Theaters in Yaowarat in 1950s
Sri Ratchawong
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Tean Kua Tean
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??
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Printable View
Theaters in Yaowarat in 1950s
Sri Ratchawong
Attachment 80762
Tean Kua Tean
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??
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Queenie (1952 – May 30th, 2011) was a captive female Asian elephant born wild in 1952 in Thailand. She was imported to the U.S.A. and put on sale in the Trefflich pet store in New York.
In 1953, at 6 months of age she was sold to Bill Green, and his daughter Elisabeth (Liz) Green (later ‘Dane’).
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“I knew we were going to a pet store, but had no idea about the true purpose of the trip,” Dane told recently.
She looked at puppies and kittens before spotting the elephant in the room: Queenie, 6 months old and weighing 250 pounds.
“Dad asked if that was the pet I would like to bring home,” Dane recalled, “and I, of course, said ‘YES!’”
For 14 years, Dane cared for Queenie. And they treated one another as best of friends. They played, but they also trained. As a circus performer, Queenie learned to water ski and play harmonica. She skied during the late ’50s and early ’60s.
Queenie and Dane's act made appearances at states and county fairs, TV shows, and circuses around the country. During the show, Queenie and Dane would water ski, play the harmonica, and dance.
Attachment 80893
Marj and Jim Rusing, the owners of a Florida tourist attraction called De Leon Springs, introduced Queenie to water skiing in 1950's. Queenie was billed as "The World's Only Water Skiing Elephant" after she replaced the world's first water skiing elephant.
Liz Dane said Queenie was not being mistreated, "She thoroughly loved skiing. She would put her trunk in the water and get a big scoop of water and spray it all over the place! She loved it. Elephants can swim. That particular area, the water wasn't that deep. And even if she did spill over, they can swim. There was no danger."
Attachment 80894
In 1965, she appeared in a series of print advertisement for the Mercury outboard motors company. She also appeared on ‘The Tonight Show’ and more.
By the summer of 1967, Dane’s father had passed away and she was preparing for college. The grown girl and Queenie parted ways. Queenie was sold to an "elephant performance team" in Michigan. In 1981 she was sold to Circus Gatti
Attachment 80895
In June, 1959 during an appearance at the Bicentennial Festival in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, waves from a passing towboat caused Queenie to fall off her skis. Bill Green, who had been water-skiing next to Queenie, held her snorkel above the water until a crane was found and used to haul the elephant out of the water.
According to a news article from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the director of the local Humane Society said he had "received 25 telephone calls protesting the risk taken by Queenie when she performs on her huge water skis in the Allegheny River"
The article also quoted the curator of mammals at the Carnegie Museum as saying "An elephant is provided with a natural snorkel tube. Elephants like daily baths. They draw water up in their trunks and squirt themselves. I think water-skiing would be all right if the elephant isn't afraid of it and likes to do it."
Additionally, the local Republican county chairman was "highly suspicious of any attempt to eliminate Queenie's act" and quoted as saying "It might be a Democratic plot."
Queenie was retired from the Circus Gatti in 2003 and sent to the Wild Adventures theme park in Valdosta, Georgia.
Attachment 80896
Dane never forgot Queenie. She would one day learn that the old saying is true: Elephants never forget. Queenie never forgot Liz Dane.
In 2005, Dane tracked down Queenie to Wild Adventures.
“I spoke her name and her ears went out. She smelled my hands and then my feet. It was as if we had never been apart. I cried. She stood there touching me with her trunk.”
On Mary 30th, 2011, Queenie was euthanized because of chronic health problems.
“We knew that Queenie’s health had been in decline for some time,” Wild Adventures General Manager Bob Montgomery said in a statement, “and we have been working with other zoo veterinarians to determine the best way to manage Queenie’s chronic health issues. Unfortunately, we had to make a quality of life decision (Monday) morning.”
According to an obituary in the UK's The Guardian, "Queenie was believed to be one of the oldest Asian elephants in North America."
Queenie, "The World's Only Water-Skiing Elephant" - YouTube
According to the story on page 19/453, a solar eclipse occurring on August 18, 1868 was a big controversy in the Siamese Court.
As a modern astrology, King Rama IV declared that the solar eclipse this time was total but it could not be clearly seen here in Bangkok. It had to be witnessed at Tumbon Wakoh, Prachuab Keereekun Province.
On the contrary, all the local astrologists whose knowledge was based on ancient Siamese tomes disagreed in unison.
The King wanted to prove he was right so, he worked all the hard work over and over to make himself sure then arranged a trip to the place to see the truth.
On August 18th, 1868, the solar eclipse occurred and it was total as the King had predicted. It was recorded that the eclipse started at 10.32 a.m. The sky had become totally dark since 12.00 a.m.
During the period of 6 minutes and 46 seconds, all over the place was dark like nighttime. All the stars in the sky could be clearly seen.
The King, in his triumphant, looked around and witnessed all the faces of those local astrologists including farung (French) astrologists who did not believe him in the first place gaped while staring into the dark sky.
Attachment 81048(The computer colored photo shows the Royal Camp built for witnessing the solar eclipse at Tumbon Wakoh, Prachuab Keereekun Province on August, 1868)
Admiral Prince Abhakara Kiartivongse (pronounced simply as ‘Apakorn), Prince of Chumphon (1880 – 1923) was the 28th child of King Rama V. Being born to a non-royal mother (from the Bunnag clan), he was not eligible to become king.
Attachment 81068
Traveling with his son, King Rama V had noticed that this boy was good at navigation. So the King decided to send the Prince to England to study naval science.
Attachment 81069
He returned to Siam to serve in the creation of Royal Siamese Navy and contributed significantly to the advancement and modernization of the navy.
In 1922 he saw that Sattahip Bay, Chonburi Province, was a strategic place for the establishment of a naval base and offered royal land there to build the present-day naval facilities.
In honor of his contributions, the Prince was proclaimed "The father of the Royal Thai Navy".
Prince Apakorn also had Muay Thai skills. During King Rama VI's reign, he trained many Muay Thai boxers. The most famous one in his time named Young Han-Talay who was well-known from kick-boxing a Chinese boxer to death in the ring.
Attachment 81070
In addition to his career in navy, the Prince studied medicine. He was particularly interested in the use of herbal medicine in treating his patients. Locals named him ‘Moh (= doctor) Porn (shortened from ‘Chum ‘phon’’)’.
Attachment 81071(At his home, Nang-Loeng Palace, in Nang-Loeng Subdistrict, recent photo)
However, every Thai knows him most from the name “Sadej Tia (= Lord Father)”.
Not long after being honored to the title "The father of the Royal Thai Navy”, Prince Apakorn left the office for his health and traveled to Monthon Surat for a month. He rehabilitated from his congenital and chronic diseases at Hat Sai Ree beach in Chumphon Province.
After his accidental exposure to a cold rain, he was infected with influenza which worsened his health condition sharply.
The Prince Admiral died at the age of 42, on 19 May 1923.
Attachment 81072
The Royal Thai Navy marks 19th of May annually as the "Abhakara Memorial Day".
Being a non-caste personality type made the Prince beloved by the general public. There are about 217 shrines and memorials built to honor him throughout Thailand. The most famous of which is the Prince of Chumphon Shrine at Hat Sai Ree in Chumphon Province, where he recuperated and rehabilitated from his illnesses, before his death.
Attachment 81073
Ulysses S Grant, the 18th President of the United States of America, meets King Rama V at the Grand Palace on February 4th, 1879.
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Attachment 81154Attachment 81155Attachment 81152Attachment 81153
I don't know what has happened with the photo downloading this time!!
Overbrook Hospital is located in the center of Chiengrai Province. It was found in early 1900s by William A. Briggs, a Canadian doctor and, also, one of the American Presbyterian Mission of New York.
Shot in 1951
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Dr. Briggs home in Chiengrai
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A means of transportation in the northern of Siam
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A photo staged by Dr. Briggs of a dead, man-killing tiger they had hunted down. He said that the natives in the northern of Siam were terrified of tigers. People lived in tightly clustered villages and at times kept a fire burning all night to ward off tiger visits. The men would work their rice fields only in the daytime.
Attachment 81187
After witnessing the solar eclipse at Tumbon Wakoh, Prachuab Keereekun Province on August 18th, 1868, King Rama IV was exposed to malaria then developed chills and fever (more details on page 19/453).
Before his death on October 1st, 1868, the King was concerned about his heir to the throne. His eligible son, Prince Chulalongkorn, was still underage (15). He expressed his concern to his trusted subject that once he was demised and the Prince had took the throne then, took good care of him (the Prince) and let not any bad incidents such as the throne usurping occurred.
‘Do not let it be like the case of ‘Pra Sanaeha Montri (title and name for a commoner granted by the king)’. It was very embarrassing’ The King said.
Now, the case of ‘Pra Sanaeha Montri’ was about the usurpation that happened in Nakorn Srithummarat City. It happened after the ruler of the city died (in 1867), there were many people who wanted to seize the power of the City’s ruler but the King had desired for the ruler’s eldest son, Pra Sanaeha Montri, who at the time was already helping his father as the deputy to take over the position.
But according to the ancient tradition that the person who was subject to take an important position had to gain the experience of ordaining to become a monk and Pra Sanaeha Montri had not done it yet. So, the King ordered him to come to Bangkok and had him ordain to become a monk at a wat.
Something beyond expectation happened one night while praying inside his cubicle, a bullet shot from somewhere outside went through the cubicle’s wall. It was about the same time that Pra Sanaeha Montri finished his pray and was bending down to pay respect to Buddha (a verb called ‘krab’). So the bullet went past over and Pra Sanaeha Montri was alive.
This grave incident was spread to the King’s ears and a thorough investigation was held but the shooter could not be caught.
When Pra Sanaeha Montri finished his term of a monk ordaining, the King appointed him the new ruler of Nakorn Srithummarat City after his late father with the new title of ‘Praya Nakorn Srithummarat’
This incident was just fresh, thus, it concerned King Rama IV who wished the history did not repeat itself.
Attachment 81363(The computer colored photo of Praya Nakorn Srithummarat (Pra Sanaeha Montri))
During the early Rattanakosin era, Siam in the reign of King Rama III often had disputes with its neighbors such as the defeat of Chao Anuwong Vientiane rebellion, the war with Vietnam over the land of Cambodia, the Battle of Saiburi and the Rebellion of Indian majority in some areas including the crisis concerning the British invading Burma for the first time. These incidents shook the stability of Siam.
For such reason, King Rama III announced that the major cities that acted as frontier cities help to protect the area of country. The King also ordered permanent city walls and fortresses built for preventing the invaders.
The city of Songkhla was one of those that took the King’s order. The governor of the city used tax money collected to construct the walls and fortresses. What was different here from the others was the style of the city gate was Chinese. That was because the ancestors of the governor here were from China.
Shown here is the computer colored photo of one of ten city gates built around Songkhla City whose B&W original version was shot in the reign of King Rama V. This one opened to the Lake of Songkhla.
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All about Buddhism in the 50s...
A monk's cubicle
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A classroom in a wat
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Merit making (Tak bat)
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This thread is excellent. It really should be in the famous threads section.
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A part of an article copied from a magazine titled “Siam on the Meinam From the Gulf to Ayuthia - Maxwell Sommerville (1897):
“…a Chinaman during a number of days sitting on a log in an evidently unhappy mood; his finger nails were long and tapering - four or five inches in length, - his countenance haggard.
At last one of the employees of the steamship company asked him what was the matter, or if he was suffering. “Yes,” said he; “for several days I have had nothing to eat; my only nourishment has been the smoke from my tobacco.”
“… but now I must sacrifice my shoes to obtain food.” He set them out on the ground some distance before him, and marked with a card, on which was written “For sale; price, one salung” (fifteen cents).
The shoes remained there several days in the way of the passers-by, both Siamese and Chinese; no one would give the price for the richly-embroidered slippers. A gentleman of the company sent one of his clerks to the suffering man, offering to give him ten ticals (six dollars) immediately if he cut off for him one of his finger-nails.
The suffering man said he would reflect, and the next day he replied to the gentleman’s offer, “No; I will keep my finger-nails; rather die than part with it.”..."
Totally agree about this thread, i have spend many days looking though it and its ben fascinating. Thank you very much.
A documentary (photos not included) titled: Treatise on Midwifery
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Though Dr. Dan Beach Bradley wrote his helpful Treatise on Vaccination in 1840 (although it was not published for another four years), yet he regarded the care of pregnant women and midwifery a subject of even greater concern.
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Alarmed at some of the practices he witnessed in early 19th-century Siam, the American physician and missionary believed that modern methods of childbearing would greatly aid local mothers and their offspring.
Thus he spent the 240 baht he was paid by King Rama III (1824-1851) for his work protecting the Siamese from smallpox on a book of pregnancy and midwifery.
“Kampee Kantharaksa” (Treatise on Midwifery) was published in 1842, offering 200 pages of advice and some 50 photos and illustrations by local artists.
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This was the country’s first Thai textbook on modern obstetrics.
In the old days, it was customary for a woman who had just given birth to lie by a fire for a month. The practice, called ‘yu (= stay) fai (= fire)’, was believed to allow the womb to heal properly while curbing her sexual appetite.
Attachment 81568
Bradley was appalled that the practice continued even though many mothers suffered from the heat and actually became ill. At the same time, many babies were stillborn or unhealthy as a result of faulty theories about birthing and childcare.
The doctor wrote that many Siamese women insisted their bodies were structured differently from those of Western women, so they believed his methods were unsuitable for them.
Bradley decided to write a book to try and correct such misconceptions and further improve the Siamese quality of life.
Agreeing that Siamese mothers must abandon the practice of ‘yu fai’, Prince Mongkut (the future King Rama IV) and Prince Chudamani, his brother, (the future King Pinklao) enthusiastically approved of Bradley’s plan.
Although initially there were few followers, Bradley’s observations – and his books – were the first steps towards changing harmful attitudes that had been retained from generation to generation.
“Kampee Kantharaksa” was also the first Siamese medical textbook to be made available to the general public, another extraordinary innovation among the citizens of the day.
(Note: Word by word, kampee = scripture / kan = pregnancy (here = womb) / raksa = treatment)
In the early Rattanakosin (King Rama 1 – 3 [1782-1851]), Siam’s territory was vast. It has borders connected with countries from north to south.
Attachment 81749
The vast area was difficult to know where exactly the borderlines between Siam and such countries were but from the traditions and customs that had continued since ages ago, it was enough to just know who ruled this or that land. There was no need to make the borderline precised by creating evidence.
When Cambodia fell under French custody, ancient principles that had been held for hundreds of years was abandoned. France managed modern cartography and drew the boundary line and embedded boundary stones along the lines all the way from Phanom Dong Rak Mountain ranges down to the Gulf of Thailand.
The new method, at that time, seemed practical and also maintained the old traditions if only they had done it true to the geometrical fact.
The case of a dispute over the Temple of Preah Vihear including its land surrounding the Temple was the clear evidence which has created a wound to Siamese that has never been healed until now.
Attachment 81750
The computer colored photo shows the Siamese soldiers of the Eastern Army during the case of the 1941 Indochina Dispute posed with a boundary stone between Siam and Cambodia that was embedded by France during the reign of King Rama V.
Prince Mahamala (in short term; 1819-1886) was a son of King Rama II, and grandson of King Rama I who was the founder of the Chakri Dynasty. When the throne was passed to King Rama V which was his nephew, The Prince was a senior high ranking royalty and one of the King’s most trusted persons.
Being responsible to a lot of important duties in the government had made him very powerful that should have created his personality a stern look to the people’s eyes. Actually it was not at all.
Many old records described him all in the same way that he was very playful and never considered himself conceit. All of his small great grandsons (King Rama V’s sons) who knew him said in unison that the Prince was very kind.
One said that, when came a time to present themselves (the great grandsons) before their father, the King at the Throne Hall, they had to crawl on four all the way passing those senior high ranking royalty who mostly looked stern but when they passed Prince Mahamala, the Prince did not hesitate to greet them intimately. Sometimes, he even handed some small toys made of zinc taken out of his shirt pocket.
The Prince was the origin of the surname ‘Malakul’
Attachment 81792(The computer colored photo shows Prince Mahamala, the Prince of Bamrabporapaksa wearing a military-style jacket, seating on a European chair with castors by the table. With betel quid in his mouth, he holds a large hat, with a feather, on his lap. A sword and tea-making equipment are seen on the table. The photo was shot in the late reign of King Rama IV)
Patumwan Roundabout (1973) before and after 'Siam Shopping Center'
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Maboonkrong Shopping Center, Patumwan (1985)
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Is this 'Pleonchit Arcade (1973)', Pleonchit?
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King Rama V, commemorative photo
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King Rama V's handwriting (I am not sure if it is English)
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King Rama V, postcard
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The computer colored photo shows ‘cham loh’. It was an obstacle to halt or slow down passersby. Anyone that came to face ‘cham loh’ had to change their direction to either left or right.
Once bad guys ran toward it, they had to slow down before getting torn whether they should change their direction to left or right and that gave a chance for the law officers to catch up.
In the ancient days, ‘cham loh’ were very popular. They were built around the Grand Palace of Ayutthaya Kingdom and independent lands around such as here shown in the photo which was taken at Wat Pra-Singh, the Kingdom of Chiengmai, in the reign of King Rama V.
Anyway, there is no evidence of any 'cham loh' built in the Rattakosin Kingdom.
Is this 'Pleonchit Arcade (1973)', Pleonchit?
Could be. It appears to be the "first" Foodland on Ploenchit, right next to the old British embassy. Before the internet it was a meeting place for young travelers. They had a huge bulletin board outside where people left messages while traveling. IE. Mark, I got sick of Bangkok, up in CNX at the DD Guest House. Boat leaving for Langkawi from Pattaya, one space for crew left. Need to sell my air ticket to Dhaka. The only place in town for good cheeses, meats, breads, and the first to stock potato chips I believe. Always a crowd.
There was another place I recall that may have predated Foodland called Dairy Lane. IIRC it was at the north end of Chidlom and I heard at the time it belonged to a supermarket chain out of Hong Kong. K. Nong may remember it. I used to go there to get weird things like bread and milk.
During these turbulent and almost war like eras, the Siamese colonial expansion was extraordinarily extensive - causing very old regional kingdoms into succession [Kampheang Phet, Lopburi, Udon, Ubon, Songkhla and the Malay south, etc] to Bangkok rule. Even the much older Lanna Kingdom agreed to an extended tributary system, while holding a fashioned independence.
The greater region of what is today's Laos [Upper Siam] was gobbled up easily and bits and pieces of the crumbling Khmer Empire.
This lasted for nearly a century until the decades old Haw Wars and French colonial expansion.
It is a pity that I was much too young to remember and that place was not in my area. My area when I was young was in Wongwien Yai, (back then) Thonburi Province. Anyway, my parents used to take us (+ my brother) to those areas (Rachaprasong, Ploenchit, Chidlom and around) very often since they were hip places to hang out.
When I got older, in high school, my parents moved house to live in Sapan Kwai. I remember a hip store called 'Tai Din Supermarket (Tai Din = undergrond). It was across Sanam Pao, close to the Victory Monument.
The supermaket contained mostly 'farung' stuff including R-rated magazines...
Nice to hear from you again!
The wreck of the HTMS Sattakut, June 18th, 2011, is located about 1 kilometer off the coast of Koh Tao in Mae Haad Bay.
Before being commissioned by the Royal Thai Navy to use as a transport ship, the HTMS Sattakut was built and operated by the US Navy in the WWII.
Attachment 82115
Its structure is 48 meters long and completely made of steel. Divers can now visit it easily.
It is in 2011, that the Thai government with the cooperation of the local dive centers and shops sank the HTMS Sattakut off the coast of Koh Tao. This after the vessel has been cleaned and secured for the future divers and to preserve marine life from the chemicals that might have been on.
The dive on the wreck of the HTMS Sattakut can be combined with the exploration of another dive site called Hin Pee Wee. This site is located just north, less than 3 minutes away for those who know the way.
It allows the teaching of the SSI - Wreck Divingbut this certification is not required to go around the shipwreck with no penetration.
https://youtu.be/7IMc9YoN5bI
Phra Sanpakarn Hiranjakitch (title+name granted by the king) whose birth/death dates are unknown and personal life was rarely known to public was, back then, a well-known and highly respected official in the reign of King Rama V of Siam.
After completing his education, he entered the Government service where he remained there for about ten years. After the Minister of Finance established the Siam Commercial Bank (detail on page 42/1035), he was appointed as its manager which brought about his resigning from the Government employment.
Attachment 82157
Phra Sanpakarn had devoted the whole of his time to the conduct of this enterprise. The success and stability of the bank form in themselves a high tribute to his organizing ability and skill of financial training.
He was married to Khoon Sap, a daughter of a prominent Siamese official.
Attachment 82158
Phra Sanpakarn’s private residential property was reputed to be the finest in Bangkok outside the royal palaces. As an enthusiastic collector of antiques who had traveled extensively in the Federated Malay States and the East Indies, he fitted in his residences with most interesting mementos of his journeys.
His private residential property which was said to be built in 1908 contained a park surrounding two villas. The park was called ‘Samsen Park’ and his two villas were called ‘Himmapan (A legendary forest that locates at the hill of Himmanpan Mountain or the Himalayas)’.
Attachment 82159
About the Park, it contained an excellent little theater, replete with every convenience for the staging of a modern dramatic production. Phra Sanpakarn intended everything in the Park to be open, with admission fee, to the public.
Attachment 82160The outer wall of the residential property
Attachment 82161The theatre
Attachment 82162The small Villa
Attachment 82163The large Villa with a pond in front
Attachment 82164The reception room decorated with mementos of his journeys.
Attachment 82165Samsen Park’s grand opening
(Photos are courtesy of the book, Twentieth Century Impressions of Siam, 1994)
These spectacles caught every eye of the passerby and when more information that the owner was Phra Sanpakarn who was a manager of the first Siamese Bank, the Siam Commercial Bank, was revealed, the authority stepped in.
In 1910, a discreet investigation was held. The result soon came out that Phra Sanpakarn was convicted of illegal money transaction (hope I use the right term).
At that time, Siam was an absolute monarchy country. Not only Phra Sanpakarn was fired from the position of the bank manager, he was ripped of his official title+name and became a commoner with a common name as ‘Nai Chaey Isarabhakdi’.
Next year, he was filed for bankruptcy but since he still had connection in the field, it was easy to make his case buried as time went by.
His property at Samsen Park was confiscated to become Royal property’s.
Attachment 82166
Nai Chaey started his life again from zero. More than 10 years later, he finished his study and became a barrister and applied for a position in the Ministry of Justice. Not long after, he earned his official title+name once again though different from the former one.
The area of Phra Sanpakarn’s private property, Samsen Park including 2 extravagant villas, was, by King Rama VI’s command, renovated to become Vachira Hospital.
At present, the small villa (locally called as ‘Pink Building’) was demolished. The big villa (locally called as ‘Yellow Building’) was still standing but much deteriorated.
Today, the Yellow Building was under renovation by the raising fund of the Hospital.
Attachment 82167
^
Thanks, Nat -
In recent years there has seemed to be conscious move/effort towards restoration of things that are considered of an important historic nature.
A scene during the coronation ceremonies for King Rama VI who personally stimulated the early development of aviation in Thailand
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Bangkok was full of exotic pomp and ceremony during King Rama VI coronation in 1911, the year of the first flying demonstration
Attachment 82226(The Ministry of 'Nakornban' as seen in the photo was established in the reign of King Rama V. Its job was to govern the affairs within the capital city, Bangkok. Since 1922 (the late reign of King Rama VI), it has become a part of the Ministry of Interior)
^ Six days of coronation pageantry, I believe. Also grand ceremonial events that had never been organised on such a scale for any royal coronation - to the tune of hundreds of millions of Baht.
His Father surely wouldn't have displayed such unnecessary wasteful practice. Guess the humility traits and genes were not passed on.
I think the term would be Financial Fraud (Financial fraud occurs when someone takes money or other assets from you through deception or criminal activity) or Embezzlement (theft or misappropriation of funds placed in one's trust or belonging to one's employer).
Its great that something is being done to preserve the building, so many have been lost to bland concrete architecture, just a shame the Govt isn't bought in to preserving the heritage beyond tourist attractions.
[QUOTE=malmomike77;4361844]I think the term would be Financial Fraud (Financial fraud occurs when someone takes money or other assets from you through deception or criminal activity) or Embezzlement (theft or misappropriation of funds placed in one's trust or belonging to one's employer).
Thank you for the information, very useful. Really appreciate that.
Attachment 82280
A photo of "Koon (not ‘khoon = Mr.’) Sappakit Wichan (noble rank+title granted by the king)" who won the Harley Davidson motorcycle race on October 30th, 1920.
In this photo, it explains that he is posting as a model riding on a 1920 Twin Cylinder Harley Davidson for an advertisement during the reign of King Rama VI, date and year unknown.
The term “Front Palace or Wang Na” has been mentioned quite often. There was the term “Rear Palace or Wang Lang” as well.
Wang Na and Wang Lang had been mentioned since Ayutthaya Kingdom.
In Rattanakosin Kingdom, the term ‘Wang Na’ referred to the Uparaja (viceroy) of Siam, who held the title Krom Phra Ratchawang Bowon Sathan Mongkhon.
Attachment 82313
‘Wang Lang’ held the title Krom Phraratchawang Bowon Sathan Phimuk. Its importance was second to Wang Na.
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So, the terms ‘Wang Na’ and ‘Wang Lang’ are used as common terms.
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In Rattanakosin Kingdom, Prince Anurak Devesh who was a nephew of King Rama I was the only Wang Lang who was appointed in 1785.
The importance of Wang Lang was to provide force to protect the northern and western side of the capital city of Bangkok (the western side of Chao Praya River) from enemy invasion.
After Prince Anurak Devesh’s death in 1806, the office was divided to be the residences of his offspring. Until the reign of King Rama III, the descendant of the Prince had less and less power and money, not much enough to maintain so, the vast area was left vacant and had become free land for anybody.
In 1886, the reign of King Rama V, he had the land improved to establish Siriraj Hospital (more detail on page 22/546) and Bangkok Noi Train Station.
Note: To be clear, both terms: Wang Na and Wang Lang, each is referred to a position of a person not a name of a place.
Attachment 82316(Siriraj Hospital in the beginning)
Attachment 82317(Bangkok Noi Train Station in the beginning)
Ratchadamnern Stadium is a sporting arena located in Bangkok. It is one of the two main stadiums for modern ‘muay Thai’.
In 1941, the Prime Minister of Thailand, Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram (page 12/297 and 13/302) gave orders to build a national boxing stadium on Ratchadamnern Avenue. Impresse Italiane All' Estero-Oriente won the construction rights, and the 258,900 baht project foundation stone was laid on 1 March 1941.
Due to the lack of construction supplies during the WWII, the project was halted until August 1945. When the construction resumed, it took only four months to complete it.
The first boxing match was held on 23rd December 1945. Tickets were priced at between 70 and 300 baht.
The original stadium was open-air, resembling a Roman amphitheater in design.
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Six years later, in 1951 a concrete roof was added, making it weather-proof. Despite the construction, boxing events continued as usual.
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After seven years of the government ownership, the stadium was losing money. On 24th May 1953, The stadium manager at the time asked permission from the Crown Property Bureau to run the stadium and founded the "Ratchadamnern Co, Ltd.".
The Ratchadamnern Co., Ltd. operates it to this day and it has become one of the chief muay Thai boxing stadiums in Thailand.
Gambling is legal there and takes place at the second level. The betting is done by hand-signals, as on a stock exchange trading floor. Anyway, very often such signs are misunderstood by one side and fights may erupt outside the ring between gamblers. The security service at Ratchadamnern Stadium is managed by armed military police. Foreigners usually occupy the expensive ringside seats, while gamblers and aficionados prefer the second or third ring of seats upstairs.
Attachment 82466