line moved from the sons of the Supreme Queen Consort to Queen Consort #1’s.

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Not sure whether I haven't mixed the Queen/Consort ## - I hope Nong will not mind me adding what I heard from little birds, perhaps also interesting:

The Queen Mother Saowapa (#3) had her days switched in nights and vice versa. She breakfasted at 10:30 pm, visitors coming half an hour later, lunched at 2:30 am, last visitors leaving after 5 am. Also her 2 sons, King Rama VI and Prince Chakrabongse, had to wait often very long until the Mother will wake up and speak to them.

And she very much loved her grandson Prince Chula (son of Prince Chakrabongse and Russian Katja), so he had his bed placed in her bedroom, separated just by a curtain. Hence, he had developed similar habit day/night he had to get rid of once sent to England for studying. And when he was leaving Thailand (his father already dead, mother abroad) King Rama VII had seen him off to the Royal Railway Station, quite exceptional honour not given to others.

Queen Saowapa was also very fond of the young Russian girl when she was in secrecy brought by her son Prince Chakrabongse to Thailand (to a dismay of many). The Queen had helped her to learn the necessary royal court custom, also mastering the language. So, it was due to her help that the young Katja had been slowly accepted by other Royals.

As Nong already wrote above - in time when Katja was visiting relatives in Canada in order to enjoy a bit cool weather she was always so used to - the father of little Chula had developed another love to a local young girl Chavalit, wanting to keep her together with Katja. That's had not been accepted by Katja, so finally she left for HK where her brother was organizing Russian refugees.

Despite the two brothers - King Rama VI and Prince Ch. - had been always very closed (the King was thinking of his younger brother he could be once his successor, when no male heir is produced), the King was not willing to allow the brother be re-married (quite unusually strict that time...). But the Queen Mother had seen it more realistically: once the divorce had gone though, "let him married the girl". She was not happy with the King's unwilling position, then she did not want to speak to him, refusing also taking her medication. Letting him wait at her bed for one hour without seeing him, until he gave up and left without a word. That was the last time when the mother and son saw each other, she passed shortly afterwards, it was 1919.

[QUOTE=Klondyke;4228856]Not sure whether I haven't mixed the Queen/Consort ## - I hope Nong will not mind me adding what I heard from little birds, perhaps also interesting:

Brilliant information!

Those stories are what I have known very well. I just knew that they were translated into English version as well.

In fact, there are tons of fun and interesting royal trivia but, so pitiful that most of them are told in Thai language which, for me, quite a hard job and time consuming to get them done in English properly.

Prince Chakrapong was an ambitious man. He was heated up when his big brother, King Rama VI, being urged about setting a line of succession after being aware that he had produced no heir, held a committee to discuss this matter through and most of the members rejected his status because, though the first candidate, he had a foreign wife.

The Prince had always been a ‘mother boy’. That made him quite a … what is an English word to call ‘nuck laeng’?

His mother, the Supreme Queen Consort Saowapa Pongsri was also a type of ‘spoiled little sister’. She did not hesitate to get emotional and snapped once being displeased with something or someone especially those King’s Royal Concubines. No one dared to meet her eye contact.

Little birds told me that at her final age, she was so fat that she couldn’t walk without the help of a cane. Once in her private room, she always moved to here and there by crawling.

One day her own sister, Queen Consort Sawang Watana (just told you lately) along with Queen Consort Sukuman Malasri (her half-sister and the 4^th Queen) came to visit. Having been tamed by her old age and illness, she knelt down on the floor trying to crawl to her sisters and repented the wrongful deeds she had done to them (and to someone else) in the past.

Those two Queens knowing well about the royal status that they were ‘the 3^rd and 4^th (the 2^nd was the capsizing boat Queen, the eldest of all) tried to avoid but she was persistent. They finally yielded and at their feet, her little sister, the Supreme Queen, apologized and cried.

She also was the cause that made King Rama V changed the method of the line of succession otherwise after King Rama VI who produced no heir died, the throne would have jumped back to the 3^rd Queen (her biological elder sister whom King Rama V deemed they were equal in status)’s son.

If you have such kind of trivia in English, please bring them down here for our lovely readers. I really want them to read these fun stories.

You helped me a lot, thanks.

NatNong, a great thread but where do you get your ideas for subjects you are going to cover, its vary varied and part of what makes it interesting.

One thing that's a little sad is the evident loss of old buildings and with them their history. No way should countries become time capsules, but retention of some Architectural history outside palaces and Wats would have been nice IMO.

Keep them coming.

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Originally Posted by nathanielnong

You helped me a lot, thanks.

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All this what I wrote you surely know much better.

In those years before and after WWI a lot of events had happened. And much differently than the years before. The rule of King Rama VI was called by some "A King without a harem".

Something more to his prodigious brother Prince Chakrabong. After his wife had left he had engaged himself in many new activities, also planning a longer trip to Singapore and further to Malaysia. There were talks he was about to undertake a major reshuffle of big army generals. However, as mentioned by Nong before, shortly prior to his departure he fell suddenly sick with flu and pneumonia and passed away within hours. And since the same symptoms happened also to a few others attending the same dinner party, that's why some little birds thought the illness had to be something much worse than a pneumonia.

So, many had believed that few ill-fated circumstances had changed a lot in the further development of Siam, everything could be much more different in case Prince Chakrabong would live longer. His older brother King Rama VI had a great confidence in him to further develop what he himself could not accomplish.

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Originally Posted by strigils

NatNong, a great thread but where do you get your ideas for subjects you are going to cover, its vary varied and part of what makes it interesting.

One thing that's a little sad is the evident loss of old buildings and with them their history. No way should countries become time capsules, but retention of some Architectural history outside palaces and Wats would have been nice IMO.

Keep them coming.

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The first time that I get an interview, very flattered!

I love history, just ‘history’ not history of this or that. That’s why the theme of each of my articles varies and that’s why I put my heading as ‘Memory lane’. Memory is supposed to contain anything at any time, starting from last moment back, we want to remember.

The first thing that inspires me to do an article is a photo. If that photo gets my inspiration, I think further if the readers who are ‘farung’ would care to read.

When I, kind of (for I can’t read minds), am quite certain, I dig for more and start an article.

I am aware of people today having short concentration due to too many medias to consume in a limited time such as instagram, facebook, line, boards and etc. so, each article has to be short (well, sometimes I get carried away) and simple (I always leave out those elaborate names and titles, for royal history. No farung cares to know them).

I believe that what attracts the readers most is the photos, the more the better. Sometimes I came up with the stories first, I had to find related photos. If I can’t find any, I will leave them on a shelf until I can find, at least, a photo.

I think photos are like water for a runner. If he gets enough he can make it through. Pure text hypnotizes people. I got that when I was studying in school.

Truthfully, I have never thought that I could go this far, almost a year now. And have never thought that our history was so abundant.

I remember at the beginning I told my friends about it and they said it wouldn’t last long. ‘Our own kind never cares about our history. Why do you think they (= readers who are farung) will? Moreover, your English is not that good to keep them following’.

I said ‘Firstly, ‘our own kind’ don’t like to read but farung do and secondly, ar-goo (We call Google like this. It’s a pun among Thai people. Actually ‘ar-goo’ is a Chinese word to call mother’s sibling. I think for I’m not a Chinese) helps me a lot.

I met these friends of mine from time to time but lately they asked about my work. I told them that I am still on it and now I have got more than 10,000 followers and tons of compliments and no ‘sabotage’ just once.

They raised their voices ‘What? And compliments?’. They teased me that now that I would rather die than miss a day of not posting one.

I said absolutely, after posting one I would think right away ‘What story will I tell them next?’. Like I used to say that, readers/compliments are like fuel that keeps the engine going on.

Thank you so much for your interest in my work. It is extraordinary.

Oh, almost forgot. Yes, like you do. I feel sorry for the changes that happen in our land as time goes by. Due to our limitation in area, in the past our population was much less but through time, we multiply fast like crazy rabbits so these changes have to happen inevitably.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Klondyke

All this what I wrote you surely know much better.

In those years before and after WWI a lot of events had happened. And much differently than the years before. The rule of King Rama VI was called by some "A King without a harem".

Something more to his prodigious brother Prince Chakrabong. After his wife had left he had engaged himself in many new activities, also planning a longer trip to Singapore and further to Malaysia. There were talks he was about to undertake a major reshuffle of big army generals. However, as mentioned by Nong before, shortly prior to his departure he fell suddenly sick with flu and pneumonia and passed away within hours. And since the same symptoms happened also to a few others attending the same dinner party, that's why some little birds thought the illness had to be something much worse than a pneumonia.

So, many had believed that few ill-fated circumstances had changed a lot in the further development of Siam, everything could be much more different in case Prince Chakrabong would live longer. His older brother King Rama VI had a great confidence in him to further develop what he himself could not accomplish.

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Great stories! Thanks for sharing. If you have more then keep them coming.

Ps King Rama VI adored Prince Chakrapong so much. Little birds gossiped that the King always adored handsome men!

I will post a new article in the afternoon but for now, house chores are calling....

A tale from (our old) little birds

In the reign of King Rama IV, Siam made a huge step by opening the country to the world outside.

Foreign languages especially English is an important part to help communicating with people from foreign lands.

In 1862, a British travel writer, educator, and social activist named Anna Leonowens (1831-1915) accepted an offer made by the consul in Singapore to come to Siam to teach the King’s children essential subjects especially scientific secular lines, which earlier missionaries’ wives had not provided, in English language.

Anna taught several subjects but the most interesting ones were Geography and Astronomy which she deemed most important in order to keep her students up with the modern world.

In order to shape her students’ imagination about the world outside which at the time was still scattering around, she tried hard to convince them that the world was not flat but round.

She listened patiently the arguments from her students who had been taught that the world was supported by a gigantic fish named “A(r)-non” otherwise it would fall.

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Seeing that verbal teaching would not be working, she approached the King and asked for more materials to help her teach. The King granted and ordered his men to bring a giant map of Siam in gilded frame and a globe into the classroom.

These two things pinned the children’s interest efficiently for they had never seen them before in their lives.

The teaching became fun and not boring. The students were enthusiastic to learn new things. They just knew that the world spins. How days and nights happened and etc.

Not only the students who were children were interested in learning, it drew the adults’ interest as well. Those were female royalties.


Wait... No male royalties? They were not interested?

“Not like that. The Royal Palace was divided into 2 major sections, the male section and the female and children section. Easier to govern, I might say”


There is a record mentioning about this topic saying:

“…Along those 9 days, Mame Anna had to explain more and more to those adult royalties who kept coming in in small groups and asked these and those. Though interested, they seemed to be displeased with one thing. Their big country of Siam was, in fact, so small on the map. Anyway, there was another thing that seemed to cheer them up and that was, their teacher’s country, England, was even smaller. It looked like a spot on the map…”

Actually, some of the adult royalties were interested in the education but they did not give much attention to it like young students. They just came in to make a peek for a while then went away.

The Geography and Astronomy class drew them in the most but once their curiosity was satisfied and their interest in those 2 strange looking things (map and globe) subsided. They were all disappeared for good.

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Another tale from little birds (with computer colored version of a B&W photograph)

In the reign of King Rama V, when came the time that the elephant department escorted the royal elephants down to ‘Ta (= pier) Chang’ to get a bath, once in a while, there were some elephants in musth whose behavior were aggressive.

When such time came, the department would allow the locals to tease them for fun. It happened quite regularly that finally it became a kind of festival. It was enjoyable for both the audience who just wanted to witness and the reckless locals who were willing to risk their safety.

During the process, a female elephant [chang pung (= female)] would lead ahead then came people from the department banging a gong alerting that the festival was about to begin. This alert also warned people who did not want to get involved and the shops around the area to close and beware of the damage that those elephants in musth might cause.

Soon after, the elephants in the musth would be ushered out in the street heading for the pier. It was the time for risky people who wanted to pump their adrenaline to get in the game of luring.

Where the elephants chased them, the audience scattered screamingly funny. It was an exciting sight to witness.

There was a mahout that was quite famous to talk about. He was said to be very good at luring the beasts. The locals always expected him. Whenever he appeared in the show, it guaranteed the satisfactory but not always. It was said that it depended on the gift he got from people; liquor.

Once the gift was enough, it guaranteed the quality of the show, long and fun but when the gift was not much the show ended quite soon.

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A documentary titled: Gambling in Siam

Gambling has long been a feature of Thai society. Local Siamese partook in more than 100 well known gambling games. Some gambling forms such as betting on cockfights, bullfights and boat races are native to Siamese culture.

The late 19^th century marked a significant increase in the level of gambling in Siam.

People started to gamble more frequently and a variety of games were introduced by foreign traders and immigrants, and gambling started to hit the mainstream.

It was during that period that the ‘huay’ was introduced and became popular in Siam until today.

Over the course of decades the Government of Siam allowed legal gambling dens. During the reign of King Rama III, the Government of Siam promoted legal gambling dens as a source of revenue. These legal dens were then closed down to dampen criminal activity and bankruptcy related to gambling.

During the reign of King Rama V (King Rama III's nephew), gambling was forbidden in the south and all the remaining gambling venues were closed on 1 April 1917.

A gambling act was first passed in 1930 and revised in 1935. During the premiership of Khuang Aphaiwong, the ministry of finance was assigned by the government to legalize gambling in Pran Buri District, Prachup Khiri Khan Province and became an official promoter of gambling.

However, this period of legalization of casinos did not last long. Under attack from the media and public, the government abandoned the attempt to earn additional revenue from casinos and prohibited gambling once again.

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(Note: These photos above were set up for photograph taking)

A Documentary titled: The lottery

The first time ‘Bangkokians’ were ever able to have a flutter on something akin to a modern lottery was with the “huay”, which appeared in 1835, in King Rama III’s time.

The government set a group of officers led by a high noble ranking to take care of the new experiment.

This noble ranking officer knew that this kind of gamble was popular among the Chinese so he appointed a wealthy Chinese trader Jao Sua (Chinese word for ‘millionaire’) Hong to operate this business.

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Jao Sua Hong borrowed the idea from China: 36 tickets under the same title, with 36 (out of 44, the rest were difficult to draw in the ticket) Thai letters, from kor kai (ก – Thai’s first letter) and khor khai (ข – Thai’s second letter) down to hor nok hook (ฮ – Thai’s last letter, 44^th). It was known as “huay kor (ก) khor (ข)”.

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(Looks similar to this; I don't know what the first two mean)


The method of how to play was similar to that of any modern lottery. A designated banker would pluck the winning ticket at random from a large bag, and those with matching inscriptions won a prize.

The first ‘huay house’ was situated at the foot of what is now Damrong Sathit Bridge on Charoen Krung Road, and the whole area was jammed on ticket drawing days.

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Gambling was enormously popular, and huay houses soon popped up all over the city, each one paying vast annual taxes to the government.

The reason King Rama III had agreed to the opening of the first huay house because the cost of living had skyrocketed due to widespread flooding in 1831 and a severe drought in 1832.

As well, he wanted an end to the opium trade, and to rid his people of the habit ordered stores of the drug burned, while at the same time sanctioning Jao Sua Hong's huay house as an alternative diversion.

The success of the huay business increased as time went on. In King Rama IV's day, it extended into the Provinces of Phetchaburi and Ayutthaya.

Finally, it was King Rama V who planned to proscribe the huay that caused his subjects to live in poverty. He improved the huay houses, giving them a more European flavor, and ultimately allowed the government to sell tickets which new named given as “lottery” tickets for the first time instead of “huay”.

The first government lottery, consulted by the King’s English personal adviser named Henry Alabaster, took place in 1874.

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In 1916, King Rama VI formally banned the huay, and during the time of World War I, he suggested a government lottery to raise money.

The modern Government Lottery Office was established in 1939, in the reign of Rama VIII, but Thailand to this day has never managed to fully eradicate the illegal lottery aka huay.

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Drum Tower, originally built in 1782 in the reign of King Rama I, it is a three-story tower featuring a wooden structure with red paint of which, the design replicated the style of the tower in Ayutthaya period.

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Each story houses a big drum (with given name that rhymes with one another in either forward or backward reading) which gives different sound to convey a different message.

The first drum is to signal dawn and dusk.

The second drum is to signal a fire alarm and

The third drum is to signal warning when invaders attack the city which, according to the record, was never used for, around that time, peaceful era had started to seep into Siam.

In the reign of King Rama III, the tower rooftop was modified from Thai style of ‘mondop’ to Chinese style. Later, it was changed back to its original form in the reign of King Rama IV.

King Rama V had the tower demolished to give way for the construction of Chao Chet Park.

A new tower of the same style was rebuilt in 1982 in the occasion of 200th Anniversary of Bangkok.

At present, this Drum Tower is sited on Sanum Chai Road in Pra Borom Maha Ratchawung District close to Wat Poh and the Territorial Defense Command.

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Pig Memorial and Pee Koon Bridge

Pig Memorial is a memorial located in the inner city or Rattanakosin Island which is a historic area of Bangkok.

The Memorial was built in 1913, the year of King Rama V’s Supreme Queen Consort, Saowapa Pongsri’s 50^th Birthday Anniversary.

Its official name is "Sahachart Memorial" which refers to "The Memorial of Those Who Were Born in The Same Year". Three important persons; one Prince and two high ranking nobles had jointly built the memorial as a gesture of gratitude to the Queen.

The pig sculpture of the memorial is made of gilded cast metal. Initially, the sculpture was resting on large stone pillars, which have since been replaced by a higher, mountain-shaped concrete base.

Its purpose is to honor the year of the pig which was the Queen's year of birth, as well as the three donors.

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The Pee Koon Bridge locally known as "Sapan (= bridge) Moo (= pig)” was built on the same occasion.

Its name refers to "The Bridge of Year of The Pig (= pee koon)".

Its structure is cemented adjacent to the memorial, which is located in the west of the bridge. The Pee Koon Bridge is a pedestrian overpass across the old city moat or better known as Khong (= canal) Lord (= tube).

At present, these two have been registered as ancient monument in Bangkok.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by nathanielnong

government lottery

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Anything when the "underground lottery" has started to be implemented countrywide?

(many times I hear that some "striked [sic] lottery", giving a small party for friends - or buying at least somtam for them - and it is mostly the "underground lottery" running the same days 1st, 16th...)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Klondyke

Anything when the "underground lottery" has started to be implemented countrywide?

(many times I hear that some "striked [sic] lottery", giving a small party for friends - or buying at least somtam for them - and it is mostly the "underground lottery" running the same days 1st, 16th...)

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If I understand you right, 'underground lottery' is the same as 'huay (or in full as 'underground huay' or 'huay tai din)' that has been developed through time.

Got a question to ask if anyone can suggest me...

Sometimes when I wanted to search for a particular word/term (or else) from my last articles, I had to turn page by page until I found it. Now that there are quite many pages, 27, the old method is kind of a drag, time consuming.

Does anyone know any faster and more convenient method?

PS The 'Find' engine cannot give the specific answer.

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Originally Posted by nathanielnong

Does anyone know any faster and more convenient method?

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Google

word nathanielnong site:teakdoor.com

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nathanielnong

Sometimes when I wanted to search for a particular word/term (or else) from my last articles

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There are different levels of the Search function.

This is the one for searching for an exact word posted by an exact poster, and to have it show the exact post as the answer.

https://teakdoor.com/search.php?search_type=1

https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2021/03/372.jpg

^ What's that 'also search in child forums'?
How much did you pay for that addon?:)

^ Still going with the whole 'kids' thing eh.

K. Edmond and K. Iom

Thank you so... so... much. That's a big help!

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A documentary titled: Opium addiction in Siam

Opium (called in Thai as ‘fin’) was brought into Siam along with the Chinese immigrants who came and settled in Siam since the King Rama III period (1824 ---). The Chinese were addicted to opium after it was introduced by the British who brought it in from India to sell it to the Chinese.

The Siam government was against opium and had long since tried to eliminate and wipe out the opium dealers and addicts. One attempt was made by King Rama IV who restricted the trade and smoking. Only the Chinese were allowed to smoke opium. Thais were forbidden to sell or smoke it.

During the 1920’s the government reduced the number of stores that sold opium and limited the amount of opium the government sold to the smokers.

A large number of Chinese in Chang Mai, mostly the ones who moved in from Bangkok, were opium addicts. The local government allowed them to smoke only in the registered opium dens.

The three legalized dens were Tong Heng on Thapae road (opposite to Lao Chow alley), the one behind the San Pa Khoi Market near Kawila Camp and the one at San Sai Noi.

In 1959, the revolutionary Council Announcement of December 9^th, 1951 stipulated the ban on the smoking and sales opium in the Kingdom of Thailand to be effective on January 1^st, 1959. The announcement made all opium trading and smoking illegal.

The government officials arrested all dealers and smokers, closed down all dens and burned all opium smoking equipment throughout the country.

As opium became popular not only in Thailand but also worldwide, smuggling all illegal trade spread everywhere. Chiang Mai was one of the opium transporting routines to different places because the major opium production plants were located in the Golden Triangle.

The trade brought in a huge amount of profit to the dealers. It became an organized crime with backup powers from some mafia groups and some corrupted government officials. Thus, in many cases of drug arrests, government officials were found to be involved.

However, opium was not as popular after the end of WWII for newer kinds of drugs such as heroin, amphetamines and else has taken its place.

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^^ no worries.

If you use Chrome browser, you can open the search link.

https://teakdoor.com/search.php?search_type=1

And bookmark it, like this:

https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2021/03/397.jpg

Press the star on the right of the URL bar, then give it a name - such as TDS (teakdoor search), then press done.

Then anytime you type TDS in the URL bar and press Enter, it will open up that teakdoor search page.



I accept opium as payment. :)


Edit: Yes Mary-Jane is fine. :)

[QUOTE=Edmond;4230793]^^ no worries.

If you use Chrome browser, you can open the search link.....

Great tip!

Thanks again...

I am short of opium right now (little birds took it). Marijuana??

Typical lads (wai rune) in Bangkok in the early 1900s (Note: Various types of hairdo / the right one’s style is called ‘manchu’ so he was supposed to be a Chinese)

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A portrait of a rich Chinese family in Bangkok in the reign of King Rama V

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The 0 Kilometer Marker

There is no record telling when the plate was constructed but just a hint that after Field Marshal Poh Piboonsongkram, the Prime Minister of Thailand at that time, made a speech at the opening of the Democracy Monument on 24^th June 1940, not later on, everyone saw that plate standing proudly on the curve of the roundabout.

Main Thailand route No.1 - Phaholyothin Road
Main Thailand route No.2 – Mittraphap Road
Main Thailand route No.3 – Sukhumvit Road
Main Thailand route No.4 – Phetkasem Road

(Note: When I was young I used to see another one standing on the corner of Phaholyothin Road but can’t not find the photo)

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^ Very interesting, I previously lived near Victory Monument/Soi Rang Nam, as did an old poster 'StrontiumDog', and never noticed or even thought of that. Will take a look next time I'm going round the roundabout. :) Cheers.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Edmond

^ Very interesting, I previously lived near Victory Monument/Soi Rang Nam, as did an old poster 'StrontiumDog', and never noticed or even thought of that. Will take a look next time I'm going round the roundabout. :) Cheers.

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That would be wonderful. I remember it stood on Paholyothin pavement (heading to the monument). Wait... Just remember I might have a photo in my archive....

Yeah, found it. Not it but them. Not obviously shown though.

Wonder if it still stands there today.

You lived in Soi Rang Nam. Have you ever eaten at 'Jakkee restaurant' sited around there? Great Chinese food especially 'ba-mee (egg noodle). Also 'Pong Lee restaurant', another superb food shop especially 'hae-kuen'


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Kanung was a Maniq boy living with his tribe in the deep forest in Pattalung Province.

On his visit to Nakorn Sritummarad Province, King Chulalongkorn (King Rama V) was shown Maniq tribe that the people brought in to take photos. The King was interested and wanted to study more about his particular kind of subject so he decided to adopt one. The people chose for him a boy named Kanung.

The boy was sent off to live in the royal court in Bangkok where he was taught everything a civilized person should know and in exchange, the court could learn the boy's life.

Not for long, Kanung became a special person. He was clever, eager to learn new things. He loved bananas and red color.

Anyway, growing up as a jungle boy, he could not shred his old familiars. He liked being naked and could never get used to formal lifestyle.

King Chulalongkorn was so kind to Kanung. He appointed the boy to be his close page. Kanung also inspired the King to pen a play about his life. The play was titled "Ngoh Pa (Thai term for calling Maniq tribe)" and Kanung was cast as the leading character on which he was very good at it.

Though Kanung was adorable in King Chulalongkorn's eyes, he was not to the King’s heir (the future King Wachirawut (King Rama VI)). He deemed Kanung impudent so when succeeded the throne after his father, King Wachirawut removed Kanung from his position as the royal page and appointed him an entertainment job in the Wild Tiger Corps.

When Kanung was sent far away from the center of interest, news about him was less and less. No one knew what happened to him later on except a short note by one of the royalties who lived in the royal court around that time said that

"Later on, Kanung grew up to become a young man and like normal young men, he liked ladies but since his appearance was not like us, no ladies set an eye on him. So, his sex drive led him to brothels and finally got diseases and met his tragic death."

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by nathanielnong

Ps King Rama VI adored Prince Chakrapong so much. Little birds gossiped that the King always adored handsome men!

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And what I have read from some (not so little) birds the British envoy of that time was similarly inclined. The WWI was in a full speed and Siam still hadn't shown his side in 1917. So, the envoy offered some help and in turn the King declared at last the war to Germany.

Actually, Siam was not the last one in the WWI entry. There were also others who had to solve first their urgent matters with hideous Mexicans...

$2,500 (approx. 76,000 baht) a month in Thailand!

If it was not called a ‘living in paradise’ then I don’t know how to compare it with.

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/i-retired-to-a-beach-town-in-thailand-and-am-living-in-paradise-on-2-500-a-month-11615388872?siteid=yhoof2

The Royal Regalia of Siam/Thailand monarch is a set of objects accumulated by the kings for use during their coronation ceremonies. Most were assembled around 1785 for the coronation ceremony of King Rama I.

The combination of these regal and practical objects, and their symbolism, traces back to the ancient Indian subcontinent.

The Royal Regalia, at present, consists of 5 items but long before it started with this one first:

Nine-Tiered Umbrella

In the old days, the Nine-Tiered Umbrella was considered the most sacred and ancient of the royal regalia. The Umbrella (here, called in Thai as a ‘chat’) consists of many tiers, five for the crown prince (or the viceroy), seven for an unconsecrated king, and nine for a fully sovereign king.

The shades are made of white silk trimmed with gold, attached to a gilded golden stem. Each Umbrella is usually displayed above an important throne in the royal palace. The Umbrella itself is considered sacred objects and receives offerings from the king on the anniversary of his coronation day.

There are currently seven such Umbrellas, with six distributed at the various throne halls in the Grand Palace, and one in the Dusit Palace.

Derived from ancient Hindu beliefs, the Umbrella symbolizes the spiritual and physical protection the king can give to his subjects. The multiple tiers symbolize the accumulation of honors and merit the king may possess.

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Great Crown of Victory

The Great Crown of Victory is Thai style crown (called in Thai as ‘mongkut’). It was made in 1782 by the royal command of King Rama I.

In the earlier days, the crown was considered the next most important item in the whole set of Royal Regalia, following the Nine-tiered Umbrella.

But later, when Siam had more contact with European countries, the royal procedures were reviewed and the status of the crown was changed to replace the Nine-tiered Umbrella in importance.

In Europe, the status of Kingship is bestowed when the King puts on the crown. Therefore, at the Royal Coronation day, when King Rama IV was presented with the crown, His Majesty placed the crown upon his head and gave an audience to the foreign diplomatic corps while wearing it.

From then on, the Great Crown of Victory has been reconsidered as the most important article of all the Royal Regalia and every king will wear this crown at his Royal Coronation Ceremony.

The Great Crown of Victory is made of plain gold and diamonds with a pointed end.

Because of the weight of almost 8 kg, the crown is so heavy once being placed on the head. So, on the Royal Coronations of King Rama I – III, the Kings placed it on the pedestal beside instead.

However, on his coronation, King Rama IV sent a court official to look for a worthy diamond in India. The large diamond, purchased in Calcutta, India and subsequently given the name Maha Vichien Manee, was then placed at the top of the crown.

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Then, as said earlier, the King started a new tradition onward, wearing it on his head, for having been aware of the importance of wearing the ‘Mongkut’ through the whole ceremony as he had heard and seen from those European Monarchies on their coronations.

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(to be continued)

The rest of the 5 items of The Royal Regalia...

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Sword of Victory

The blade of the Sword of Victory was supposedly found by a fisherman in the water of the Tonle Sap, Cambodia in 1784 and presented to King Rama I. He had a scabbard and hilt of gold made to house the blade. Both are inlaid with diamonds and precious stones.

The sword's blade measures 64.5 cm. (25 in.) long while the hilt measures 25.4 cm. (10 in.) long. When placed in its scabbard, the sword is 101 cm. (40 in.) long and weighs 1.9 kg (4 lb.).

The sword is an ancient symbol of sovereignty and military power. The king's sword thus symbolizes his role as a warrior with a duty to defend his kingdom. This harkens back to ancient times when the king was not merely a titular, but the actual warrior-in-chief of his subjects.

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Royal Staff

The Royal Staff is made of cassia wood covered with gold gilt. The staff is 118 cm. (46 in.) long and has a knob at one end and three prongs at the other. The staff or also called a scepter is a symbol of regal authority in many cultures.

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Royal Slippers

The Royal Slippers take the form of an open-heeled slipper with the front curling upwards into a point. The exterior is decorated with diamonds and jewels, the insoles are lined with red velvet, and the soles are made of pure sheet gold.

Wearing footwear was rare in ancient Southeast Asia and was probably reserved only for royalty.

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Fan and Fly-whisk

The Fan and Fly-whisk are items used to provide comfort and cool, an important accessory for a divine king especially in a tropical country.

The Royal Fan was created by order of King Rama I. The fan is gilded with gold, the handle enameled in green and red. Traditionally, a fan was made by bending a talipot palm's frond at a right angle. The royal fan mimics this traditional form.

The Royal Fly-whisk of the yak's tail was made in the reign of King Rama IV to augment the five items of the regalia. Evidently associated with the same idea of divine comfort as the fan, it is actually derived from the ancient chamara (tools that used to swat flies) of India.

According to tradition, the fly-whisk was used by the king to repel any maleficent forces that might bring discomfort to his subjects. The hair on the royal fly-whisk has since been replaced by those of a white elephant.

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There still are more of the Royal Regalia but in a less significant category.

Royal Utensils

The Royal Utensils consist of four items. All are made of gold and they are: the Betel Nut Set, the Water Urn, the Libation vessel and the Spittoon.

By possessing common household uses, which are all made from precious materials, the king can show off his wealth and status to his subjects.

The utensils are always placed at either side of the king's throne during royal ceremonies. These items are of a personal nature, and are regarded as insignia of rank, not just for the king, but for his officials as well.

Once an individual is given high rank by the king, a replica set of these items would be given to him on the occasion of his promotion.

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Weapons of sovereignty

The eight weapons of sovereignty are: the Long spear, the Long-handled sword, the Trident, the Chakra, the Short sword with Buckler, the Bow, the Elephant goad spear, and the Gun of Satong.

Some of the oldest items of regalia in ancient India are weapons, the main four being the bow, the spear, the trident, and the chakra.

The weapons are symbolic of the divine weapons of Shiva and Vishnu, mentioned in the Brahman epic. The current set of weapons was all created during the reign of King Rama I, as reproductions of lost originals.

Apart from the sacred weapons, the others are symbolic of the martial exploits of King Naresuan the Great of the Ayuthaya Kingdom.

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Appendix: This is really good. It contains English subtitle.

Coronation of King Prajadhipok 1926 Siam - YouTube

Among their many novel gifts to the people of Siam, Christian missionaries also introduced photography.

It was Jean-Baptiste Pallegoix, vicar apostolic of Eastern Siam (L - With a Thai boy named “Kaew” (L) and a Yuan boy named “Chom” (R) shot in 1854) with the help of L' Abbé Larnaudie (R),displayed a camera to the Royal Court of King Rama III. It provoked more fright than interest.

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Most Siamese were afraid that the camera would steal their souls until the always-prepared King Rama IV allowed his photograph to be taken. He even established a royal photography department within his court.

According to a 1905 edition of the Sayam Prathet newspaper, the country’s first native photographer was Pallegoix and Larnaudie’s student named Nai Mode Amatayakul and soon followed by Phra Preechakolkarn and Chit Chitrakanee.

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(From left; Prince Chutamanee aka King Pinklao who shared the throne with King Rama IV, his elder brother. The others were a Prince (King Rama IV’s cousin) and a highest ranking noble)


Sayam Prathet reported that the first photograph any Siamese had seen was sent to the court of King Rama III by the ruler of Saiburi (Malaysia’s present-day Kedah state). It was a picture of Britain’s Queen Victoria at age 18.

King Rama III assumed, like everyone else, that it was a painting, but Bishop Pallegoix soon demonstrated the difference.

In 1856, King Rama IV allowed to snap his photo alongside Queen Dhepsirindhara Boromrajini, although the process was so time-consuming that there was no “snapping” involved. The royal image was sent to the US President Franklin Pierce on June 10^th, and is now kept at Washington’s Smithsonian Institute.

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In 1875, to Queen Victoria of England

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Photography became quite popular here by the late Fourth Reign. In 1863, Chit Chitrakanee became the first Siamese to open a photography studio, which was called “Francis Chit & Sons”.

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Chit who later was granted a noble title as ‘Luang’ was born in 1830, son of a soldier. His Thai name was Chit, but later adopted the Western name of Francis when he adopted the Christian faith.

He welcomed clients and the curious to the shop at his Bangkok home on the Chao Praya River in front of Santa Cruz Church.

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Chit was also the first professional photographer to advertise his skills and wares in newspapers, including the Bangkok Recorder and the Siam Mercantile Gazette.

He also was later appointed royal photographer to King Rama IV and continued working in the court, serving King Rama V as well, until his death.

The Sayam Prathet reported on January 20, 1899 that Chit was ordered to accompany King Rama IV to Prachuap Khiri Khan Province to photograph the solar eclipse of August 18, 1868.

Chit photographed thousands places and people, from high personages to ordinary folk, and sold them widely.

Chit died of cholera on 23 May 1891 at the age of 61. His descendants use the surname of Chitrakani.

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Photographs taken inside the Royal Palace by an Austrian photographer Wilhelm J. Burger during 1860s (the reigns of King Rama IV – V).

Note: An interesting controversy…

A fairly recent discovery has been made of photographs of Siam (Thailand) that were originally attributed to Wilhelm Burger (published in book form by Mr. Pipat Pongrapeeporn, 2001).

These photographs (found in Europe as part of a private collection) were compared to photographs of the same era taken by the Thai court photographer named Francis Chit (aka Chit Chitrakanee, last article). When these photos were lined up side-by-side, it was discovered that what many had considered individual photographs (taken by two different photographers) were actually part of a set meant to be combined to form a panoramic view.

The complete set of photographs (now correctly attributed to Francis Chit) are now back in Thailand and are illuminating a new generation of Thai and Western students, historians, and everyday people as to what Bangkok of the 1860s really looked like.

In a recent book on Austrian naval visits in Siam ("Auf den Spuren von Österreichs Marine in Siam"), published in June 2012, the author W. Donko concludes that not only these pictures, but a substantial part of the 1869 Siam photo collection attributed to Wilhelm Burger was in fact taken by the court photographer of the King of Siam, Mr. Francis Chit.

Already 2011 Mr. T. Akiyoshi and P. Pantzer showed in an article published in the magazine "Photo Researcher Nr. 15/201” that Burger had also bought most of his 1869 photographs of Japan from local photo studios there.

A double decker boat on the Supanburi River, Supanburi Province in 1936

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Shot in the reign of King Rama V showing an example of a war elephant in full form.

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(An inspiration, perhaps? [a scene from 'The Lord of The Rings'])


Also shot in the reign of King Rama V showing people in Khon Kan Province drying betel nuts.

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Wat Chaiwatthanaram…

is a Buddhist temple in the city of Ayuthaya Historical Park on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River, outside Ayutthaya Island. It is one of Ayutthaya's best known temples and a major tourist attraction. Though a large compound part of Ayuthaya Historical Park however, it is not a part of the Historic City of Ayuthaya.

This UNESCO World Heritage Site can be reached by road or by boat.

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The Wat was constructed in 1630 (Ayuthaya Kingdom; 1350-1767) by King Prasat Tong as a royal temple where the kings and their successors performed religious ceremonies. The high rank royalties were cremated here.

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(Shot in the reign of King Rama V)


After the total destruction of the Ayuthaya Kingdom by the Burmese in 1767, Wat Chai Watthanaram was not spared. The temple was deserted. Theft, sale of bricks from the ruins including the beheaded Buddha statues were inevitably.

Only in 1987 did the Thai Department of Fine Arts start restoring the site and in 1992, it was opened to the public.

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(Please bear with Thai language and watch this clip through, nice job --- starting from 2.00 onward)
<font size="4"><em><span style="font-family: &amp;amp">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQqMDWLcc08

Little birds tell a story behind a photo (a computer colored version of a B&W photograph)

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A chamberlain in the reign of King Rama VI. His life could be defined as “a star falls from grace”.

From one of the King’s favorites, his personal habit of being a lady’s man plus a gambling man caused him being deprived of his noble title, shunned from the royal society and finally, fired from his job.

He became an ordinary man working to make ends meet outside the palace and finally was stabbed to death.


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One of King Rama II’s sons (57^th - with a commoner wife; born in 1811) also a cousin of King Rama III and IV.

He was considered a very capable Prince in many ways. It was too bad that he was fond of alcohol so much that he was known all over the Palace as a drunken Prince (though he was not the only one there).

Once being possessed by alcohol, he would change into a different person, say a monster. King Rama IV had to issue a warning forbidding anyone to visit him when he was leisurely at his house (mansion). Any matters dealt with him had to be formally done inside the King’s Palace.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nathanielnong

nice job

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Yes, interesting.

Observed by Ernest Young B.Sc., Head Master of the Lower School of John Lyon, Harrow who used to stay in Siam in the reign of King Rama V (1868-1910).

Trial by ordeal in Siamese law-courts lasted down to quite recent times, and even now ordeals are practiced privately for various purposes.

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(The first Thai enacted law)


In one of the fire ordeals the accuser and the accused had to walk with bare feet over a layer of live coals ten inches thick. The fire was made in a ditch, ten feet long by twenty inches wide and twenty inches deep.

As the competitors walked over the red-hot coals, an official pressed heavily on their shoulders to make them go slowly.

At the end of the trial the feet of the men were examined, and he who had no blisters, either then or during the next fifteen days, won the case.

If both were unhurt, they had to undergo another ordeal by water; if both were burnt, they were both fined. Only about forty years ago a trial of this kind occurred at a law-court in one of the smaller towns of the interior.

In the ordeal by diving, use was made of a pond or of the river itself. Two stakes were fixed about ten feet away from each other. The parties first said their prayers, and then entered the water with safety-ropes fastened round their waists. They walked into the water until it reached to their necks. Each laid hold of his stake, and then a long pole was placed so that it was supported by the shoulders of both competitors.

A signal was given on a gong, and an official leant heavily on the pole and pushed the heads of the parties under the water. He who remained under the water the longer of the two was the winner. If both remained under water longer than a fixed time, they were hauled up by the safety-ropes and the case was dismissed.

If the people who had quarreled were rich, they could employ people to dive for them, instead of getting wet and breathless themselves.

There is a story told of a man who once engaged a pearl-diver to represent him, and so won easily. A trial of this kind occurred at the northern town of Chiengmai as late as January, 1882.

Phya Tak (or King Taksin) once defeated the army of a rebel who was also a priest. When the rebel was captured, a large number of yellow-robed brethren were taken with him.

The King called them all together, and as he could not tell the innocent from the guilty, he said to them: "Those of you who confess your guilt must leave the priesthood, but I will give you other clothes, and set you free without punishment. Those who say they are innocent must prove their innocence by the diving-test. If you fail in this test, you will be executed."

Many priests confessed at once that they had been helping the rebel host. They were released as the King had promised. But many others swore that they were innocent. The King sat on a chair on the river-bank and watched the priests go down into the water one by one.

Some of them stayed under the water the proper length of time, and so proved themselves not guilty; but others who failed were stripped of their robes and executed on the spot. Their bodies were burnt; their ashes were mixed with lime, and used to whitewash a part of a temple structure.

Sometimes melted lead was used in trial by ordeal. The contending parties thrust their hands into molten lead, and he who was not burnt won the case. Molten tin or boiling oil were used occasionally instead of the molten lead.

A regular method of settling disputes about money that had been lent was the trial by swimming. The parties had to swim either across a stream or against the current for a certain distance. The loser had to pay double the sum in dispute. Half the amount paid was given to the winner, while the other half was handed over to the Government as a fine.

Trial by means of candles was more comfortable than trial by fire and water. Two candles of exactly the same kind of wax, of the same weight, and with wicks containing the same number of threads, were lit and placed on suitable stands. The man whose candle burnt away first was the loser.

It is related of a certain nobleman that he was once asked to seize the throne and get rid of a usurper who was reigning at the time. He took two candles, one for himself and one for the usurper, and watched them burn. His own candle won. Taking this to mean that he would be successful, he raised an army, attacked the sovereign, defeated him, and reigned in his stead.

Then there were trials connected with eating and drinking. One of these consisted in drinking water in which a sacred image had been bathed. If any misfortune happened to the person within a fortnight after the day he took the water he was declared guilty.

In other cases rice was eaten; this was given by the priest, and was mixed with drugs and other nasty things. If the accused person was made sick by the dose, that proved him to be guilty. This form of trial was practiced until quite recently for the detection of various small offences.

Tree-climbing was also indulged in for the discovery of culprits. For this purpose a particular kind of tree was stripped of its bark, leaving a very slippery stem underneath. A man could prove his innocence of the charge brought against him by successfully "climbing the greasy pole."

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nathanielnong

Observed by Ernest Young B.Sc., Head Master of the Lower School of John Lyon, Harrow who used to stay in Siam in the reign of King Rama V (1868-1910).

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Didn't he found the famous consulting company Ernst & Young ? Omnipresent not only in Thailand? (just kidding...)