Thread: Memory Lane (In my own language)

Celestino Xavier (1863-1922) was a Portuguese descent from Macao who was born in Siam. After educated from England, he came back to Siam and worked as a diplomat in the reigns of King Rama V and VI.

As the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, he was chosen as a part of the Siamese delegation to the League of Nations General Assembly, 1920.

After WWI and the defeat of the German Empire, a radically new organization came into being via the Treaty of Versailles: the League of Nations. This was the world's first go at creating an international organization for maintaining peace of which one of its founding members was the Kingdom of Siam.




For all of his achievements, Celestino Xavier was granted a noble title as Praya.




Apart from working as a diplomat, he was also a skillful businessman. He owned a big rice mill in Bang Pakok area (in Thonburi Province, back then) and also ventured in land business.




After participating in making See Praya Road, he established his own business. He improved a vacant area between Silom Road and Satorn Road. When finished, he made a small road (known later as Convent Road) joining those two then developed the land around for sale.

All the clients of his were rich people i.e. noblemen, businessmen and etc. They were both Siamese and farung who bought these developed lands and built on them elegant houses.

One of Xavier’s children named Margaret Lin Xavier known colloquially as Dr. Lin, was a Thai physician. She was the first Thai woman to receive a degree in medicine (She was graduated from London School of medicine for women).

A highlight of her career occurred on 12 August 1932, when she delivered Mom Ratchawong Sirikit Kittiyakorn who would become Queen Sirikit, Queen Consort of King Rama IX and Queen Mother of King Rama X.


(Participating in an all-male play (‘lakorn nok’) titled ‘Sung Tong’, a part of the welcoming ceremony for King Rama V who came back from his first grand European trip in 1897. The trip that took him away from his homeland for 9 months. Celestino was cast a female leading role named “Rojana”. You can easily figure out where he is)