Thread: Memory Lane (In my own language)

King Prajadhipok (1893 – 1941), also called Rama VII, was the seventh monarch of Siam of the Chakri Dynasty. His reign was a turbulent time for Siam due to political and social changes during the Revolution of 1932. He is to date the only Siamese monarch of the Chakri Dynasty to abdicate.

He married his cousin, Princess Rambai Barni Svastivatana (1904 –1984) who had become his Queen Consort.

The couple had no children but adopted the youngest son of a prince who was his uncle's or King Rama V’s biological younger brother.

The adopted son, Prince Suprabhat Chirasakti (or, simply called, Jirasakdi), who, after graduated from Oxford, England, would later serve as a pilot in Britain's Air Transport Auxiliary during the Second World War, with the rank of Second Officer (S/O).

He died on Saturday, 12th September 1942, aged 25 while delivering a Hawker Sea Hurricane IIC (JS346) from RAF Kirkbride aerodrome near Kirkbride, Cumberland, England.

S/O Prince Chirasakti, known as Cherry (or Jerry, I am not certain) by his friends in the ATA, took off along with F/O Forbes (a volunteer from the United States) in very cloudy conditions shortly after 1200 hrs and flew northward. Forbes returned alone within fifteen minutes. S/O Prince Chirasakti was reported overdue at his destination (Arbroath) at 18:00 hrs.

By midnight it had been learnt that he had crashed into a hill near Ewes lees Farm, Langholm, Scotland.

It was reported that ‘He had entered a blind valley in low cloud, tried to turn, flew into a hill and was killed. He had his flaps down, and was not flying very fast but "just fast enough to kill him," '.

The investigating officer reported to his colleagues. His friend, Third Officer Roy William Reisert (another American volunteer who had trained for the RAF at the Bermuda Flying School before joining the ATA) and F/O Davy were given the task of clearing his personal effects from his locker at RAF Kirkbride.

Reisert wrote ‘I picked up the large brown and white calf-skin purse which he prized and often carried--and dropped it in the box for shipment to his homeland--Siam.

S/O Prince Chirasakti's funeral was held at Golder’s Green Crematorium in London on Wednesday, September 16th. The funeral service was conducted with Buddhist rites by a Buddhist priest, with a guard of honor provided by the Royal Air Force and colleagues from the Air Transport Auxiliary.

From Siam, the funeral was attended by Queen Rambhai Barni, his step mother and more of Siamese royalty.

The British Commonwealth War Graves Commission records him as "The first Siamese in the British Isles to give his life for the Allied cause".

(The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’)

(continuing from last article)...

The Ministry of Public Works being charged with managing the program of modernization was established in 1889 (the reign of King Rama V). A part of its works was responsible for the construction of major buildings.

In 1890 Carlo Allegri, a civil engineer from Milan, joined the department and one year later became the department head. Allegri soon recruited a few more of his countrymen to the department and after 1902 the numbers rapidly increased to over twenty Italians whose skills at engineering, architecture, marble cutting, sculpture and art oversaw a boom in grand neo-classical and renaissance style architecture in Bangkok.

Mario Tamagno from Turin was hired in 1901 as the head of the Architectural Division, a post he went on to hold for 24 years. In 1907 Annibale Rigotti, also from Turin, joined the department as Chief Architect for one of the King’s major projects.

The three musketeers, Allegri, Rigotti and Tamagno went on to work together on some of Bangkok’s most notable landmarks.

One of the most well-known is Hua Lamphong Railway Station (page 25/622) built between 1910 and 1916. Tamagno modelled it upon Frankfurt (Main) Hauptbahnhof in Germany, giving it the well-known sweeping steel arched roof, neo-classical entrance and stained-glass windows.

Perhaps the most famous building from this period is Wat Benchamabophit, most often remembered by visitors to Bangkok as “The Marble Temple”.

The construction of Wat Benchamabophit commenced in 1890 as a new royal temple associated with the newly constructed palace of nearby Dusit Park. King Rama V’s half-brother Prince Naris was in charge of the design but it was Carlo Allegri who proposed the use of white Carrara marble to clad the building and who also arranged for the King himself to select the stained glass for the windows whilst he was visiting Milan in 1907.

Anyway, without doubt, the grandest of all the Italian buildings in Bangkok is the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall (previous article).

This was the project for which Annibale Rigotti brought to Bangkok together with a host of other Italian experts.

Starting work in 1907, Tamagno and Rigotti decided upon the Renaissance-Baroque design. Again they chose to clad the building in Carrara marble which compounded the engineering problem of how to build such an enormously heavy building on soft marshy ground and the main central dome alone weighs about 1500 tons already.

It took over two years and finally some French “Compressol” technology to solve that particular problem. Meanwhile the King spared no expense on this project, importing marble from Genoa, Turin, Milan and Carrara; copper and bronze casts from Stuttgart; ceramics from Vienna; and draperies plus carpets from England. The interior was decorated with monumental paintings by Galileo Chini portraying significant events of the Chakri dynasty.

Construction of this masterpiece was only completed in 1915 nearly five years after King Chulalongkorn had passed away. His successor never used the building as the throne hall it was intended for.

Between 1932 and 1974 it was used as the National Assembly but today it is rarely used and unfortunately rarely opens to the public.

(Carlo Allegri, Annibale Rigotti and Mario Tamagno known as the Italians who built Bangkok)

The Manhattan Rebellion

On 29 June 1951, a group of junior naval officers seized the Prime Minister of Thailand, Plaek Phibunsongkhram (pages 12/297 and 13/302) at gunpoint while he was attending the transfer ceremony of the US Navy dredge Manhattan to the Thai navy at Ratchaworadit Pier on the Chao Praya River, Bangkok.

(Lieutenant Colonel Manut Charupa, one of the key persons, seen rushing with firearm on board the Mahattan among the dumbfounded audiences)

(Lieutenant Colonel Manut Charupa seen escorting the Prime Minister Plaek down the Mahattan)


The reason for this action concerned with the dissatisfaction with Plaek's government for not administering the state affairs to the true benefit of the people but taking a dictatorship by revamping the police department to intimidate the people and sweeping away their opponents in a cruel and inhumane way.

Plaek was forcibly taken aboard the Thai navy flagship HTMS Sri Ayudhya and held hostage.

General stations were called, and the ship began to make way downstream towards the Naval Ordnance Department in Bang Na.

However, the coup plotters failed to secure the opening of the Memorial Bridge (Sapan Put), so the warship could not continue downstream.

Fighting quickly ensued, and the naval units that sided with the rebels became heavily outnumbered by the Royal Thai Army, Air Force and Police Department, who were loyal to the government.

The fighting subsided during the night of 29 June, but resumed and intensified early the next morning. The Sri Ayudhya joined the fight, but its engines were soon disabled and the ship became dead in the water in front of Wichaiprasit Fort.

The ship was heavily fired upon from the eastern bank by guns and mortars, and, by afternoon, was also bombarded by AT-6 trainer planes.

Heavy fires broke out, and the order was given to abandon the ship which was sinking despite Plaek’s presence on board. The Prime Minister, uninjured, had to swim ashore along with the ship's crew.

The fires continued throughout the night and into the next day before the fighting ceased. The heavily damaged Sri Ayudhya finally sank on the night of 1 July.

The struggle led to the deaths of 103 personnel from Royal Thai Army, Air Force and Thai Marines altogether, 9 police officers, and 118 civilians. More than 190 people were wounded. Property damage amounted to 15 million baht and the loss of the navy's most powerful warship, Sri Ayudhya.

In the aftermath, the navy's leadership was immediately fired, including its top commanders. Seventy other officers were relieved of duty. More than 1,300 sailors suspected of joining or aiding the rebellion were arrested.

All naval combat aircraft were handed over to the air force. Heavy naval weapons were confiscated. Naval bases in Bangkok were relocated to outer provinces such as Chonburi and Samut Prakan.

The Thai Marines was downsized and placed under the army command. The naval submarine fleet was decommissioned.

On October 8, 1959, the wreck of the Sri Ayudhya was salvaged for scrap, as it had become a navigational hazard.

(The colorized B&W photo)


HMS Radiant was an R-class destroyer which fought in the WWI as part of the Royal Navy. She was built at Woolston, England and launched November 1916.

During the night of 23th December 1917, while escorting of a convoy off the coast of Holland, she came to the rescue of the Harwich Force destroyers, the Torrent, the Surprise and the Tornado after the destroyers ran into a German minefield.

The Torrent struck a mine and when attempting a rescue, the Surprise and the Tornado also hit mines resulting in the three destroyers being lost.

The Radiant picked up all survivors that could be found. This accounted for twelve officers and sailors with the losses of 252 officers and men from the three destroyers.

After the WWI, the Radiant was paid off and laid up in reserve until sold to the Royal Thai Navy in September 1920. She was renamed Phra Ruang (the name of an ancient king who reigned Sukhothai Kingdom).

It is believed that in order to finance her acquisition, King Rama VI and other senior figures donated personally to the finance fund, making this the first publication donation of money to procure a warship in Siam/Thailand.

The Royal Prince Admiral Abhakara Kiartivongse, the King’s half-brother, went to England to negotiate the purchase personally. It was sold for 200,000 pound which was lower than expected. Then he commanded the ship during its subsequent voyage from England to Thailand.

During WWII, on 29^th January 1943, the submarine USS Trout launched three torpedoes at a destroyer believed to be the Phra Ruang and watched each run true to the target. However, all proved to be duds.

Because of her continued service in the Royal Thai Navy, the destroyer was the last survivor of the Royal Navy's First World War destroyers.

The Phra Ruang was used as a training ship toward the end of her career, removed from the effective list in 1957 and stricken in 1959.

The ship’s bell and wheel are on display at the Naval Museum in the Samut Prakan Province.

1960s, Public telephone booth with tokens - Bangkok

1970s, Flints (Kanom Krok is not relevant to the subject of photo. Packs of flints were shown behind the lady) - Bangkok

The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ shows the religious ceremony on the occasion of the opening of Sa Orathai (Orathai pond, 1905) by the command of Princess Orathai Thepkanya (1859 - 1906) who was a daughter of King Mongkut (Rama IV).

According to page 35/851, the Princess had been sick for so long that it damaged the some nerve cells which also caused her mentally ill. Eventually, she decided to commit suicide at the age of 40s.

It was said that her illness could not be cured by any means, whether it was modern treatments from farung or Siamese doctors or even consulting with the superstitious methods.

After her death, rumors had it that her ghost was frequently seen around the pool which she had it constructed. Sometimes loud noises like someone jumped into the pool were heard.

The stories spread into King Rama V’s ear. He deemed it as a disgrace to the deceased. Therefore, a proof was set to find whether the stories were true or not.

Finally, the truth came out that the noise was from a very large type of snake, elephant trunk snake (acrochordus javanicus).

The King, thus, ordered a proper merit dedicated to the deceased once again and in time, the ghost story had disappeared.

(Note: The monk seen in the photo was the Supreme Patriarch of Siam who was the King’s half brother)

(Photo (shot in 1947 near the Memorial Bridge or Sapan Put) courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’)


Loy Krathong (in a nutshell) is a Siam/Thai festival celebrated annually throughout the country and, also, in nearby countries.

The name could be translated as “to float a basket”. The basket is usually made of a sliced banana trunk being shaped like a lotus and decorated with flowers, incenses, candles, personal items, and craft-store buys.

Traditionally people release their krathong into the rivers and small canals. However, today, people also release the krathong into lakes or ponds.

The history and reason behind this beautiful festival is complex. It’s believed that Loy Krathong originated in the Kingdom of Sukhothai era, an ancient city situated around five hours from Bangkok.

Loy Krathong takes place in the evening of the full moon of the 12^th month in the traditional Thai lunar calendar, thus the exact date of the festival changes every year. In the Western calendar this usually falls in the month of November.

The festival is not necessarily a religious holiday. The main intention of the festival is to pray and give gratitude to the Goddess of Water (Phra Mae Khongkha).

However, it is said to be a symbolic way to brush off bad luck, let go of anger or grudges, and cleanse misdoings and misfortunes from the past to start anew and free of negative feelings. If your candle stays lit until you can’t see your krathong in sight, it means that you’ll have a year of good luck. If not, well, a better luck next time.


Photos of Loy Krathong festival at Bang Pa-In, Ayuthaya Province, in the reign of King Rama V

(A depiction of royal concubines holding Krathong (aka Kanthong in Khmer) in the 12th century Bayon temple in Cambodia)

(The colorized B&W photo)


Princess Sirabhorn Sobhon (19 July 1888 – 24 May 1898) was a daughter of King Rama V and one of his Queen Consorts.

It has been said that although the princess was still a child, she acted like an adult. For example, she liked to chew betel quid. When she went somewhere, she had to be accompanied by a personal servant carrying a chest containing betel quid. She was also a royalty with discipline who liked her personal servants to behave in an orderly manner according to cultures and traditions. Whoever misbehaved would immediately make her angry.

In April 1898, the Princess became ill with high fever. Her body was warmer than usual. Still a child and without much thought, she took a shower as normal which, in turn, caused the occurrence of pneumonia. Though the royal doctor treated her with medicines but the symptoms did not improve, only remained stable.

She died in her childhood on 24 May 1898, at the age of 9.

The Princess's mother told the servants to hurry up and tell the Supreme Queen Consort but at that time, she was napping. So one of them had to pretend to drop something down on the floor in order to wake her up and get the story of what had happened so that the she would go and tell the King.

Photo Courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ of which the B&W original being taken in Mahasarakam Province in 1936 by Dr. Robert Larimore Pendleton, an American soil technologist and agriculturist, shows good source of protein that was and still is popular in Isan area. They are…

Common butterfly lizards or locally called as ‘yae’. They are best for making ‘larb’ dish or ‘sub nok’ curry.

Dung beetles or locally called as ‘mang kud-gee’. They roll dung into round balls, which are used as a food source or breeding chambers. Locals enjoy finding their larva and bring them to make delicious food (urgh!...).