Memory Lane (In my own language)

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The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ shows Miss Praphai Sucharitakul (10 June 1902 – 30 November 1975) at the age of 14. She was one of the daughters of a very high rank powerful nobleman.

On January 1, 1923, she was appointed by King Rama VI to be his 'Her Majesty the Queen' as the colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Sebastian Peet’ shown below.

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She became Queen because of her pregnancy which made the King extremely happy with a much anticipated heir. However, it was never to be, as the Queen miscarried and same for another two times more during her queenship. The 2^nd time was a still born and it happened to be a boy. She was later demoted to the rank of Princess Consort.

Something weird happening to this website. It is sluggish. Is it me or it happens to everyone?

The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ shows a funeral of a well-respected abbot (kru-ba) in the northern part of Thailand in 1938.


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It still is today. From 5 minutes done to half an hour done!

Back to normal...

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The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ shows Wat Ratchaburana in the reign of King Rama VII (1925 – 1935). The Wat was built in the late Ayutthaya period by a wealthy Chinese merchant named "Liap". It has been located at the foot of the Memorial Bridge (Sapan Put) on the Bangkok side.

During World War II in 1945, the temple was seriously damaged and the name of the Wat was deleted from the official list. Later, the then abbot and local people helped rebuilding the temple. The Wat has been since named unofficially as Wat ‘Lieb’ which means ‘totally wiped out’.


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The photo of Wat Lieb shot in 1967 from the foot of Sapan Put.


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At present day, 2016, from the same spot as in 1967.

The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ shows King Rama VIII visiting Bang Khen field (later the site of Kasetsart University) in 1946. It was 5 days before his untimely death.


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The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ shows one of the royal arches set up on the road flanked by Sanam Luang (left) and the Ministry of Defence (right) to welcome King Rama V being back for his 2^nd European visit in 1907.


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Assumption College is a Roman Catholic all boy private school founded by Father Emile August Colombet on 16 February 1885 (the reign of King Rama V). It is the first school founded by the Order of Brothers of Christian Instruction of St. Gabriel. Assumption College is the third oldest boy school in the country.

The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ shows the Assumption College students waiting to get inside the school in the reign of King Rama VI (1910 - 1925).


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The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Sebastian Peet’ shows a nobleman (1877 – 1943) with the high rank of Chao Phraya in the reign of King Rama VI (1910 – 1925). He was an educator, writer and senior government officer of Siam. He served as Minister of Public Instruction from 1915–1926, and was the first President of the National Assembly, serving from 28 June – 1 September 1932 and from 15 December 1933 – 26 February 1934. A very splendid work if I may say.

The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ shows The Democracy Monument, a public monument in the center of Bangkok. It occupies a traffic circle on the wide east–west Ratchadamnoen Avenue.

The monument was commissioned in 1939 to commemorate the "Siamese Revolution of 1932 which led to the establishment of a constitutional monarchy in what was then the Kingdom of Siam, by its military ruler, Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram. Phibun saw the monument as the focal point of what he envisaged as a new, Westernized Bangkok, "making Thanon [road] Ratchadamnoen the Champs-Elysees and the Democracy Monument the Arc de Triomphe" of Bangkok.

The original photo was shot in 1946. The area around the monument was surfaced with gravel and sand.


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The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ shows daily life in the biggest fresh market of Chiengmai before the WWII.


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The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ shows Sala Chaloem Thai or abbreviated as Chaloem Thai in 1959.

Chaloem Thai as a former movie theatre in Bangkok, was located at the corner of Ratchadamnoen Avenue and Mahachai Road near the Fort Mahakan, opposite what is now the Queen Sirikit Gallery.

This movie theatre was built in the year 1940 in the era of Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram to be another national theatre in Thailand as well as Sala Chalermkrung Royal Theatre in Wang Burapha neighbourhood. The crimson red building's distinctive post-modern architecture was designed to harmonize with the surrounding buildings on Ratchadamnoen Avenue. The official opening ceremony took place on February 10, 1949.

Sala Chaloem Thai was once considered one of the most popular and modern movie theatres. It was dismantled in early 1989 as a result of a cabinet resolution, because it obscured the scenery of Wat Ratchanadda and Loha Prasat. All projectors and seats were handed over to the National Film Archive. The site later became home to a Royal Pavilion Mahajetsadabadin and a memorial to King Rama III.

In the photo, the theatre is showing the film of King Rama IX’s private visit to the southern part of Thailand in 1959.

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The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ shows Dara Rasami (August 26, 1873 – December 9, 1933 … the 4^th from the left), a princess who was a daughter of King Inthawichayanon of Chiang Mai. She was one of the princess consorts of King Rama V.

As the British encroached further and further into Burma in the 1860s and 1870s, Siam became concerned that England wanted to annex the Kingdom of Chiang Mai (later northern Thailand).

In 1883 a rumor spread that Queen Victoria wanted to adopt Princess Dara Rasami of Chiang Mai, which the Siamese saw as a British attempt to take over Lanna. King Rama V (1868 – 1910) then sent his brother to Chiang Mai to propose an engagement to Dara Rasami to become the king's concubine. In 1886, she left Chiang Mai to enter the Grand Palace in Bangkok and became one of the princess consorts of the King.

When Dara Rasami arrived at the Grand Palace her father sent money from Chiang Mai to the King to build a new house for her. While residing in the Grand Palace, Dara Rasami and the ladies in her entourage were ribbed and called "Lao ladies," as well as teased that they "smelled of fermented fish (pla-ra)."

Despite these difficulties, Dara Rasami and her entourage always wore Chiang Mai style textiles for their skirts (known as pa-sin) with their long hair pulled up into a bun on the back of the head, in contrast to the clothing and hairstyles of the Siamese women.

The King and Princess Consort had one daughter but died young.


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The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ shows the later life of Princess Consort Dara Rasami (August 26, 1873 – December 9, 1933) in Chiengmai, her hometown.

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The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ shows inside a boutique shop in Bangkok which was owned by a farang during the reigns, in speculation, between King Rama V – VI (early 1900s).

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The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Sebastian Peet’ shows the 63th ruler of Nan (1894 – 1918). He was the one and only ruler of Nan, as a tributary state, who was appointed by the king of its dominating country (King Rama V of Siam) to be the King (the 7^th and the last of all) of Nan (now Nan Province).

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King Rama IV (1851 – 1868) invited foreign astronomers and important guests to the village of Wa Koh, near the southern port of Prachuap Khiri Khan Province to witness the solar eclipse on 18 August 1868.

The King had determined through astronomical calculations that Ban Wa Koh (the colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ taken on that day) would be the best site for scientific observations of the event. In order to prepare the event, steamships ferried workers and supplies were carried from Bangkok to build an observatory and residences for hundreds of guests and dignitaries, including almost the entire Thai court, senior French and British diplomats, and a French-led astronomical team.

The King had studied European astronomy and mathematics alongside the traditional Siamese astronomy, used to fix the dates of religious ceremonies, which was based on astronomical texts from India and the Bagan Kingdom of Myanmar.

After taking the throne, the King criticized his court astronomers as old-fashioned and inaccurate, and set about to reform the calendar with the help of scientific astronomy. His predication of the exact timing of the eclipse would be proof of his efforts to reform the Siamese calendar and astronomy and his rebuke to his court astronomers.

According to a report from a French diplomat who was present, the King proudly reported that the French astronomers had confirmed that his predictions were of greater accuracy than their own, says historian Thongchai Winichakul in his book "Siam Mapped". But for the King, this first solar eclipse would also be his last; like many who journeyed to Wa Koh with the King, had caught malaria. The King died in Bangkok a few weeks later.

The date of the 1868 eclipse - 18August - is celebrated as National Science Day in Thailand, and Wa Koh is now a national park and the site of an observatory involved in astronomy public outreach.

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The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ shows private pond named in Thai as “Suan (garden) Tao (turtles)” built inside the Grand Palace in the reign of King Rama V (1868 – 1910). It was located in the inner section of the Palace which was reserved for female and children royalty only. Of course, the people in the photo all are royalty starting from the Supreme Queen Consort and more.

The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ shows a nobleman with the rank of Phraya (Phraya Bhirom Bhakdi; 1872 - 1950) who was the founder of Thai brewery named Boon Rawd (his birth name) Brewery (1933) or known locally as Singha beer. In the photo, he won a trophy from a golf tournament held in Hua Hin in the reign of King Rama VII (1925 – 1935).

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The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ shows King Rama VII (1925 – 1935) shooting his private film while traveling to the northwestern part of Siam in 1926.


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The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ shows a family (with only one of their 13 children) of a very high ranked nobleman named given by the king as Chaophraya Yommarat (1862 – 1938). He was a Thai government official who served several senior positions under the governments of kings Rama V and Rama VI. Their daughter, a young girl shown in the photo, later was married to King Rama VI’s most favorite (shown below).


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The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ shows General Chao Phraya Ram Rakop (1890 – 1967) who was King Rama VI’s most favorite dressed up in full formal attire according to his rank.

The colorized B& W photo courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ shows King Rama V (1868 – 1910) with some of his family and more on the occasion of opening the new train line to Korat around 120 years ago.


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The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ shows the Moonlight Pavilion which was sited inside the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

The Palace was constructed by King Norodom (1834 – 1904) of which the plan imitated Siamese style that used to impress him.

Once before being crowned, he was sent to study in Bangkok, in the reign of King Rama V, by his father where he grew up in close proximity to members of the Siamese royal family. There, he studied Pāli and Sanskrit Buddhist scriptures and the sacred canons of Theravāda Buddhism. The purpose of his early education was to strengthen ties between Siam and Cambodia.

In 1857, Norodom served in the Royal Siamese Army as a military adviser, for which later he was awarded the Order of the White Elephant.


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The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ shows ‘Hung’ B. Grimm and Co. on Charoen Krung Road (New Road). It was established in the reign of King Rama V (1868 – 1910).

From its beginning in 1878, B. Grimm was based on creating value of society starting with the opening of Siam Dispensary to provide modern western medicines to Siamese and later the royal court. It is the only company which was awarded Siam Coat of Arms for its service to the country during the reigns of King Rama V – VII.

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The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Sebastian Peet’ shows the 7th Ruler of Chiang Mai and Ruler of Lanna from 1870 until his death in 1897. His daughter, Princess Dara Rasmi of Chiang Mai became King Rama V's Princess Consort. During his reign the ties of the previously independent tributary state with the central government in Bangkok were intensified.

Later on, as a tributary state, he was the only ruler of Chiang Mai who was appointed by King Rama V to be the King (the 6^th of all) of Chiang Mai. He also was the only King Ruler in history who was awarded the Knight of the Order of the Royal House of Chakri.

The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ shows a postman’s uniform used in the reign of King Rama V (1868 – 1910).


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The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ shows Grand Palace in the reign of King Rama IV (1851 – 1868). Sanam Luang is beyond on the left side of the road.


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The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ shows Crown Prince Chulalongkorn (the future King Rama V).


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Referring to the article 917/37, the colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ shows the clearer view inside the hall of Wat Phraya Kai which was adjusted to become an office of the East Asiatic Company’s sawmill.


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by nathanielnong

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The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ shows ‘Hung’ B. Grimm and Co. on Charoen Krung Road (New Road). It was established in the reign of King Rama V (1868 – 1910).

From its beginning in 1878, B. Grimm was based on creating value of society starting with the opening of Siam Dispensary to provide modern western medicines to Siamese and later the royal court. It is the only company which was awarded Siam Coat of Arms for its service to the country during the reigns of King Rama V – VII.

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judging by the cut of the jib on those two fellows in white, sausages would never make it past them.

great name btw

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Originally Posted by malmomike77

judging by the cut of the jib on those two fellows in white, sausages would never make it past them.

great name btw

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:smileylaughing:

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The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ shows Lakshamilavan (a name given by the King) originally known as Princess Wanphimon Worawan (1899 – 1961) who was a royal consort of King Rama VI.

Her position of being the King’s favorite was not last long. The marriage was never happened and the couple then separated. There was a famous line uttered by her who was known as being straightforward that was known until today “I don’t care”.

After the King found his next new love, the Princess asked for his permission to move out of the Grand Palace to stay her solitary life at a manor located at Payatai intersection called “Laksamee Villa”.

She died at the age of 62 after a break-in of two men who were her former gardeners, endeavoring to steal the wealth left to her by the King which they had seen a lot shown in the cabinets inside her manor.

On that day while gardening alone, they sneaked up from behind and repeatedly struck her on the head using a crowbar. After a final blow with an ax’s ridge on her neck, the Princess died immediately.

After dragging her body to hide in the garage, the thieves broke into the manor and stole every valuable thing they could find though her big safe was left unopened.

Because of her solitude, her body was found 5 days later after the attack.

Being unaware of the items' unique and special value, the murderers attempted to pawn them for money. The pawnshop owner, having recognized the valuables as royal property, informed the police.

The thieves were finally caught and sentenced to death but due to admitting their crimes, they were imprisoned for life.

On 2 December 1975, the Lao People’s Liberation Army (Pathet Lao) overthrew the royalist government, forcing King Savang Vatthana (1907 – 1978) to abdicate. The royal family was move to the re-education camp where the King later died under suspicion. However, there were some of them managed to escape in time. They crossed the Mekong River to the land of Thailand and with help, they moved on the France where they are now based and work to achieve a change of government in Laos.

The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Sebastian Peet’ shows some Lao female royalty existing around that time.


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Sisowath (1840 – 1927) was King of Cambodia from 27 April 1904 to his death in 1927. When he was born, Cambodia was under joint Siamese and Vietnamese rule. The royal family lived in Battambang then under Siamese hegemony. Like his brother King Norodom, Sisowath was educated in the Siamese capital of Bangkok. He did not return to his native Cambodia until 1860, when his father and the ruling monarch, Ang Doung, died.

The colorized B&W photo is courtesy of ‘Sebastian Peet’.

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The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Sebastian Peet’ shows Oun Kham (June 5, 1811 – December 15, 1895), the King of Luang Prabang during 1868-1887 and a second time between 1889 and 1895.

The last two years of his reign ended with the establishment of a French protectorate over Laos. When being unable to hold off outlaw Chinese Black Flag Army forces, he sought assistance from King Rama V for help.

When the Siamese army left in 1887, the band of the White Tai Pirate Deo Van Tri had overwhelmed Luang Prabang, which made Oun Kham seek refuge at Pak Lay.

On 7 June 1887 the Lao royal capital was seized and sacked; the elderly ruler barely escaped with his life. Between his two ruling periods he was exiled in Bangkok where he gave assistance to Auguste Pavie, a French colonial civil servant, explorer and diplomat who was instrumental in establishing French control over Laos.

He was the last king of Luang Prabang under the protection of the Kingdom of Siam.

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In the old days, all cremation volumes had only illustrations included in the text. The first time that illustrations were replaced by photographs happened in the reign of King Rama VI (1925 – 1935) when of one the King’s siblings (biological younger brother, 1892 - 1923) who had passion for all kind of arts including grand piano, harp, violin and also an author of ancient drama had died.

For the fond memory of his dead brother, the King commanded the cremation volume be made under the theme of the choreography of Thai dancing. Best actor and actress were acquired to post for pictures taken instead of illustrations.

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The colorized B&W photos courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ and 'Sebastian Peet'

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Praisaniyakarn or simply called as Post Office Building was the original location of the Post Department, which was Thailand’s first postal office.

The office stood on the eastern bank of the Chao Phraya River, at the mouth of Klong Ong Ang (Ong Ang Canal) near the area of Pak Khlong Talat, right on the south of The Memorial Bridge (Sapan Put). It is a three story striking white Western-style building.

Originally, the building was built in 1871 as the residence of a nobleman named Phra Preecha Kolakan (Samang Amatayakul), the former governor of Prachinburi Province, who was later charged with treason for the corruption in the operation of a gold mine in Kabin Buri. Phra Preecha Kolakan was executed on November 24, 1879 and his assets were seized.

King Rama V (1868 – 1910) had borne the divine kindness in the establishment of the Thai postal service on August 4, 1883. The King’s biological younger brother chaired the first director-general of the Post and Telegraph Department and had used the residence of Phra Preecha Kolakan as the postal office by naming it "Praisaniyakarn".

Praisaniyakarn was demolished in 1982 for the construction of Phra Pok Klao Bridge on the occasion of the 200th-anniversary celebration of Rattanakosin Kingdom (Bangkok), which parallels the Memorial Bridge on the south side.

The current building is a replica built on the plot of land nearest to the original site in order to be used as the Thailand’s postal museum. It was built in 2003 and completed in 2010.

The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’.

The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ shows a Tai Lue lady in Phayao (now a province) in 1936. She is preparing for weaving.


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The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ shows the original photo, shot in 1948 by Dr. Robert Larimore Pendleton, of a part of the wide area that covers from Sanam Poa (close to the Victory Monument) to Sapan Kwai on Paholyothin Road. The area around that time filled with vegetable patches.

Miss Suwanna of Siam or Nangsao Suwan was a 1923 (the reign of King Rama VI) romance silent film written and directed by Henry MacRae, a Canadian film director and producer. This 8-reel silent film was set in Siam and starring Thai actors. It was one of the first feature films to be made in Siam/Thailand and was the first Hollywood co-production in Thailand.

The story tells about a romance of a young woman named Suwanna who is the object of affection for many men. In her search for true love, she has many adventures and mishaps, including overcoming her father's disapproval, before finally finding her soulmate.

https://youtu.be/nzQATFtoHyg


Sadly, nothing of the film exists today except for some promotional materials and other ephemera held at the Thailand National Film Archive.

When MacRae finished the film, he did give a copy to the Royal State Railway. The railway agency had a public relations division that oversaw film production as a means to promote tourism in the Kingdom. MacRae also turned over another copy to the King. It was shown in Bangkok for three days (June 1923) but soon after it was lost.

Film historians have searched, but the negatives of the film have not been found anywhere, nor is there evidence that the film was even shown in the United States upon MacRae's return.

For one reason that it may have been lost is due to a controversial scene in the film, in which MacRae filmed an execution of a prisoner, which led to criticism in the local media.

The movie was subject to censorship, and it is believed that the execution scenes were cut.

The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ shows the leading actress named Miss Sa-ngiam Navisthira who portrayed as Nangsao Suwan, later with the title of Khoon Ying added who had always been in the entertainment field (also posted as the leading female dancer in the article 1796). In this photo she was holding the Princess who was the only child of King Rama VI. The ivory bracelet seen on her wrist was given as a gift by the King.

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