Thread: Memory Lane (In my own language)

A documentary (photos not included) titled: Treatise on Midwifery

Though Dr. Dan Beach Bradley wrote his helpful Treatise on Vaccination in 1840 (although it was not published for another four years), yet he regarded the care of pregnant women and midwifery a subject of even greater concern.

Alarmed at some of the practices he witnessed in early 19th-century Siam, the American physician and missionary believed that modern methods of childbearing would greatly aid local mothers and their offspring.

Thus he spent the 240 baht he was paid by King Rama III (1824-1851) for his work protecting the Siamese from smallpox on a book of pregnancy and midwifery.

“Kampee Kantharaksa” (Treatise on Midwifery) was published in 1842, offering 200 pages of advice and some 50 photos and illustrations by local artists.

This was the country’s first Thai textbook on modern obstetrics.

In the old days, it was customary for a woman who had just given birth to lie by a fire for a month. The practice, called ‘yu (= stay) fai (= fire)’, was believed to allow the womb to heal properly while curbing her sexual appetite.

Bradley was appalled that the practice continued even though many mothers suffered from the heat and actually became ill. At the same time, many babies were stillborn or unhealthy as a result of faulty theories about birthing and childcare.

The doctor wrote that many Siamese women insisted their bodies were structured differently from those of Western women, so they believed his methods were unsuitable for them.

Bradley decided to write a book to try and correct such misconceptions and further improve the Siamese quality of life.

Agreeing that Siamese mothers must abandon the practice of ‘yu fai’, Prince Mongkut (the future King Rama IV) and Prince Chudamani, his brother, (the future King Pinklao) enthusiastically approved of Bradley’s plan.

Although initially there were few followers, Bradley’s observations – and his books – were the first steps towards changing harmful attitudes that had been retained from generation to generation.

“Kampee Kantharaksa” was also the first Siamese medical textbook to be made available to the general public, another extraordinary innovation among the citizens of the day.

(Note: Word by word, kampee = scripture / kan = pregnancy (here = womb) / raksa = treatment)

In the early Rattanakosin (King Rama 1 – 3 [1782-1851]), Siam’s territory was vast. It has borders connected with countries from north to south.

The vast area was difficult to know where exactly the borderlines between Siam and such countries were but from the traditions and customs that had continued since ages ago, it was enough to just know who ruled this or that land. There was no need to make the borderline precised by creating evidence.

When Cambodia fell under French custody, ancient principles that had been held for hundreds of years was abandoned. France managed modern cartography and drew the boundary line and embedded boundary stones along the lines all the way from Phanom Dong Rak Mountain ranges down to the Gulf of Thailand.

The new method, at that time, seemed practical and also maintained the old traditions if only they had done it true to the geometrical fact.

The case of a dispute over the Temple of Preah Vihear including its land surrounding the Temple was the clear evidence which has created a wound to Siamese that has never been healed until now.

The computer colored photo shows the Siamese soldiers of the Eastern Army during the case of the 1941 Indochina Dispute posed with a boundary stone between Siam and Cambodia that was embedded by France during the reign of King Rama V.

Prince Mahamala (in short term; 1819-1886) was a son of King Rama II, and grandson of King Rama I who was the founder of the Chakri Dynasty. When the throne was passed to King Rama V which was his nephew, The Prince was a senior high ranking royalty and one of the King’s most trusted persons.

Being responsible to a lot of important duties in the government had made him very powerful that should have created his personality a stern look to the people’s eyes. Actually it was not at all.

Many old records described him all in the same way that he was very playful and never considered himself conceit. All of his small great grandsons (King Rama V’s sons) who knew him said in unison that the Prince was very kind.

One said that, when came a time to present themselves (the great grandsons) before their father, the King at the Throne Hall, they had to crawl on four all the way passing those senior high ranking royalty who mostly looked stern but when they passed Prince Mahamala, the Prince did not hesitate to greet them intimately. Sometimes, he even handed some small toys made of zinc taken out of his shirt pocket.

The Prince was the origin of the surname ‘Malakul’

(The computer colored photo shows Prince Mahamala, the Prince of Bamrabporapaksa wearing a military-style jacket, seating on a European chair with castors by the table. With betel quid in his mouth, he holds a large hat, with a feather, on his lap. A sword and tea-making equipment are seen on the table. The photo was shot in the late reign of King Rama IV)

King Rama V, commemorative photo

King Rama V's handwriting (I am not sure if it is English)

King Rama V, postcard

Originally Posted by Shy Guava

There was another place I recall that may have predated Foodland called Dairy Lane. IIRC it was at the north end of Chidlom and I heard at the time it belonged to a supermarket chain out of Hong Kong. K. Nong may remember it. I used to go there to get weird things like bread and milk.

It is a pity that I was much too young to remember and that place was not in my area. My area when I was young was in Wongwien Yai, (back then) Thonburi Province. Anyway, my parents used to take us (+ my brother) to those areas (Rachaprasong, Ploenchit, Chidlom and around) very often since they were hip places to hang out.

When I got older, in high school, my parents moved house to live in Sapan Kwai. I remember a hip store called 'Tai Din Supermarket (Tai Din = undergrond). It was across Sanam Pao, close to the Victory Monument.

The supermaket contained mostly 'farung' stuff including R-rated magazines...

Nice to hear from you again!

Phra Sanpakarn Hiranjakitch (title+name granted by the king) whose birth/death dates are unknown and personal life was rarely known to public was, back then, a well-known and highly respected official in the reign of King Rama V of Siam.

After completing his education, he entered the Government service where he remained there for about ten years. After the Minister of Finance established the Siam Commercial Bank (detail on page 42/1035), he was appointed as its manager which brought about his resigning from the Government employment.

Phra Sanpakarn had devoted the whole of his time to the conduct of this enterprise. The success and stability of the bank form in themselves a high tribute to his organizing ability and skill of financial training.

He was married to Khoon Sap, a daughter of a prominent Siamese official.

Phra Sanpakarn’s private residential property was reputed to be the finest in Bangkok outside the royal palaces. As an enthusiastic collector of antiques who had traveled extensively in the Federated Malay States and the East Indies, he fitted in his residences with most interesting mementos of his journeys.

His private residential property which was said to be built in 1908 contained a park surrounding two villas. The park was called ‘Samsen Park’ and his two villas were called ‘Himmapan (A legendary forest that locates at the hill of Himmanpan Mountain or the Himalayas)’.

About the Park, it contained an excellent little theater, replete with every convenience for the staging of a modern dramatic production. Phra Sanpakarn intended everything in the Park to be open, with admission fee, to the public.

The outer wall of the residential property

The theatre

The small Villa

The large Villa with a pond in front

The reception room decorated with mementos of his journeys.

Samsen Park’s grand opening
(Photos are courtesy of the book, Twentieth Century Impressions of Siam, 1994)


These spectacles caught every eye of the passerby and when more information that the owner was Phra Sanpakarn who was a manager of the first Siamese Bank, the Siam Commercial Bank, was revealed, the authority stepped in.

In 1910, a discreet investigation was held. The result soon came out that Phra Sanpakarn was convicted of illegal money transaction (hope I use the right term).

At that time, Siam was an absolute monarchy country. Not only Phra Sanpakarn was fired from the position of the bank manager, he was ripped of his official title+name and became a commoner with a common name as ‘Nai Chaey Isarabhakdi’.

Next year, he was filed for bankruptcy but since he still had connection in the field, it was easy to make his case buried as time went by.

His property at Samsen Park was confiscated to become Royal property’s.

Nai Chaey started his life again from zero. More than 10 years later, he finished his study and became a barrister and applied for a position in the Ministry of Justice. Not long after, he earned his official title+name once again though different from the former one.

The area of Phra Sanpakarn’s private property, Samsen Park including 2 extravagant villas, was, by King Rama VI’s command, renovated to become Vachira Hospital.

At present, the small villa (locally called as ‘Pink Building’) was demolished. The big villa (locally called as ‘Yellow Building’) was still standing but much deteriorated.

Today, the Yellow Building was under renovation by the raising fund of the Hospital.