My pleasure, I am glad you like it...
By the way, from this memoir, I just remember forgetting to mention, in those articles telling about elephants, that we give titles (What do you call this term in English? For human beings, you call 'honorifics' (Mr., Mrs. and etc.), right?)
We give the titles 'Plai + name' for male elephants and 'Pung + name' for female elephants.
So, when someone mentions 'Today I saw Plai Jum', it means that was a male elephant.
Elephants are so extraordinary in our culture.
Last edited by nathanielnong; 23-01-2021 at 02:44 PM.
I just found more 'E-Book' telling about adventure in old Siam...
The title is:
The Boy Travellers in the Far East, Part Second
Adventures of Two Youths in a Journey to Siam and Java; With Descriptions of Cochin-China, Cambodia, Sumatra and the Malay Archipelago
(Siam - Chapter VIII - XIX)
Written by THOMAS W. KNOX
Published in 1882 with illustrations!
I hope you enjoy it and don't forget my thread!
The Project Gutenberg eBook of the Boy Travellers in the Far East Part Second, by Thomas W. Knox.
The Royal Ratanakosin Hotel is a very old hotel located on the Ratchadumnoen Road. The idea was conceived from King Rama VII who wanted a luxury hotel to welcome foreign travelers but it was built in the reign of King Rama VIII in 1941-42 and opened to public in the next year.
Originally it was named Ratanakosin Hotel which was run by the Bureau of Crown Property. Since 1970, it has been passed to Ittipon Company for rent.
The hotel was considered the most beautiful and elegant at its time. It was classified as a 5 stared hotel with up to extremely Thai styled furnished 45 guestrooms.
At first, the hotel had faced loss because it was opened around the same time as the WWII began. The guests had been vanished. Most of the guests left were British and American soldiers.
When the war was over and those soldiers returned to their homelands, the hotel was served for the embassy officers and businessmen from various countries.
Some records says that along its timeline, the hotel was once changed hands to a Chinese businessman who had changed the hotel’s name to Royal Hotel before taken over by Ittipon Company which has run it until present time.
So, along its timeline, the hotel has had two names; the Ratanakosin Hotel and the Royal Hotel. Anyways, since the locals have always remembered the old name so, finally the two names have been combined to the Royal Ratanakosin Hotel regardless of its official name.
The hotel is the only one and also the oldest one ever that stands on the Rachadamnoen Road and is considered to be the only one that stands in the heart of Siam/Thailand historic attractions such as the Royal Palace, Sam Luang, Wat Pra Kaew and more. Those are within reach just by walking.
Moreover, the hotel itself has been one of the historic attractions as it has witnessed a lot of country’s important incidents such as 1973 Thai Popular Uprising, the Black (or Bloody) May in 1992 and more. All of those once occurred, the hotel always shared its part as a temporary hospital.
Last edited by nathanielnong; 24-01-2021 at 02:57 PM.
Nathaniel,
Thank you for taking the time to put this thread together, it is a very enjoyable read covering a wide variety of subjects.
In memory of... Jimmie Rodgers
As far back as I can remember, this song is always in my memory. It's one of the big hits in Bangkok (well, back then Bangkok was considered Thailand). I heard it almost everyday from my grandma's transistor radio.
Last edited by nathanielnong; 25-01-2021 at 08:43 AM.
Great grandfather of the King Rama X (on his mother's side - left) with Charlie Chaplin (1924)
The Exposition Universelle in Paris, 1900. The Siam section is seen in front of the Japanese section with the Indian section a bit seen in the back
A retail shop (called in Thai as “ran (= shop) cho-huey”), 1935
The old location of the Giant Swing (in front of the Brahman’s Temple) before being moved to the current location in the reign of King Rama V (in front of Wat Sutat)
Last edited by nathanielnong; 25-01-2021 at 02:29 PM.
Wang (= Palace) Paya Thai
Not many farang know that the Pramongkutklao Hospital sited close to the Victory Monument in Bangkok originally was a big and beautiful palace named “Paya Thai Palace”.
First called as the Royal Mansion, the construction began in 1909. It was built at King Chulalongkorn (King Rama V)'s order so that he might stay there and look out over the farms, plantations, and livestock around the area. He also ordered a complex included in the compound where the Royal Ploughing Ceremony might take place.
Unfortunately, the Royal Mansion was used by King Rama V for a short time as he died months after its completion.
During the reign of his son, King Wachirawut (King Rama VI), Queen Saowapa Pongsri, the Queen Mother, was invited to live there, which she did until her death in 1920.
After that, the King had the Royal Mansion demolished, leaving only some important buildings including Devaraja Sabharamaya Hall which was served as a Throne Hall.
In replacement, he ordered many new buildings built together to form a new complex and gave a new title as Paya Thai Royal Palace.
King Rama VI lived at the palace until the later years of his reign when he moved back to stay at the Chakraput Piman Hall at the Grand Palace until his death.
The next king, King Prachatipok (King Rama VII; his youngest brother from the same Queen Mother) ordered the palace be converted into a five star international hotel, an enterprise which ended seven years later in 1932.
After the business closed, the Paya Thai International Hotel came back to be the Paya Thai Royal Palace and became the site of the first Thai radio broadcast station.
Its last job after a change of the government, some parts the Palace became a clinic for the Royal Thai Army and finally has since changed its name to the Pramongkutklao Hospital opened for public.
The rest have been conserved as museum which are requiring lots of donation.
(The Make-kala Ruchee Mansion which is a separated small house that I like the most. If you have a chance to visit do not forget this house)
Last edited by nathanielnong; 26-01-2021 at 09:07 AM.
Old styled food and beverage (1950s)
(Shaved ice / The lady in the water is wearing ‘krajoam oak’ using her salong/pa-tung, same style as the other one's in the back)
(Food wrapped up in banana leaves)
(Kanom called Ta-koh and etc. / The lady is wearing a ‘ngoab’, an old styled traditional hat wearing in board daylight)
(Hot & cold coffee and cold black coffee (= o-leang)/ Notice: Ice blocks are coldly preserved with rice husks)
(Some kind of ‘kuay-teaw’)
Note: From two photos above, you can see a guy putting his leg over the other boat. That was customary for boat people to temporarily hold still their boats.
Last edited by nathanielnong; 26-01-2021 at 03:18 PM.
The First Crown Prince to the Throne of the Kingdom of Siam
Before the reign of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V taking the throne during 1868-1910), the heirs to the Siamese Throne, focusing on the era of the Ranatakosin era, was titled “Krom Pra Rajawang Baworn” who would sit on his throne at the Front Palace (known in Thai as “Wang (= palace) Na (= front)” acting as deputy to the king.
Usually, they were either the kings’ most trustworthy closed relatives or the first sons.
In the reign of King Rama V, the heir was his cousin (the son of his father (King Mongkut/Rama IV)’s brother who also shared the throne as King Pinklao).
Unfortunately in 1885, the said heir died. Instead of allowing the consensus of the Supreme Council to step in to take care of, the King took the initiative of abolishing the former title of the heir: “Krom Pra Rajawang Bavorn (Front Palace)” and, in order to keep up with the western custom, officially created the title of “Crown Prince of Siam” then chose his eldest son to take this new position. His name was Crown Prince Maha Vajirunhit.
Prince Maha Vajirunhit was the 20th child of King Rama V and the eldest son of the Royal Consort, Queen Sawang Watana who was also the King’s half-sister. Thus automatically, the Queen was elevated to become the Supreme Royal Consort.
As he was the eldest son to hold the royal title of "Chao fa", the special title granted to children born from only mothers who were daughters of the former King (here, Queen Sawang Watana was King Rama IV’s daughter), so, that made the Prince suit for the (first ever) title of “Crown Prince of Siam.”
Upon his announcement, Queen Victoria of England also sent the telegraph congratulating on this occasion.
(Parts of the royal maturing ceremony (the top-knot shaving) and festival at the age of 13)
(Parts of the royal Buddhist priesthood entering ceremony and festival at the age of 14)
The royal titles of Siam Monarchy were/are extremely detailed and confusing. For example, as said above, a child of a king and a mother of the highest royal blood is given royal title as "Chao Fa." Otherwise, they are given royal title as "Pra Ong Chao."
The “Chao Fa” was then considered part of the immediate royal family. They would then be the first, second, third, and so on, in line to the throne according to their age…
The Crown Prince Maha Vajirunhit was a handsome and bright child, meticulously brought up to be the next king, following his father's footsteps in every way.
Sadly, in 1895 at the age of 17 only, he died unexpectedly of typhoid fever. It was long before he could reach the throne. The news brought great sadness to his family and the people of the kingdom.
As the show must go on, King Chulalongkorn's second eldest son, Prince Wachirawut, from another wife of his, Queen Saowapa Pongsri, (who was automatically given the royal title as Supreme Royal Consort. She was the younger sister of Queen Sawang Watana, the first crown prince’s mother, who also automatically had to step down), was then named the Crown Prince, and finally succeeded him as King Rama VI in 1910.
During the short life of the, then, Crown Prince Maha Vajirunhit, his father built a palace for him. Originally known as Wung Patoomwan, this Wung was designed by a British architect who used a blueprint of England's Windsor Palace to adjust. Those British in Siam passing by renamed it as Wung Windsor.
Unfortunately, the Prince had never lived there for he died very soon after. After his death, the European styled palace was finally demolished in 1935. The land where it once stood proudly is now the National Stadium on Rama I Road, Bangkok.
Last edited by nathanielnong; 27-01-2021 at 10:01 AM.
Charoen Krung Road was the first ‘official’ road ever built in Siam by the order of King Rama IV. The project started in 1861 and was finished in 1864. The length measured 8,575 m.
According to the record, the road was built by the request of farung who resided in Bangkok complaining that since there was no practical long road, they had no means for exercising such as horse riding and etc. That caused them sick from time to time.
When the road was newly finished, it had not been given official name yet so, those farung call it “New Road”.
These photos were taken, early 1900s, on the same road, New Road, but different sections.
Last edited by nathanielnong; 28-01-2021 at 02:28 PM.
Let’s visit the mansion of one of King Rama V’s favorite Royal Consorts’. She was the King's head chef.
When the King died, according to the royal custom, she asked the new King, Rama VI, for permission to move out of the Royal Palace.
The King granted her a new mansion where she stayed during her last 10 years, until her death in 1929.
This perfectly well conserved mansion is located in Suan Sunanta Palace which is nowadays called Suan Sunanta University.
Last edited by nathanielnong; 28-01-2021 at 02:46 PM.
^Nice pictures of not usually visited places.
Many years ago I read a book by a Belgium doctor who was in charge of medical care of the royal families (around 1900). And he was allegedly the only one male who was allowed inside the areas where the wives (consorts) lived with their extended families, the boys only up to 15 years age. Any idea where it was and what is it nowadays?
If I understand you right. According to the old custom, every palace/manor/mansion and etc. in the old days, up to before the constitutional monarchy happened, has been divided into, mainly, 2 sections; the female and children royalty section and the rest section.
So, what you described could be anywhere.
Wish I could give you more detail…
An interesting (and sarcastic in a funny way) observation (picture not included) made by Ernest Young, B.Sc., Head Master of the Lower School of John Lyon, Harrow, England published in 1908 (= the reign of King Rama V).
THE SHAVING OF THE TOP-KNOT
Sometimes when the traveler is passing along one of the rivers or canals he will hear the sound of merry music close at hand. He probably pulls ashore, and goes to see what is happening.
There is no need to wait for invitations in this free-and-easy country. He makes his way to the place where the band is doing its best to deafen all the poor creatures within reach, and there he finds a motley crowd—men and women in their best and brightest clothes, priests in their most brilliant yellow, actresses with chalked faces and hideous masks, dogs, cats, and children.
Amongst the many people assembled together there is one child, about eleven or thirteen years old, laden with jewellery—necklaces, gold chains, armlets, bracelets, and anklets.
It is on this child's account that the people are feasting together, the theater playing, and the drums booming. We will suppose that the child is a boy. He is holding a great party. The visitors have come to see him get his hair cut!
This, however, is not an ordinary visit to a barber, but a ceremony as important as a wedding or a funeral.
From the very earliest years the heads of the children are shaved completely, with the exception of one little tuft in the center of the head. Each day this precious tuft is oiled and curled, a jeweled pin is stuck through it, and a tiny wreath of freshly woven flowers is twined around it. No scissors are ever allowed to touch the cherished lock until the boy is eleven, thirteen, or fifteen years old, and by that time it is often a foot or more long.
When the parents think that the proper time has almost arrived for the top-knot to be removed, they visit an astrologer, who fixes a lucky day for the operation. If the hair were not cut off on a lucky day, and in just the proper fashion, no one knows what terrible things might happen to the child. He might become ill or insane, or he might die, or, worse still, demons might come and live inside him.
So extremely great care has to be taken that all is done in a fitting manner.
After the astrologer has appointed the day, people are invited to be present at the ceremonies. Actresses, priests, and friends are called together, and for two or three days there are prayers and plays, feasts and fiddling.
The performance is opened by the priests. They ascend to a platform some feet above the ground, and sit down cross-legged like tailors on the mats.
They chant long passages from the sacred books, and ask the spirits to be kind to the boy and to keep all evil away from him.
While they are chanting, they hold a piece of white thread in their hands. One end of this thread is tied round the clasped hands of the child, and as the priests call down blessings from above, these blessings pass through the hands of the priests, along the thread, and so into the body and soul of the boy.
It works like a telegraph wire, and no one sees the good influences flashing along the cotton. There is also a thread fastened right round the house and the gardens to keep out the naughty little demons that take a delight in spoiling the proceedings.
On the second day, the chief person present takes a pair of scissors and clips off the top-knot, after which a professional barber comes along with a nice sharp razor, and the boy's head is shaved completely, so that it looks very much like a new clean ostrich egg.
The boy now dresses himself in white robes, and the priests lead him to a seat raised from the ground and shaded by a canopy of white cloth.
First the parents, then the relations, and last of all the friends, pour holy water over the boy's head. Everybody likes to play his part, and there the youngster sits in his drenched robes, as the crowd files by and half drowns him with the water.
When the last person has emptied the last bowl, the boy is dressed in the gayest clothes that he possesses, or that can be borrowed for the occasion, and is seated on a throne.
On each side of him is a stand laden with rice, fruit, flowers, and other things. These are offerings to the spirits of the air. The band strikes up; the people form a kind of procession, and walk round the child five times. Each person carries a lighted candle, which is blown out when the fifth turn is made.
The smoke is wafted towards the young person on the throne, and as it circles round his shaven crown, it bears towards him a supply of courage and good luck sufficient to last him for the rest of his life.
All this time the child is probably more bored than delighted with the honor paid to him. But the next part of the ceremony gives him every satisfaction. It would please anybody. The relatives and friends present money to the child, each giving according to his means, so that if the boy has many rich relatives he gets quite a handsome sum. The gifts vary in value from about half a crown to ten pounds.
All is not yet over, for a long and jolly feast is the necessary termination of the important event. The priests are served first. When they have finished, the rest of the party fall rapidly and heartily upon the multitude of tempting dishes that have been prepared.
People who are very poor and have no friends merely go to a certain temple and ask one of the priests to cut off the top-knot. Rich people, on the other hand, spend enormous sums of money in entertaining their friends and in giving presents. The gifts to a young princess on one of these occasions amounted to £10,000.
The hairs that have been cut off are separated into two bundles, long and short. The short hairs are put into a little vessel made of plantain-leaves, and sent adrift on the ebb-tide in the nearest canal or river. As they float away, they carry with them all the bad temper, the greediness, and the pride of their former owner. The shaven child gets a new start in life, freed from all that was disagreeable in his character.
The long hairs are kept till he makes a pilgrimage to worship at Buddha's footprint on the sacred hill at Prabhat. This footprint is about as big, and exactly the same shape, as a bath. The hairs are given to the priests, who are supposed to make them into brushes for sweeping the footprint; but in reality so much hair is presented to the priests each year that they are unable to use it all. They wait till the pilgrims have gone home again, when they throw all the hair that they do not want into a fire.
Note: Actually the top-knot shaving happened to both boys and girls, boys when entering 13th year and girls, 11th year of age.
Last edited by nathanielnong; 29-01-2021 at 10:39 AM.
Well, I was about to come back to edit my former post when I saw this post.
I was reminded of you telling the year being around 1900s so, it is likely to be one of the palaces within the big compound of Dusit Palace originally built in the reign of King Rama V (the location that includes Anantasamakhom Throne Hall for instance). There are a lot of small palaces inside and most of them were built for female royalties starting from the Queen (even now, the Queen Mother (King Rama X's) resides here), Royal Consorts, Royal Concubines and more.
The Belgian doctor, was his name Dr. Eugene Reytter? He had served the King's as one of the team of doctors for around 17 years, starting from 1895. He later was granted a noble title as 'Praya'.
Last edited by nathanielnong; 29-01-2021 at 03:01 PM.
^Nong, my advanced Alzheimer does not allow me to remember all details what I read more than 20 years ago. What he (Alzheimer) allows me was a mentioning that the ban of male access was very strongly enforced...
Ma-ruek-kataya-wan Palace is a former Palace of King Rama VI (1910 - 1925). The place is located in Cha-um, Petchaburi Province.
The King used to visit the Palace only twice during his reign. His first visit was during the summer of 1924 when he stayed for three months. His second visit lasted two months in the summer of 1925, after which he died.
The Palace is now a property of the Crown Property Bureau and is under the management of The Foundation of Ma-ruek-kataya-wan Palace.
The history of how this Palace was established started back around the year 1917 when the King had suffered from rheumatoid arthritis.
His physician suggested that he should change the air to go and stay at a place which was warmer and the airy seaside climate was recommended.
At first, there were three choices of sites for building the summer palace. The first one was in Hua Hin, Prachuab Keeree Khan Province which was already a popular beach destination at that time.
However, since the customary law prohibited the general public from entering areas where the king resided, the King decided to avoid troubling his people and considered alternative locations for a summer palace.
He subsequently commanded the Royal Thai Navy to research more appropriate sites.
The beach at Bang Talu in Phetchaburi was the next choice. This led to the construction of a summer palace in 1918 at Bang Talu. The design of the Palace was ordered to keep it simple and harmonious to the rural location as it was just a private place.
The King stayed at his private Palace as soon as it was completed in 1918. He was very pleased with everything and he named the beach “Chao Sumrun Beach” which means 'the beach of joy'.
Upon his second and last visit in 1921, he perceived several inconveniences. First of all, fresh water was struggling to find.
Secondly, along with the completion of the Palace which was 15 km. away for the city of Petchaburi, the King ordered to build a set of railway for carrying people and supplies.
Since the distance was short, to be economical, the railway was made in small size thus, the locomotive was small size too. The problems began with the engine which, to save cost, was a used one. It was too old and had a mind of its own.
Little birds told that with full loads (the entourage plus supplies), poor old pony, in his good mood, could hit the top speed as fast as people walking. Some people getting fatigued of sitting in the boxcars too long could get off and walk along.
So, the distance of 15 km. could cover 5 hours easily.
Lastly, as Chao Samran beach was adjacent to a fishing village, flies always paid visit. Thus, the King decided to move his seaside residence to a new location.
Finally, a secluded beach on Cha-um beach was found. The site was not only close to the main train station, permitting easy access from the capital, but had abundant of fresh water.
The King then appointed Ercole Manfredi, an Italian architect, who at the time was employed by the Ministry of Public Works, as the chief architect to complete the architectural plan based on his preliminary sketch which appeared to be compound of villa which consisted of sixteen teak buildings raised on concrete pillars and linked together by a series of walkways.
Because the King still stayed his intention to make this seaside Palace to be a humble royal residence as compared with other Palaces, the Palace’s design was to be simple, yet elegant, in harmony with the tropical seaside climate.
The construction started in 1923 and was completed in late 1924.
Last edited by nathanielnong; 30-01-2021 at 03:02 PM.
The River Kwai Bridge is actually a part of the Burma Railway, also known as the Death Railway or the Siam–Burma Railway. It is a 415-kilometre (258 mi) railway between Ban Pong, Ratchaburi Province, Thailand and Thanbyuzayat, Burma.
The railway was built by the Empire of Japan from 1940–1944 to supply troops and weapons in the Burma campaign during the WWII. This railway completed the rail link between Bangkok, Thailand and Rangoon, Burma.
The Thai portion of the railway continues to exist but most of the Burmese portion of the railroad (the spur from the Thai border that connects to the Burma main line to Moulmein) fell into disrepair decades ago and has not seen service since.
Between 180,000 and 250,000 allied prisoners of war were subjected to forced labor during its construction. About 102,000 allied prisoners died.
Last edited by nathanielnong; 31-01-2021 at 09:23 AM.
Beautiful . . . imagine this by the sea, the breeze flowing through the rooms . . .
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