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  1. #1126
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    Memory Lane (In my own language)-a03-01-jpg
    (The computer colored photo shot in the reign of King Rama V)

    Suan Kurab (= rose garden) Manor is located in the outer part of the Grand Palace. It originally was not a manor but just a garden for growing the roses by the command of King Rama II.


    In the reign of King Rama III, he had the garden changed into a Chinese styled building, according to the trend in that time, and used it to store monks’ robes and such for royal rites

    In the reign of King Rama IV, he then ordered the building renovated to become a royal residence. He gave it the name “Suan Kurab Manor” and gave it to his heir, Prince Chulalongkorn, after leaving his monk-hood.

    When Prince Chulalongkorn took the throne after his father and became King Rama V, he gave this manor to one of his half younger brothers.

    Until his half younger brother moved out, he then changed the manor into a school for the court's official's families.

    In 1898, the school was moved out to a new location which is now Suan Kurab School [closed to Sapan Phut (Memorial Bridge)]. The old school had been changed to become a small hospital for the court's officials for quite a long time before it, finally, was out of significant jobs in the reign of King Rama VII and used to store general things.

    In 1982, by the command of the Crown Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, the building has been revived and become once again a school for children from kindergarten up to junior high school. It was given official name as “Suan Kurab Manor School”

    Memory Lane (In my own language)-a03-02-jpg
    Last edited by nathanielnong; 01-10-2021 at 09:43 AM.

  2. #1127
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    Memory Lane (In my own language)-001-03-00-jpg
    Reception of the Ambassadors from Siam at the Château de Fontainebleau, France.

    This painting was an official commission by the Ministère d’Etat in commemoration of the reception of the ambassadors of the King of Siam, Rama IV, by Napoleon III and the Empress Eugénie in the great Salle de Bal in the Château de Fontainebleau, 27th June, 1861.

    The event not only marked the re-establishment of diplomatic relations (broken off since the 17th century) but also the signature of the treaty between France and Siam, 15th August, 1856, which ensured peace between the two countries, religious freedom for missionaries, and commercial dealings. The embassy was received with great pomp at a ceremony which mirrored the famous 1684 Siamese embassy to Louis XIV (related article on page 44/1085).

    Gérôme (see 'Note:' below) took three years to finish this large painting, which shows the unusual procession of the bowing ambassadors, a long horizontal movement contrasting strongly with the verticality of the members of the Imperial court. The curious ceremonial is an Asiatic tradition: even though they enter in a line on all fours, the Siamese king’s envoys are not expressing submission to but rather respect for the sovereign.

    The exoticism of the scene is reinforced by the sumptuous costumes, the coloured silk robes, the pointed hats decorated with burnished gold, the lavish gifts, the crown, palanquins, stepped parasols, and replicas of objects belonging to the King of Siam and subsequently held in the Empress Eugénie’s Chinese Museum.

    On the dais transformed into a throne, Napoleon III, flanked by Eugénie and the young Prince Impérial, receives a chalice containing a letter from King Rama IV.

    Taking his inspiration directly from David’s ‘Sacre de Napoléon Ier’, Gérôme here painted a remarkable gallery of portraits, either taken from nature or from photographs by Nadar. 80 personalities can be identified, including the Comte Walewski, the Duc de Bassano, the Duc de Cambacérès and Mérimée. The distant vantage point, required so as to be able to get the whole of scene in the picture, makes it possible to reveal all the Renaissance splendour of the Salle de Bal with its frescoes by Nicolo dell’Abate after Primaticcio.

    The exactitude of the rendering gives a strong sense of reality. Indeed Gérôme fixed with almost photographic accuracy this strange encounter of East and West.

    Presented by the embassy, King Rama IV brought many gifts to the Emperor of France. The Empress wanted to display these precious gifts in the Queen Mother's apartment at the time of the opening of the Chinese Museum (14 June 1863).

    Memory Lane (In my own language)-001-03-01-01-jpg


    This "Siam at Fontainebleau" exhibition presents around one hundred works, made up of gifts delivered by the King's ambassadors. Here are some pictures of them.

    Memory Lane (In my own language)-001-03-02-jpg

    Memory Lane (In my own language)-001-03-03-jpg

    Memory Lane (In my own language)-001-03-04-jpg

    Memory Lane (In my own language)-001-03-05-jpg

    Memory Lane (In my own language)-001-03-06-jpg

    Memory Lane (In my own language)-001-03-07-jpg

    Memory Lane (In my own language)-001-03-08-jpg

    Memory Lane (In my own language)-001-03-09-jpg


    Note: Jean-Léon Gérôme (11 May 1824 – 10 January 1904) was a French painter and sculptor in the style now known as academicism. His paintings were so widely reproduced that he was "arguably the world's most famous living artist by 1880." The range of his oeuvre included historical painting, Greek mythology, Orientalism, portraits, and other subjects, bringing the academic painting tradition to an artistic climax. He is considered one of the most important painters from this academic period. He was also a teacher with a long list of students (source: Wikipedia).

    Memory Lane (In my own language)-001-03-10-jpg


    If you notice. In the painting at the top of the article, there is a small boy in the procession of Siamese ambassadors. Gerome had to be interested in him enough to ask him to pose solely for his painting. Now this painting is in the possession of the
    Tanenbaum family in Canada.


    Memory Lane (In my own language)-001-03-11-jpg
    Last edited by nathanielnong; 02-10-2021 at 10:15 AM.

  3. #1128
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    The computer colored photo shows Klong Padung Krungkasem in the reign of King Rama V.

    This klong was dug in the reign of King Rama IV when he deemed that since Bangkok had been established by King Rama I, a lot of people coming in to reside and the original area of the capital city seemed narrower and narrower. So he ordered a new city moat made to expand the new perimeter of the capital city.

    The new moat was finished in 1852 and the celebration was held. King Rama IV gave a name to this new city moat as Klong Padung Krungkasem.

    Memory Lane (In my own language)-a04-jpg
    (A bridge seen is ‘Thewakam Rangrak Bridge’ built in the reign of King Rama V in 1899. It is a gateway to Nang Loeng area; The wat seen on the upper left is Wat Somanus Wiharn, The big building on the upper right is the Royal Thai Government House)


    Memory Lane (In my own language)-a04-01-jpg
    (The bridge seen nowadays)

  4. #1129
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    According to the article 1127 above, my friends, the historians, added more details about the boy that he was a son of one of the ambassadors in the team. When he grew up, he worked as a government official in the reign of King Rama V. He ended his working life with the rank of a chief officer in the Siamese Navy under to title granted by the King as 'Praya...'.

    Memory Lane (In my own language)-001-1-jpg
    (With his father in France)

    Memory Lane (In my own language)-002-jpg
    (As a family man with one of his children)

  5. #1130
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    Rajadamri Arcade with Thai Daimaru in the 70s and 80s

    Memory Lane (In my own language)-000-jpg

    Memory Lane (In my own language)-002-jpg

    Memory Lane (In my own language)-001-jpg

  6. #1131
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    “The Lamp Mistresses” is an important position established by the Siamese Kings in the Rattanakosin Kingdom.

    Their assignment was to hold the lamps shining the bright light for the kings when they walked through the dark from one manor to another in the Grand Palace at night.

    No records have ever said when the first time this position first came up and who they were.

    Records became quite clearer in the reign of King Rama IV and we knew that the ladies who were assigned for this position in his reign were not Siamese but being imported from the court of the Qing Dynasty of China.

    Records said that King Rama IV ordered in from the Chinese Court 4 Chinese ladies to hold the position of ‘The Lamp Mistresses’ for him. Each was granted a Siamese name as ‘Chek’, ‘Chine’, ‘Lin’, ‘Lian’.

    These 4 mistresses had served for the Siamese Court for a long time. Some lived long enough to hold lamps for King Rama V (before electricity was introduced).

    Though their stories were not widely opened, anyway, there was one whose detail was briefly mentioned in the memo of a princess who was King Rama V’s niece. The time she met this mistress, she was at her old age, 60s. Her name was ‘Chine’.

    The princess mentioned about her that “She was still Chinese by her look but dressed in Siamese Style. Her feet seem normal like us (you know how the Chinese court’s ladies’ feet looked like, twisted until they were small to fit in the tiny shoes). She speaks Thai fluently like a local one. She probably forgets her Chinese because there was no one here to practice Chinese with”.

    Memory Lane (In my own language)-aa03-01-jpg
    (The computer colored photo from the National Archives shows ‘Chine’ with a broach showing her official rank in the Siamese Court)


    Memory Lane (In my own language)-aa03-02-jpg
    (The computer colored photo shows the look of the ladies in the court of the Qing Dynasty of China)
    Last edited by nathanielnong; 06-10-2021 at 10:26 AM.

  7. #1132
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    Memory Lane (In my own language)-001-05-01-jpg


    The Holy Redeemer Church is located in Soi Ruamrudee 5, Wittayu Road, Patumwan, Bangkok.

    In the beginning, in November 1949, it was a small Redemptorist (?) wooden church. Two years later it was moved to a larger building that had once been a clinic belonging to Dr. Srichandra, a Catholic and an early benefactor of the Redemptorists. Sunday Masses were held at an open hall on the ground of Mater Dei School.

    During the time, a new location for a permanent church and rectory had been sought. It was preferably to be in an area that could easily be reached by the English speaking Catholic community in Bangkok, the group that Monsignor Louis Chorin, the then head of the Catholic Church in Bangkok, felt to be more in need of pastoral care, due to the lack of English speaking priests.

    The search ended in 1954 at a location in Soi Ruamrudee, a soi that connects two important roads, Sukhumvit and Wireless (Wittayu).

    The construction of the church began in early 1954 under the supervision of Acinelli, a Catholic Italian architect, who designed the prospect of a Catholic Church after the manner of Thai architecture, an idea that had been suggested by the well – known American prelate, Msgr. Fulton Sheen (1895-1979), who happened to be visiting Thailand at the time the First Redemptorist arrived in the country. It was finished in the same year.


    Memory Lane (In my own language)-001-05-02-jpg

  8. #1133
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    Memory Lane (In my own language)-a10-01-jpg


    One of Buddhist traditions after finishing worshiping the Emerald Buddha, people also give things as sacrifices. These things are displayed in the Museum of Wat Pra Kaew today.

    During the reigns of King Rama III - V, the most popular worship items were "stone dolls" which were carved into various shapes of both animals and human beings. Their sizes came in both small and large according to the wealth of each person who ordered.

    When time passed, these stone dolls were almost completely destroyed from various causes. Until now there are only a few left to be seen.

    This computer colored photo above shows a stone doll carved into the beautiful shape of a Chinese swan.

    The original version of the photo was shot by Kurt Beyer, the German engineer and architect who came to Siam in the reign of King Rama V (early 1900s).

    Memory Lane (In my own language)-a10-02-jpg

  9. #1134
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    Memory Lane (In my own language)-001-06-jpg

    A sketch on a brown paper (32.3 x 60.4 cm.) by an unknown artist but presumably French shows the reception of the ambassadors of Emperor Napoleon III led by Charles de Montigny by King Rama IV at Anantasamakom Throne Hall (now demolished .... not the same one as on page 17/406), Grand Palace on 24th July, 1856.

    This sketch is a private property found at Hotel Drouot, Paris on March 11th, 1985 now shown in the gallery at Château de Fontainebleau, France.



    Memory Lane (In my own language)-001-06-01-jpg

    Last edited by nathanielnong; 09-10-2021 at 09:42 AM.

  10. #1135
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    A documentary (photos not included) titled: Buddhist Reformation

    The most important Buddhist reformation ever attempted in Siam began during the reign of King Rama III under Prince Mongkut, the monarch’s son who was then a monk, and continued when he ascended the throne as King Rama IV.

    Memory Lane (In my own language)-04-01-jpg


    Although he had genuine enthusiasm for the new knowledge and technology of the West, King Rama IV advocated caution when it came to Siamese acceptance of all things occidental. He realized Buddhism's importance to his subjects and made sure it was maintained at the core of the nation’s spirit.

    In the earlier Rattanakosin period, accepted theories about the Earth and the universe derived from the book “Tribhum Phra Ruang”, which was believed to have been written by the first Buddhist philosopher, King Mahathammaracha I or known to local as King Lithai of Sukhothai Kingdom sometime in the 14th century.

    Its concepts were drawn from Buddhist and Brahman belief, and in itself the old tome was claimed to be part of Buddhist teaching.

    “Tribhum Phra Ruang” ("Three worlds by Phra Ruang”; Phra Ruang being the dynastic name of Li Thai's lineage) addressed the universe in terms of three “bhumi (– poom) = states” of the spirit: the state without form, the state with form, and the state with sensuousness.

    Memory Lane (In my own language)-04-02-jpg


    The Earth was the land separated into four regions: Utrakuru, Chombhudaveep, Burapavitheha and Amarakoyan. Siam and the other countries of the Earth existed in Chombhudaveep.

    Memory Lane (In my own language)-04-03-jpg


    Beneath the earth, the book claimed, was a large fish called Anon (related story on page 26/647) whose movements caused earthquakes. Rain, thunder, lightning and the like were caused by angels at work in the universe.

    Memory Lane (In my own language)-04-04-jpg


    It was the American missionary named John Taylor Jones who first introduced Siamese people to the modern world map, but naturally it took many years to change local minds about the grand picture of the universe, and for the citizenry at large to accept that the tenets of “Tribhum Phra Ruang” were untrue.

    Memory Lane (In my own language)-04-05-jpg


    King Rama IV took it upon himself to explain to his people – and to foreigners – that the old treatise was in fact not Buddhist text derived from the revered Tripitaka (“the Three Baskets”).

    Having created the new sect of Buddhism while he was still a prince, he stressed that essential Buddhism focused on truth, cause and outcome. The Dhammayutikanikaya monks devoted themselves to Lord Buddha’s teachings and spurned traditional animism as a wayward path.

    Nonetheless, it is interesting to note that King Rama IV did not strongly support his sect when he was on the throne. He said he did not want all monks in the Kingdom moving to Dhammayutikanikaya. He wanted them to continue in their customary activities. For the Dhammayutikanikaya sect he founded, it seems, he wanted only men from the families of high personages.

    Academics have conjectured that King Rama IV, realising the difficulty of changing people’s minds overnight, was merely seeking to avoid social conflict. At the same time, though, it became essential for Siamese leaders to understand the scientific aspects of Buddhism so they could use it as a tool to protect the country from the worst of Western influence.

    The monks of the Dhammayutikanikaya sect would play a crucial role in educational reform during the reign of King Rama V, opening temples schools where children could study modern subjects, including arithmetic and science.
    Last edited by nathanielnong; 11-10-2021 at 08:42 AM.

  11. #1136
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    King Rama V at the Bois de Bouloque Public Garden in Paris, September 1897

    Memory Lane (In my own language)-001-07-02-jpg


    King Rama V posts for double paintings (The farung’s name is Cesare Ferro (an Italian artist), Thai artist’s name is Mui, the first oil painter in Siam, who, later on, was granted, by the King a noble title with name), 1906

    Memory Lane (In my own language)-001-07-03-jpg

  12. #1137
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    People believed, and still do today, that the perfect place that gave good education for female Siamese was nowhere as good as in the Grand Palace.

    There was likelihood that when praising the manner of a woman, it was often said as "like a royal woman".

    For this reason, it was popular for nobles, noble officials, and wealthy men, who knew the way, to send their female children to the Palace since childhood to have them learn manners and practice various handicrafts until they became proficient.

    Training would begin with the practice of manners on communication i.e. speaking and behaving. Then continued with them do lesson studying and housework studying.

    After graduation, the elder female officials would determine which children’s skill would suit any official services before bringing them up as a government official with paid.

    This computer colored photo shows Khoon (Miss) Yuen, known as a royal woman, who was born a commoner being sent to Grand Palace since a girl to learn how to be an upper class woman (= poo dee). She worked for one of King Rama V’s Queen Consorts and, as shown in the photo, is doing a kind of handicraft (don’t know the English term). The photo was shot at Dusit Palace.


    Memory Lane (In my own language)-aa14-jpg


    Last edited by nathanielnong; 13-10-2021 at 08:51 AM.

  13. #1138
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    Great stuff, Nate ! Thanks for your efforts, and keep em coming....I am sure people here are viewing them.

  14. #1139
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    Quote Originally Posted by Latindancer View Post
    Great stuff, Nate ! Thanks for your efforts, and keep em coming....I am sure people here are viewing them.
    Thank you for your very kind support!

  15. #1140
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    The computer colored photos show King Rama X’s great grandparents on his mother’s side. The original photos were shot in the reign of King Rama V who was the Prince’s father.



    Memory Lane (In my own language)-aa13-01-jpg


    Memory Lane (In my own language)-aa13-02-jpg


    Memory Lane (In my own language)-aa13-03-jpg

    (At old age with their children and grandchildren)
    Last edited by nathanielnong; 14-10-2021 at 09:22 AM.

  16. #1141
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    According to my article 1136 above, below shows the photo of the painting Cesare Ferro Milone did for King Rama V.




    Memory Lane (In my own language)-aa13-04-jpg


    Memory Lane (In my own language)-aa13-05-jpg

  17. #1142
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    It was said that the minute that the royalty monk named Prince Mongkut left his monk-hood to ascend the throne as King Rama IV, he was offered wives to produce offspring.

    One ‘Praya’ who was a chief of an old styled division under the Bureau of the Royal Household that took care of the convicts (starting from royalties down to commoners) who did crimes within the Grand Palace had offered the King three of his daughters. Their names were ‘Tieng’, ‘Choom’ and ‘Choi’.

    Choi, the youngest, had died young before she could bring the King offspring. The rest two had produced a lot.

    Little birds (not dead yet,
    only senile though) said that Tieng had prayed to have a lot of offspring with the King. She had 10 of them.

    Choom prayed as well but it was different from her sister’s. She asked for only one child who grew up to be one of the best. Her prayer was finally granted.

    Her only child was a son who later was considered to be the second only to King Rama V in power and one of his most trusted persons.

    His name was Prince Damrong Rajanubhab, one of the most well-known royalties in the history of Siam/Thailand (His story is coming up).


    Memory Lane (In my own language)-aa13-jpg
    (The computer colored photo shows Chao Chom (title given to the king’s royal concubines) Manda (= a mother… a suffix added for the one who gave him offspring) Choom)
    Last edited by nathanielnong; 15-10-2021 at 08:50 AM.

  18. #1143
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    Memory Lane (In my own language)-aa09-01-jpg


    The computer colored photo of Prince Damrong Rajanubhab (1862 – 1943). He was a son of King Rama IV with one of his Royal Concubines (Chao Chom Manda Choom, the article above), thus he was King Rama V’s half-brother.

    Memory Lane (In my own language)-aa09-02-jpg
    (With his mother)


    The Prince was the founder of the modern Thai educational system as well as the modern provincial administration. He was an autodidact, a (self-taught) historian, and one of the most influential Thai intellectuals of his time.

    His role was very important in Siam as chief of the Privy Council to 2 reigns; King Rama V – VI and a senior counselor to King Rama VII. He was considered second only to King Rama V in power and one his most trusted persons.

    Memory Lane (In my own language)-aa09-03-jpg


    In his time as a Minister, he completely overhauled provincial administration. Many minor provinces were merged into larger ones, the provincial governors lost most of their autonomy when the post was converted into one appointed and salaried by the ministry, and a new administrative division—the ‘monthon’ (circle) covering several provinces—was created and formal education of administrative staff was introduced.

    After the death of King Rama V in 1910, the relationship with his successor King Rama VI (his nephew) was less productive. Prince Damrong finally resigned in 1915 from his post at the ministry, officially due to health problems, since otherwise the resignation would have looked like an affront to the monarch.

    During the brief reign of King Rama VII (also his nephew), the Prince proposed that the King found the Royal Institute, mainly to look after the National Library and the museums.

    He became the first president of the Royal Institute of Siam/Thailand. He was given the title Somdet Phra Chao Borommawong Thoe Krom Phraya Damrong Rajanubhab by King Rama VII in recognition to his work. This (mostly cut by short for convenience) became the name by which he is generally known (and the most mentioned person when talking about Thai history).

    In the following years, Prince Damrong worked as a self-educated historian, as well as writing books on Thai literature, culture and arts. Out of his works grew the National Library, as well as the National Museum.

    Memory Lane (In my own language)-aa09-04-jpg


    He is considered the father of Thai history. The "Damrong school" has been characterized by Thai historian Nithi Aeusrivongse as combining "The legacy of the royal chronicle with history as written in the West during the nineteenth century, creating a royal/national history to serve the modern Thai state under the absolute monarchy."

    Although foundational to Thai history, his work is now often seen as overly nationalistic and exclusive of marginalized actors.

    Being one of the main apologists for Absolute Monarchy, after the Siamese revolution of 1932 which introduced Constitutional Monarchy in the Kingdom, Prince Damrong was exiled to Penang in British Malaysia.

    Memory Lane (In my own language)-aa09-05-jpg


    In 1942, after the old establishment had substantially regained power from the 1932 reformists, he was allowed to return to Bangkok, where he died one year later.

    Memory Lane (In my own language)-aa09-06-jpg
    (Shot in 1942)


    Prince Damrong is credited as the father of Thai history, the education system, the health system (the Ministry of Health was originally a department of the Ministry of the Interior) and the provincial administration. He also had a major role in crafting Bangkok's anti-democratic state ideology of “Thainess".

    On the 1962 centenary of his birth, UNESCO included Prince Damrong on its World's Most Important Persons list, making him the first Thai to receive this accolade.

    On 28th November 2001, to honor the contributions the Prince made to the country, the government declared that 1st December would thereafter be known as "Damrong Rajanupab Day".

    His many descendants use the royal surname ‘Tisakula’ (Disakul).
    Last edited by nathanielnong; 16-10-2021 at 09:27 AM.

  19. #1144
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    After Prince Damrong Rajanubhab came back from visiting Burma in 1935, he wrote a memoir about his visit and explained a lot of things including the way of Burmese ruling.

    This computer colored photo shows the Burmese Chancellor of the Ministry of Defense (called in Burmese pronounced close to English as ‘Wungyi’) for two kings, King Mindon Min (1854-1878) and King Thibaw Min (1878-1885).


    Memory Lane (In my own language)-aa04-jpg



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    A part of Mekong serves as a natural border between Thailand and Laos. The river is said to be very unique and renowned as a very dangerous river. Along the river there are a lot of rapids, falls and whirlpools.

    Among uncountable accidents in Mekong, the most famous one happened in 1910.

    On 15th July 1910, a French boat titled ‘La Grandiere’, carrying General de Baylie, was returning from a mission to the Laotian capital. While attempting to cross the rapids in the Mekong, she struck a rock and sank with the loss of all lives on board; five men, including the General and Dr. Ruffiandis, chief medical for Laos.

    It is more likely that the boat gashed her hull on a rock, opening up more than one compartment, Titanic fashion. Rapidly filling, her increasing top weight would have led to her capsizing. The body of the General was discovered by divers three days after the sinking, trapped in her overturned hull.

    As General de Baylie was known to be an ardent collector of artifacts and works of art wherever he traveled, a legend had grown up around the tragedy, to the effect that the La Grandiere was supposed to have taken to the bottom with her a collection of valuable objects. One source even suggested that the objects were looted from a Laotian royal palace and carried a curse on whoever might steal them.

    From time to time, there have been several expeditions mounted with the aim of recovering the supposed lost treasures, but so far without success.

    Memory Lane (In my own language)-04-01-jpg

    Memory Lane (In my own language)-04-02-jpg

    Memory Lane (In my own language)-04-03-jpg

    Memory Lane (In my own language)-04-04-jpg

    (The computer colored photo shows King Rama V’s brother, Prince Damrong Rajanubhab, on a local boat called ‘ruea mard’ floating in the middle of Mekong during his patrol in the north and Isan area by the command of the King in 1906)
    Last edited by nathanielnong; 19-10-2021 at 09:19 AM.

  21. #1146
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    Memory Lane (In my own language)-aa10-01-jpg


    The computer colored photo shows King Rama V's most trusted relative, Prince Damrong Rajanubhab, posted with 2 of his daughters.


    The older girl named Princess Poon Pissamai Diskul (1895-1990) had grown up to be an academic lady.

    She studied Thai history and Buddhism until becoming fully aware. She wrote a book on Buddhism for teaching children in schools. There are more books that she wrote such as books about Thai traditions, about the history she had seen in her life and many documentaries.

    Memory Lane (In my own language)-aa10-02-jpg


    In addition, she had been a mainstay in the spread of Buddhism for a long time both at home and abroad.

    One of her greatest achievements is co-founding ‘The World Fellowship of Buddhists’ and serving as its chairman from 1964 until 1984.

    The affairs of The World Fellowship of Buddhists have established their permanent headquarters in Thailand. In 1967, Dongguk University in Seoul, Korea awarded an honorary Doctorate of Philosophy degree for her contributions to the peace of mankind.

    Memory Lane (In my own language)-8vbzg6-jpg

    Last edited by nathanielnong; 20-10-2021 at 09:57 AM.

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    King Rama VI during his wild tiger corps patrolling, Ratchaburi Province; year unknown

    Memory Lane (In my own language)-001-07-04-jpg


    Private library of King Rama VI, year unknown

    Memory Lane (In my own language)-001-07-07-jpg



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    Memory Lane (In my own language)-aa05-01-jpg

    (The computer colored photo shot at the ‘top knot’ removal ceremony in 1908 – Note: Her rings!)

    Princess Bunlu-Siri-San (1898 - 1912) was a daughter of Prince Dumrongrachanupab, King Rama V’s half-brother who had been a key man all through the King’s reign and continued to King Rama VI’s, his nephew.

    Memory Lane (In my own language)-aa05-02-jpg
    (With King Rama V)


    The story of the Princess herself had inspired an important change for Siam’s Ministry of Health.

    As from a part of her father’s memo:

    “… In 1912, I accompanied King Rama VI (his nephew and King Rama V’s son) to Nakorn Pathom Province. We stayed at Wung Chun Palace.

    One day in the afternoon, while all of my children were playing in the lawn in front of our bungalow, a stray dog infected with rabies broke loose and charged in the lawn. Everyone including Princess Bunlu (for short) were scattered away but unfortunately the little girl tripped and fell and was bitten.

    There appeared two small bite marks but they did not give my girl much pain but we, adults, were very panicky. I ordered everyone to fetch a doctor who knew about this case who happened to be around.

    The King heard it and suggested me to, instead, immediately send her to Pasteur Institute in Saigon, Vietnam to have a proper cure since there was none in Siam.

    I searched for the ship’s departure schedule and learnt that it has left the port yesterday so we had to wait for the next 15 days.

    Finally we could fetch a local doctor. Only a few days later, the bite marks were healed and my girl felt well and happy like ever.

    3 months later, after we came back to Bangkok, one morning my girl woke up with a touch of fever. Totally forgetting about that terrifying incident on that day, I thought it was ordinary fever and gave her pills.

    Something strange happened before my eyes. While holding a glass of water, both of her hands shook. Until she placed the glass down on the table, they became back to normal.

    Though everyone and I who were around had never seen this scene before, we were not frightened. We still thought that it was another common symptom for ordinary fever.

    The hand shaking symptom became worse late in the morning and finally her small body shook as well.

    I called for Moh (= doctor) Pua (Dr. Alphonse Poix, a French doctor who was one of King Rama V and VI’s personal doctor. He was the first doctor who worked at St. Louis Hospital in the reign of King Rama V) who came immediately. After seeing my little girl, Moh Pua’s face went pale.

    Memory Lane (In my own language)-aa05-04-jpg


    He dragged me far away from the others and told that this was the symptom of the rabies’ final stage. It was beyond cure.

    I could not believe my ears for the condition of my little girl showed nothing appalling. Apart from lying in bed caused by fever, she was still talking and everything like normal.

    But if Moh Pua’s diagnosis was right, there was nothing to be done. I just told everyone that the rabies she had got came back. I did not tell further that she was beyond cure.

    My little girl’s condition was worsened fast and just that night, she passed away. It was less than 24 hours.

    After the sad situation passed, a French doctor (cannot match Thai pronunciation to French) who is an expert in smallpox told me that my little girl did not deserve to die because the rabies is not dire today since the French doctor named Louis Pasteur has found a cure for it. Had this incident happened in Europe or even in Saigon, she would have been alive. But it was a sad event because there was none of such place in Siam.

    He then encouraged me to materialize his suggestion…”

    (Further story can be read on page 18/445)
    Last edited by nathanielnong; 22-10-2021 at 09:08 AM.

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    Touching heart breaking story.

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    Quote Originally Posted by nathanielnong View Post
    s doing a kind of handicraft (don’t know the English term)
    I think the nearest English (French) term could be Crochet. A process of creating textiles by using a crochet hook to interlock loops of yarn, thread, or strands of other materials.

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