Thread: Memory Lane (In my own language)

The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ shows King Rama IV (1851 – 1868)’s Royal Crematorium being held at Sanum Luang. He died of malaria six weeks after witnessing the eclipse at Wa Koh, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province.

The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘S. Phormma's Colorizations’ shows scenery of Bangkok taken from Golden Mount in 1910. The white crematory of Wat Saket and towers for setting fireworks are seen on the left.

The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ shows Queen Savang Vadhana (10 September 1862 – 17 December 1955), one of the royal wives and half-sister of King Rama V. Her sad story can be read on page 26/636.

Likay is a form of popular folk theatre played in Central of Thailand. Its uniqueness is found in the combination of extravagant costumes with barely equipped stages and vaguely determined story lines, so that the performances depend mainly on the actors' skills of improvisation and the audiences' imagination.

The colorized B&W photo is courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’.

The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Chayanithat’ shows the Coronation Regalia of King Rama VII (1925 – 1935).

The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Sebastian Peet’ shows Queen Mother Saovabha Phongsri (1861 – 1919) who, at the time of this photo taken, was the widow Supreme Queen Consort of King Rama V (1868 – 1910) surrounded with her offspring (King Rama VI standing on her right). The location was Phayatai Palace, later on, a part of Phramongkutklao Hospital.

The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘S. Phormma's Colorizations’ shows a postman’s work in the reign of King Rama V (1868 – 1910).

Kao tom kui is a term called old-fashioned khao tom (rice soup or congee). These old-style restaurants are served for lower class people (kui) mostly Chinese. In the old days, the display of the restaurants would be seen like in the photo. The restaurants have benches for sitting but the customers preferred to squat on them and ate with chopsticks.

The set of food contains plain rice congee served with a multitude of side dishes such as yum kun chiang (a Thai salad made with sliced dried Chinese sausages), mu phalo (pork stewed in soy sauce and five-spice powder), or mu nam liap (minced pork fried with chopped Chinese olives), kai kem (salted eggs), kai yew ma (fermented eggs) and etc.

The colorized B&W photo (year 1960 and the man looks like he is eating a choice of kao suay (plain rice) instead of kao tom) courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’.

The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Sebastian Peet’ shows Princess Suchitra Bharani (1890 – 1918), one of King Rama V’s daughters born from a wife who was a commoner. The photo was shot during her top knot removing celebration.

The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘S. Phormma's Colorizations’ shows King Rama VII (1925 – 1935) during the ceremony of his Coronation (1925).

The colorized B&W photo, taken in 1906, courtesy of ‘S. Phormma's Colorizations’ shows Siamese military posted at its base during the aftermath of the Haw Wars. The story can be read from Wikipedia. The old style Siamese flag (detail on page 2/34) is seen.

The colorized B&W photo, taken in 1906, courtesy of ‘S. Phormma's Colorizations’ shows the Mun (pronounce as ‘moon’) River in drought season in 1940. The public vehicle is seen crossing from Surin Province to Roi Et Province.

The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ shows part of the Chinese ceremony for King Rama IX on his 36^th birthday (5 December 1963) at Wat Bowoniwet.

The colorized B&W photo is courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ shows Puwadol Tasanai Palace. It was built in the reign of King Rama IV (1851 – 1868) and was located in the Royal Palace. It was actually served as a tower clock. ‘The Palace’ was built 2 years before the Big Ben in London.

The King who was a renowned astronomer had it constructed to give people the standard time. He used the calculation based on the latitude and longitude plus the directions of the sun, the moon and the stars to finally be able to set the clock. Thus, Siam was the first country that had the most accurate standard time. Sadly, ‘The Palace” was demolished in the reign of King Rama V to give way for new constructions.

The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Sebastian Peet’ shows King Rama V (1868 – 1910) and Prince Henry of Prussia (1862 – 1929) who was a younger brother of the German Emperor Wilhelm II. He was a naval officer who held various commands in the Imperial German Navy and eventually rose to the rank of Grand Admiral and Generalinspekteur de Marine. The photo was taken in Siam in 1899 or 1900.

The colorized B&W photo (year unknown but far back before the time of electricity) courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ shows lanterns set up, inside Grand Palace, to celebrate the leap year.

The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ shows the preparation of the Royal Seal and Royal Golden Plaque for the king’s signature for the Coronation of King Rama VII (1925 – 1935). The location is inside the hall of Wat Prakaew, Grand Palace.

The colorized B&W photo, taken in 1906, courtesy of ‘S. Phormma's Colorizations’ shows the view including Sanam Luang (right), the Grand Palace (behind), Ministry of Justice (left) with a jail (demolished) is seen in the front. The road is Rachadumnoen Rd. The photo was taken in the reign of King Rama V (1868 – 1910).

Princess Valaya Alongkorn (16 April 1884 – 15 February 1938) was a daughter of King Rama V and Queen Consort Savang Vadhana. Her older brother named Prince Vajirunhis was the first Crown Prince of Siam. She was also the biological aunt of Kings Rama VIII and IX.

Princess Valaya Alongkorn was an avid reader. She was fond of books and read in her spare time, day and night, ever since she was a child. Her nanny had to hide her books to make her sleep. But this did not work, as she was able to find other books in her private library to read. Every afternoon once being finished with her royal duties she always read or wrote. She also knitted and was an accomplished draughtsman.

The Princess always dressed in European style. She did not like decorations for her dresses except pearl necklaces which she made them herself.

The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Sebastian Peet’ shows Princess Valaya Alongkorn at the age of 12 being taken during her top knot removing celebration.

The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ shows what was left of (now called) The Poh-Chang Academy of Arts, Rajamangala University of Technology Rattanakosin. It is an art school and the oldest such dedicated institution in Siam.

The school was first founded as the Poh-Chang School (translated as the Arts and Crafts School) by King Rama VI in 1913, with the aim of establishing formal education of the traditional Thai fine arts and crafts. It has undergone numerous changes in structure throughout its history and now operates as a constituent faculty of the university, teaching bachelor's degree courses.

In the photo, the school suffered seriously during the time of World War II as it was located close to the strategically site (a power plant).

Somdet Chaopraya Institute of Psychiatry (also known as Somdet Chao Phraya Hospital) is a psychiatric hospital in Khlong San District, Bangkok.

Founded at the behest of King Rama V in 1889, it was opened in 1911 as a mental asylum. The original building, owned by a nobleman, was designed by a British architect and supervised by the British physician Dr. Morden Carthew. As the first psychiatric hospital and the second oldest hospital in Thailand, the hospital became well known for being the pioneer in the country for the humane treatment of mentally ill patients.

The place’s nickname is ‘the Red Roof’ after the notable red-roofed, made by zinc painted red to prevent from rust, building. Thus the term ‘red roof’ (in Thai language) has since become synonymous with this mental asylum.

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

The colorized B&W photo taken around 80 years ago courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ shows a part of Chinese New Year Festival’s practices.

Details can be read from here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_New_Year#

The colorized B&W photo, taken in the early 1900s, courtesy of ‘Page Siam Colorization by Noomrattana’ shows Buddha image inside the main hall of Wat Mahathat, Bangkok.

The colorized B&W photo courtesy of ‘Sebastian Peet’ shows local ladies (upper class) from Isan area dressed up formal while awaiting the royal visit.

The colorized B&W photo, taken in 1906, courtesy of ‘S. Phormma's Colorizations’ shows the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception by the banks of Chanthaburi River in 1935.