Thread: Memory Lane (In my own language)

Related to the story on page 18/450, Pra Nakhon Kheeree is a historical park in Petchaburi Province siting on a hill overlooking the province area.

Back then, this complex was built as a summer Palace by King Mongkut (King Rama IV; 1804-1868). It was finished in 1860.




Since it was a Summer Palace, the King and his family plus the entourage did not stay regularly.
Sometimes, they just visited only once a year. Sometimes, it was longer than that.

However, during their absence, the Palace had to be taken care of all the time. These chores were assigned to the trusted local officials.

When the royal visit came, it was a huge gathering. The local officials had to provide enough men to take care of each of the royalty starting from the king himself, the members of his family and more.

Those men’s jobs varied according to whom they were serving but it was labor jobs all the same.
Mostly it concerned with “carrying stuff” up the hills on various kinds of means such as palanquins for carrying people and etc. Apart from those, for young royalty, they could become horses for them to ride up and down the hills. Nonetheless, it was considered fun time for them.

These people were not Siamese but a tribe called Thai Song Dum or Lao Song. It was a group of minority people from Dien Bien Phu near the borderline between North Vietnam and Laos.

They have migrated or taken during the wars and settled down in Siam for more than 200 years, since the reigns of King Rama I through King Rama III’s.

Thai Song Dum or Lao Song in Petchaburi lived under the land of Siam with modesty and never caused any troubles. They seemed to be satisfied with the new territory. The significant characteristic of this tribe being honesty and loyalty was always admired by all classes of royalty.

So, King Rama IV (and then King Rama V, his son) always trusted them with such chores including general security guards and called them ‘Dek Cha’.

The tribe has its own culture and traditions, e.g. wearing all black with unique style. In terms of communication, they have their own language and also a writing system of their own.