Thread: Memory Lane (In my own language)

Originally Posted by Shy Guava

Good stuff Nong Nong. As always, looking forward to the next installment. My time here dates from the Thanom/Prapass era. Sarit was still widely discussed but Pibulsongkram had faded out of memory. I despised him anyway as he seems to have been responsible for young girls not going around bare breasted anymore. I thought his Por Por initials must have stood for party-pooper. There was another guy used to come up in conversation a lot - Pao Sriyanond, a Police General who was powerful enough to challenge the Army. Do you have some info on him?

Thank you so much for your kind support.

My time is around Thanom/Prapass era as well. I remember the time of "1973 Thai popular uprising" I was at grade 9. I saw live broadcast on TV which was rare around that time. Usually, no TV broadcast during daytime. I heard that they were bringing a corpse to Wongwein Yai, the place where I lived. Because my house (actually it's my grandma's) was close, I was eager to go and see but my grandma gave me a 'decree' "Don't you dare!".

About Pao Sriyanon. Thai Wiki has compiled his story here:

Phao Siyanon - Wikipedia

Last time was Field Marshal Plaek (Poh) Piboonsongkram as a man on horseback. This time, know the other side of his.

Siam coup in 1957

In February 1957, public opinion turned against PM Plaek (Poh) Piboonsongkram at the end of his second term when his party was suspected of fraudulent practices during an election, including the intimidation of the opposition, buying votes, and electoral fraud.

In addition, critics of Poh accused him of a lack of respect for the Thai monarchy, as the anti-aristocratic, Poh had always sought to limit the role of the monarchy to a constitutional minimum and had taken on religious functions that traditionally belonged to the monarch.

For example, Poh led the celebrations of the 2500^th anniversary of Buddhism in 1956/57 instead of the King Poomipol Adulyadej (Rama IX).

Thus, when the rigged parliamentary election of 1957 continued to keep Field Marshal Plaek Piboonsongkram, Thailand's prime minister, stayed in power, mass protests occurred in Bangkok, making King Rama IX unhappy.

On 13 September 1957, Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat who was supported by many royalists who wanted to regain a foothold handed Field Marshal Poh the army's ultimatum.




This ultimatum, signed by 58 high ranking army officers and also supported by public, called for the resignation of the government.

On 15 September, a public gathering assembled to protest Poh and his government. The crowd, which quickly grew in numbers, marched to Sarit's residence to show support for the army's demands.

As Sarit was not at home, the crowd broke into the government compound where they made speeches condemning the government. The protesters later returned to Sarit's home where he was waiting to address them.

In his speech, Sarit said, "In the name of the army and deputies of the second category, I have conducted my activities based on popular will, and the interests of the people. Your coming here gives me moral support to continue."

The following morning, Sarit and his army staged a coup d’etat.

In less than an hour, the army successfully captured strategic points with no resistance. To identify themselves, Sarit's forces wore white arm bands as a sign of purity.

Following these developments, Poh immediately fled the country, first to Cambodia then Japan before settling in India eventually. He died from heart failure in 1964 in Japan and came back to Thailand where he used to rule once in an urn containing his ashes.


This photo was said to be his last. It was shot at his home in Japan one day before his death.


Pod Sarasin was appointed the head of an interim government as the 9th Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand.

Thus began Sarit's era.

Before Suwannapoom International Airport, there was Don Muang International Airport and before all of these there was “Sanam Bin (= airport) Nam (= water)”.

The airport was located in Tumbon Pak-kret, Nonthaburi Province.

At present, people only know that the area is called “Sanam Bin Nam” but don’t know why.

The fact is the part of the Chao Praya River around that area used to be an “airport”.

This photo, taken in 1939, from the Thai Air Force’s archive is a proof. That was the plane modeled ‘Shorts S-23 Empire’ belonged to the Imperial Airways, the early British commercial long-range airline, operating from 1924 to 1939. It principally served the British Empire routes to South Africa, India and the Far East including Australia, Malaya and Hong Kong.

Information said that this plane named “Cordelia” was heading to Australia which took 10 days. Along the route, it made 9 stops for overnights and Bangkok was one of them.

Before photographs could be developed perfectly (in Siam). There were the graphic engravings (below) based on photographs (top). For example:



Note: There were some people missing. Can you figure out?

Louis Michel Lucien Fournereau was a French architect, archaeologist and ethnographer. He worked mainly in Indochina and Siam.

He wrote a memoir titled “Bangkok in 1892” – the reign of King Rama V. Inside contains a lot of graphic engravings based on photographs.




The photo shown below, I used to post here long time ago. I just found more details:

This photo was titled: A horse-drawn tram

Trams were introduced to Siamese in the reign of King Rama V and the first in Asia. There was no Thai term to call them yet, so we called them “Tam-way” according to English term “Tramway”.

Later on, we invented our own term and called them “Rod (= car) rung (= rail)”

Louis Michel Lucien Fournereau described what he had experienced “rod-rung” in Siam that:

“The trams were pulled by two ponies with local passengers crammed in like sardines (I just knew that this idiom has been used longggg time ago) and laden with parcels, and baskets. Tram coaches were made from teak wood and were "deprived of windows." There were four seats for first class with pillows”.

First introduced in 1887, trams were drawn by horses but the business faced loss all along for 6 consecutive years until 1894, a Danish Company took over and brought electricity to drive the trams instead.

A scene of an everyday seen thing that used to be drawn by animals all of a sudden, could run by its own not only brought great astonishment but great excitement at the same time to all Siamese who witnessed it. Anyway, they dared not get on it for fearing of being electrocuted.

Those farangs had to do a lot of marketing and demonstrations to make sure of the safety. Once Siamese understood and accepted this new invention, trams became major transportation at that time. Partly, it was a hip.

Siamese let farangs (Danish) run the business for over 10 years before started their own business as competitors. More lines such as the red tram, the yellow tram began.

This photo taken in 1894 by the renowned photographer ‘Robert Lenz”, (the reign of King Rama V) shows the very first electric tram in Bangkok running along the New Road

New Road or in Thai as Charoen Krung Road was built in 1863 in the reign of King Rama IV. It was built on the local road that had been made since the beginning of Bangkok being elevated to the capital of Siam in the reign of King Rama I (1782-1809).

Also shown are two dogcarts.

According to historians, Nai (Mr.) Thomas Miller came to Bangkok around 1857 (the reign of King Rama IV). He came to set a steam engine to a sugarcane mill in Nakorn Chaisri Province (Nakorn Pratom, nowadays).

He decided to stay furthermore and set a business doing various things concerning with steam engines such as fixing them to ships and boats for Royalties’, setting them to rice mills and etc.

He went back home in America in 1862 (same reign).

In 1893, he published a memoir. There was a part that he mentioned about “ice”.






According to his story, Siamese, at that time, had never known “ice” before, thus, no local term to call it yet.

Also, according to his story, at the time being, it was called “nam (= water) now (= cold) nuck (= very)”

1^st Note: In his memoir: “dee (= good) nuck (= very)”
2^nd Note: We finally invented our Thai term to call “ice”. It says “nam (= water) kang (= hard)”

Bamboo baskets for keeping fowl (1950s)




Klong (= canal) Bangkok Noi; traveling by raft ( around early 1900)




Rumwong at Bang Pu (1950) taken by Dmitri Kessel; LIFE




Chinese plays (Ngew - 1955) taken by Howard Sochurek; LIFE



Rachadumnoen boxing stadium on Rachadumnoen Road (1948) - (Thanks to K. Aging one for correcting me!)




Dek Wat (Aram boys)




Electrical Appliances at Chaiwanich Trading (60s) --- Their looks are very nostalgic.

This article is long but entertaining to read...

King Wachirawut or King Rama VI (1881-1925) was the sixth King of Siam under the Chakri Dynasty. He ruled from 1910 until his death in 1925. He is known for his efforts to create and promote Siamese Nationalism. His reign was characterized by Siam's movement further towards democracy and minimal participation in the World War I.

The King was one of Thailand's most highly renowned artists. He wrote modern novels, short stories, newspaper articles, poems, plays, and journals.




Graduated in England and very fluent in English, he also translated a number of English literature into Thai. Among his works were the translations of three Shakespeare plays: The Merchant of Venice, As you like it and Romeo and Juliet.

The King also introduced mystery and detective stories to the Thai reading public. He translated Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot novels into Thai and created his own original character "Nai Tong-In" (Mr. Tong-In) as Siam's first consulting detective, using Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes as a model.


Dressed as Thai Sherlock Holmes named Mr. Tong-In


Before focusing on his romantic life, as having told that the King was an artist. Being artistic, he loved to rename/invent names for his favorite people or even royal ranks. To prevent you guys from being ambushed by a headache caused by those elaborate names and royal ranks, I will omit them.

King Rama VI had been a king without a queen for about ten years. In 1920, he met Princess Wanwimon (#1) at a bridge card table at Payatai Palace. One thing led to another, they were engaged and the Princess was elevated to Her Royal Highness Princess. She was 28 and the King, 39.




However, only four months later, the King nullified the engagement and demoted her rank before placing her under house-arrest within the Grand Palace from then on.

The cause of withdrawing the engagement was not clear. It was known among the public as “irreconcilable differences” but rumor among the ‘little birds’ said that her pride and arrogance that at one time impacted the King’s most favorite chamberlain.

After King Rama VI died and the new King Rama VII (his younger brother) took the throne, she was granted freedom. The new King built her a small manor and she lived there peacefully until her death caused by kidney failure. She was 58.


Not long after the engagement annulment with Princess #1, King Rama VI pursued the Princess's half-sister, Princess Laksamee Lawan (#2) whom he, later, engaged. She was 22.


Left = #1 --- Middle = x --- Right = #2


However, the marriage was never happened and the couple then separated. There was a famous sentence 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.




Back while the engagement to #2 was on, in 1921, King Rama VI decided to marry, instead, a commoner who was a daughter of a lord. She was elevated to Lady #3. At the time she was 26 and a maid of honor to those 2 Princesses #1 & #2.




The Royal Wedding Ceremony was held at Payatai Palace on 27 October 1921. She was considered the first commoner who played the biggest part at the Royal ceremony.




Anyway while serving her beloved husband, #3 was never elevated as a queen but stayed as the King’s Royal Concubine.

After her husband died, she asked the new King Rama VII for permission to move out of the Grand Palace to stay among her own family.

She died of old age at 85 in the reign of King Rama IX.


While marrying #3, the King also had his eyes on her younger sister and one thing led to another, her young sister replaced her and at last became the first queen in the reign of King Rama VI.

At the age of 21, the King elevated her to Queen Intarasaksachee (#4). She was also the first commoner to become a queen.




However, it was said that the reason of becoming a queen was because of her pregnancy which made the King extremely happy with a much anticipated heir.

Sadly, it was never to be, as the Queen miscarried three times during her queen-ship (1923-1925). Her royal rank was later demoted to Princess Royal Consort.

She died in 1975 of old age at 73 in the reign of King Rama IX.


Left = #4 Right = #3


Next!

In 1924 when #4 was still his Queen, King Rama VI met another 19 years old commoner named Kruea-Kaew daughter of a minor lord during a dramatic production in which they both acted. Soon after, Kruea-Kaew was renamed Suwattana and became the King’s Royal Concubine.

Later that same year, they were married at the Grand Palace. When Suwattana became pregnant in 1925, the King elevated her rank to Her Majesty Queen Suwattana.




Queen Suwattana gave birth to a princess not soon after the King fell gravely ill. It was only two hours before the King's death. He glimpsed his sole daughter for the first and only time before uttering softly ‘A girl would do’ (so that he would die peacefully not having to be worried about the line of succession if the baby had been a son).

The King died on November 26^th, 1925.

Since he produced no heir, according to the Law of Succession, the throne passed to his younger brother, Prince Prachatipok, who took the throne as King Prachatipok (Rama VII).

After her husband, the late King died, the Queen and her daughter stayed within the Grand Palace until her daughter was 12 then they moved to England for further education of her daughter.

After spending 22 years abroad, the Queen and her daughter came back home for good.



Queen Suwattana died at the age of 79. Her funeral was presided over by King Poomipon Adulyadej (Rama IX) and Queen Sirikit.

Her daughter, Princess Petcharat, whose name was given by her uncle, King Prachatipok (Rama VII), also King Rama IX’s cousin carried on her duties representing the royal family.

Near the end of her life she reduced her royal duties due to age, but occasionally still did work relating to her father.

Princess Petcharat died at the age of 85.

[QUOTE=Klondyke;4181204]Hi Nathaniel, I hope you do not mind my remarks to your interesting posts. (Unlike one righteous member of my fan club who scolded me in PM seeing and writing red, outraged, how dare I...)

I come back to your story about Field Marshal Plaek Pibulsongraam - the falang sources never mention him as Poh. This obviously is only in Thai literature, I assume that how a fatherly and authoritative personality is liked to be called (Father), an example Kamnaan Poh, or the boss in companies Poh Lien, Mae Lien.



Thank you for sharing. Your comment is very interesting. Normally we share the comments among our own, Thais'. This comes from a farang's point of view.

If I understand you right. The name 'Poh' here doesn't mean 'Dad/Pa' which refers to 'father'. The name Poh is a shortened name of his full name 'Plaek'.

His name written it Thai is 'แปลก'. When called in English, it is 'Plaek'.

Among our own people, instead of calling him 'แปลก', we call him in short as 'ปอ (= ป)'

90% of us know him by this shortened name. It is more well-known than his full name. I don't know why because it was before my time.

The Thai letter 'ป', when writing we write 'ป' but when we read it we read it as 'Poh'

Now, when I wrote in English, his full name is okay; Plaek but when I tried to write his short name, which is more popular, in English, I did not know how to. I couldn't write just 'P' because it would sound different (P, when you read it is = Pee). So, I just wrote it according to how it sounds like in Thai which is 'Poh'.

I am definitely sure that my explanation will confuse you. It would be better if we talk face to face. Writing cannot explain the sound of how we speak. Just hearing me speak the word 'Poh' and you will understand immediately.

Maybe if you ask your family who is a Thai. He/she, when face to face, might be able to explain better.

Anyone out there, can get me and give better explanation for me please???


Ps: Kamnaan Poh, the name 'Poh' does not stand for 'father', either. It is his nickname (I think) which is more well-known. It reads something like 'Poh-or'