Thread: Memory Lane (In my own language)

Originally Posted by aging one

young farung looking girl front and center of the first row. Any idea who she was?

I think she was no one in particular but just a farang girl whose parents came to work in Siam. There are many more in that photo.

However, I like how they dressed in Thai traditional dresses.

A Tale from Little Birds

“We suggest that for fairness, you need to check this article first”

“I already did. I did the crosschecking between foreign sources and local sources. You know what? Surprisingly, foreign sources give more details”

“That’s amazing. Some seeds are good but some are bad, we might say. By the way, what topic are you going to address the readers?”

“The First Hated Farang Ever (internationally) Recorded”


It was recorded that the first commercial store that run by farang happened in 1826 in the reign of King Nungklao (Rama III) under the name of “Morgan & Hunter Store”. They rented a land from a noble officer which was sited around the area where Wat Prayoonrawong (by the Chao Praya River, the Thonburi Province banks) was.




This store imported a lot of foreign merchandises such as European and Indian fabrics, cigarettes and tobaccos and many more that the Siamese had never seen before.

However, there was one thing that they did not put on the advertisement but sold secretly underground which was illegal in Siam. It’s “opium”.

Mr. Morgan (his first name was not mentioned) was an English man whose records later came to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Siam that his other face was a spy sent by the Penang Governor which was owned by the British Government to find news from the Siam Bureau of Royal Household and report back.

Records added that back around that time the British Government always sent merchants as spies while the French Government always sent missionaries as spies.

In the meantime, Mr. Hunter or Robert Hunter born into a family of established Scottish merchants. Though there was no clear record of him, also, being a spy or not but the man always acted like a gangster who liked to express his power to people even to the government officers. His manner meant that he had quite a strong backup, same as Mr. Morgan.




Together, the two men ran the store for a period of time before Morgan was sent back to England. Hunter’s new commercial partner was another British named Hayes. The store then had its name changed into “Hunter & Hayes”. Not for long, Hayes got dysentery and had to move out of Siam for better medication treatment.

So, Hunter whose English name the Siamese could not pronounce it right so the closest they could do was calling him "Hun-trae" was left to run the business alone. His store was well known among the Siamese as “Hung (store) Huntrae” while other foreigners called it “The British Factory”.

Huntrae was a farang who could communicate in Thai which was quite rare. His fluency in Thai made him crucial in trade and diplomacy between Siamese nobles and visiting merchants.

He married a half-Portuguese half-Siamese named Angelina or Sap (a Thai name, actually according to the right pronunciation, it should be written as 'Sup' and pronounced like “supper” which means ‘asset’) who was from a respected Portuguese family and a descendant of Constantine Phaulkon, the 17th-century adventurer in Siam, intending that he would live the rest of his life in the Kingdom of Siam.




Time went by, his personality of being not so nice and with the help of his crooked and wily mind, he soon became a rich man.

Once King Rama III needed a lot of muskets to keep stored in the armory for at the time, Siam was having issues with Laos, Huntrae was able to acquire 1,000 of them which were more than needed. That pleased the King so much that he granted the man a noble title (a Luang).

Now that Huntrae was fully equipped with wealth and honor, he did not hesitate to use those mischievously to Siamese people may they be common people or government officers.

He then found a way to manage a deal to cut trade of opium England sent to destroy China to sell in Siam for more money added. The officials all knew but they dared not for Huntrae always claimed that he was a man chosen by English government.

Finally, the climax of the conflict between Huntrae and the Siamese was over the sale of a steamship.

Apprehensive of the British intentions in the region after the First Opium War, King Rama III, having no naval means to combat with, had ordered from “Hunter & Hayes” a large supply of guns and a steamship to use in case the British gunships attacked Siam.

However, the hostilities in China ended with the Treaty of Nanking in 1842 and the British did not proceed to attack Siam. Therefore, the King no longer wanted a steamship but by that time it had arrived in Bangkok in 1844.

That was the first time that the Siamese ever saw a “floating piece of iron” named “Express”.


(Example of a steamship from that era)


Report said that the sale of the ship was fraught with disagreement. It is unclear whether the King refused to pay the previously agreed price or if Huntrae attempted to extort from him quadruple the value of the vessel but tensions in the negotiations reached a boiling point when Huntrae threatened to sell the “Express” to Siam’s enemy, the Vietnamese.

The King was outraged by the threat and ordered Huntrae to leave the Kingdom of Siam immediately.

On 24 February, Huntrae departed Bangkok on the “Express”, bound for Singapore.

It was said that Huntrae's bad behavior greatly impacted the opinions of King Rama III and gave him pessimism towards not only the British but other foreigners from any nations.

From then on, any emissaries from any nations coming in to negotiate over any subjects would be harder to meet conclusiveness.

There was a note made by Spencer John, a secretary to the British emissary led by Sir John Bowring who came to Siam in the reign of King Rama III in his final years to discuss about international trade and failed:

"We have heard before that he (the King) used to be so fond of the British but lately, his opinions were quite opposite. I believe that the main part was caused by a British trader whose bad behaviors annoyed him and changed his course towards other foreigners. That man has caused great impact to us..."

Some western notes said that Huntrae came back again to Siam more than once but just to sort things out and dissolve his enterprise in order to leave it to Christopher Harvey, an assistant of “Hunter & Hayes” to continue the business in Bangkok before leaving the land for good.

He was said to go back to live the rest of his life in his homeland, Scotland and died in 1848.


More from western notes:

Though being socially adaptable and persuasive, but Huntrae’s "shrewdness and arrogance were more memorable than the streaks of kindness which undoubtedly existed."

During the unsuccessful treaty mission of Sir James Brooke in 1850, King Rama III cited Huntrae's fractious behavior as a reason for rejecting the terms for freer residence of Europeans. The King did not want more troublesome merchants like Huntrae and he distrusted Westerners for the rest of his reign.

Siam's foreign relations did not change until the ascension of King Mongkut (Rama IV).”


However, his son, Robert Hunter Junior still lived in Siam since he had maintained better relationship to the Siamese Government than his father. He died in 1865.

A small note mentioned (translated into English by me) about his death as:
"... on Wednesday of April 1865 Nai (Mr.) Roberd Huntrae, an interpreter/clerk to the office of Chao Praya (noble title granted by the king) Sri Suriyawong died at his home. Rumor says that he died of too much drinking...".


Appendex:

Huntrae is credited with bringing the original Siamese twins to global attention.

In 1824, he was sailing up the Chao Praya River at dusk when he saw a "strange animal" which in actuality are the shirtless twins, bathing.

He befriended Chang and Eng (their actual Siamese names were Chan and In) along with their mother and family, and told them many stories of the wonders of the western world.

Huntrae recognized the potential profit in exhibiting the twins publicly and sought permission from them, their family and the King to bring them to England. While the twins and their family were willing, it took five years to secure permission from the King.

At that time, Huntrae's partner in this business venture was an American sea captain named Abel Coffin. Coffin and Huntrae sailed to Boston with the twins in the summer of 1829. They signed a contract with the twins for a five-year tour. However, the value of the contract is disputed. Huntrae and Coffin said it was for $3,000 while Chang and Eng said it was only for $500.

However, Huntrae’s business in Siam took priority and he departed in 1830 bound for Bangkok. In 1831, Coffin bought out Huntrae's share in the venture. Nevertheless, Huntrae remained in contact with the twins and their family in Siam, regularly corresponding with all parties well into the 1840s.

Old portraits (probably already seen from somewhere else)























(Note - The one being erased is distorted. Don't know how to fix it)

Photos shot in 1897, of guardian angels for people who were born on … (details shown below each one starting from Sunday (= Pra Atit))

Note: This is Brahmanism not Buddhism.

What did those female royalties do in daily life (inside Dusit Palace’s female and children section), King Rama V’s reign.

(Note: Most of the ladies shown were the King’s Royal Concubines)




(Demonstrating how to use knife and fork)


(Being renowned as a very skillful photographer, taking a photo of her farther)




(Eating with hands, old Siamese traditional style)

One photo tells a lot...




In the reign of King Rama II, the great plague happened. People died like dry leaves falling.

According to a tradition that when a commoner died, the funeral could not be held within the city’s area (within the walls surrounding the city of Bangkok). It had to be moved out to ‘wat’ outside, through the gates. These gates were locally called "pratoo (= doors/gates) pee (= ghosts).

Historians learn that there are 3 pratoo pee:

To the north: funerals held at Wat Sangwet

To the south: funerals held at Wat Borpit Pimuk

And to the east: funerals held at Wat Sakate.

This photo of pratoo pee taken in the reign of King Rama V was the most famous one up until now though the ‘gate’ itself has been demolished long time ago. It's pratoo pee in the east leading to Wat Sakate sited on Bumroong Mueng Road.

Though in the reign of King Rama IV, the gate was named officially as ‘Pratoo Samran Rad’ which means ‘Happy People Gate’ but people have never called it. They always used/use its old name, “pratoo pee", until now.




Boats seen in this photo were called “Ruea (= boats/ships and more) Lao”. They were used for long distance traveling along the rivers. These boats had American flags fixed on tops.

Historians say that they belonged to American missionaries who used them to travel to Chiengmai, the northern center of evangelism which usually took 6 weeks to get there.

The pier was at Wung Lung (now a part of Sirirat Hospital) where the “Kullasatri Wung Lung School (meaning ‘Ladies of Wung Lung’)”, Thailand’s first boarding school for girls and the first kindergarten founded in 1874 (King Rama V’s) by the American Presbyterian Mission was located.

The school has been moved and changed name to “Wattana Wittaya Academy”.

Note: The story was told earlier.

Aerial photography of some areas in Bangkok shot during late 1940s – early 1950s.


(Pomprab Satrupai area [Worachak / New Road / Bumrung Muang Roads] – Golden Mount is seen from afar)


(Middle [section] Ratchadumnern Road – Democracy Monument is seen; Golden Mount far back)


(Klong Padung Krung Kasem – Hua Lampong [on the left, not seen] area)


(Ananta Samakom Throne Hall - Royal [former Dusit Palace] Plaza in the foreground)


([The future] Pratoo Nam area)

Commonly seen but where exactly?

Ratcha Prasong Intersection (early 1960s - no traffic lights yet) – Ratcha Dumri Road; Erawan Hotel is seen




Ratcha Prasong Intersection – Rama I Road; Gayson Plaza is behind the BOAC building




New Road; the area around the Grand Postal Building, Bangrak




Donmuang Airport in your time




Victory Hotel close to Lerd-Sin Hospital, Silom

Koat (= royal urns) contain ashes of Kings and Queens of Chakri Dynasty placed inside Wat Racha Borpit which was built by King Rama V to be ‘Wat of the King’.




This Wat is the last one for this tradition has been discontinued starting from King Rama VI.

The ground on west side of the Wat serves as the Royal Cemetery with numerous monuments of major and minor members of the Thai Royal Family, 34 at present.




Two Heads of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State, Pope John Paul II (1984) and Pope Francis (2019), used to visit this Wat to pay respect to His Holiness the Supreme Patriarch.