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Chakri Dynasty commemorated on April 6
Chakri Dynasty - Chronology of the present-day Dynasty of Thailand
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Chakri Day (April 6) was first
instituted by H.M. King Vajiravudh (Rama VI) in the year 1919 to
commemorate all the Kings in the Chakri Dynasty, which started
with Rama I and continues to this day with Rama IX, H.M. King
Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great.
The reigning Kings in the House of Chakri brought peace and
tranquility to the people within Thailand’s borders and
successfully protected the Kingdom, maintaining sovereignty and
integrity through crucial periods threatened by European
colonization and two World Wars.
In commemorating Chakri Day the national flag is proudly
displayed by the people of Thailand and all government officials
and members of the community participate in traditional
ceremonies, making offerings of flowers and garlands at the many
statues of Kings in the House of Chakri.
The Chakri Dynasty was ushered in on 6 April 1782 when a close
aid of King Taksin, General Chakri, marched back into Thonburi
and assumed the throne as H.M. King Buddha Yod Fa Chulalok the
Great (Rama I). Each Monarch thereafter has had “Rama” as part
of their title.
Banks, government offices and most business offices are closed
on Friday, April 6 in observance of this special day. |
King Buddha Yod Fa Chula Lok the Great
(Rama I) 1782-1809
King Buddha Yod Fa Chula Lok was born in Ayutthaya on
March 20, 1737, the son of Phra Aksorn Sundara Smiantra. He was formerly
known as Thong Duang. Following the fall of Ayutthaya in 1767 he entered
the service of Phraya Taksin and fought by his side in almost every
campaign until the latter became King Taksin, establishing the capital
at Thonburi. He was given the title Luang Yorkrabat, then Phra Rajvarin,
Chao Phraya Chakri and eventually Somdetch Chao Phraya Maha Kashatriya
Suk by King Taksin, and following the deposition of King Taksin in 1782
at the age of 45 he was chosen King, becoming the founder and first
ruler of the House of Chakri two hundred years ago. On the year of his
accession he moved the capital from Thonburi to the opposite bank of the
Chao Phraya River, thus founding the city of Bangkok. It was during his
reign that the Grand Palace was constructed and he installed the Emerald
Buddha in the Royal Chapel following its completion. He died in Bangkok
on September 7, 1809 and, as many historians have stated, the modern
Siam dates from his reign.
King Buddha Loet La Nabhalai
(Rama II) 1809-1824
King Buddha Loet La Nabhalai was born in Ratchaburi
on February 26, 1768, the son of King Rama I. He accompanied his father
on military campaigns as a young man. He was 16 when his father ascended
the throne and was immediately created a Prince of the rank of Somdetch
Chao Fa and given the name of Isarasundorn. Appointed Maha Uparaja, or
Deputy King by his father in 1806, he was the only Maha Uparaja to
eventually succeed to the throne during the period of the Chakri
Dynasty. He became King on the death of his father, King Rama I at the
age of 42. His reign was a period of consolidating the achievements of
the previous reign and he began the custom of appointing senior princes
to supervise over the different departments of state. He is best
remembered though for his interest in the arts, which flourished during
his reign. He was an artist, writer, and composer. He died on July
21,1824, at the age of 58.
King Nang Klao
(Rama III) 1824-1851
King Nang Klao was born in Bangkok on March 31, 1788.
The future King Rama III was the son of King Rama II by a junior wife,
Chao Chom Riem. At the time of the death of King Rama II, his supposed
heir, Prince Mongkut, had entered a monastery as a monk and Prince
Chesda Bondindra, as he was then styled, was chosen as King by the
Accession Council at the age of 37. He reigned for 27 years. He proved
an able ruler and during his reign, trade prospered and territorial
advances were made as the vassal states of the north and east came more
firmly under the rule of Bangkok. During his rule, in 1833, the first
treaty with the United States was signed. King Rama III had no queen and
thus had no children of Chao Fa rank, and so on his death on April 2,
1851 at the age of 65, the succession passed to his half-brother, who
became King Mongkut (Rama IV). Although he had no son to reign as King
it is an interesting genealogical fact that among his descendants were
five future Kings, because his granddaughter, Queen Debsirindra, was the
mother of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V), thus every descendant of King
Chulalongkorn has a lineal descent from King Rama III.
His Majesty King Mongkut
(Rama IV) 1851-1868
His Majesty King Mongkut was born on Thursday the
18th of October 1804. He was the second son of Phra Buddha Lertla
Naphalai (King Rama II) and Queen Sri Suriyendra. His Majesty King
Mongkut modernized Thailand in both commerce and education, and
instituted reforms, which would adapt the country to western ways. Known
as the “Father of Thai Scientists”, he was famous for his astrology.
Before becoming King, the then Prince Mongkut entered the monkhood.
Ironically, it was this period in monkhood, which required him to take a
vow of poverty and self-denial, which gave Prince Mongkut a good
understanding of statecraft. It allowed him to meet people from all
walks of life, from the humblest to the elite, Thais as well as
foreigners. He traveled to various parts of the Kingdom, barefoot,
depending on offerings of food and other necessities from the people.
From the Thais, he gained an invaluable first-hand insight into their
welfare and livelihood. From the foreigners, he obtained precious
information about the outside world, especially about technology and
science.
King Chulalongkorn the Great
(Rama V) 1868-1910
Also known as Phra Chula Chomklao Chaoyuhua, and the
eldest son of King Rama IV, King Chulalongkorn was born in Bangkok on
September 20, 1853 and was crowned King on October 1, 1868, following
the death of his father. The first few years of his reign were under
regency. King Chulalongkorn is perhaps the most revered of all past
Chakri Kings. During his long reign of 42 years 23 days great advances
were achieved for the country.
The King actively pursued a policy of modernizing the country and had a
number of Europeans in his service to oversee such projects as the
building of the first railway in Thailand. He himself made two visits to
Europe, one in 1897 and another in 1907, during which he became
acquainted with most of the rulers of Europe. He successfully managed to
cultivate the idea of Siam as a buffer state between the colonial
possessions of the European powers in South East Asia. The price he paid
for losing certain border territories was amply rewarded, for Siam was
never colonized - the only country in the region to maintain its
sovereignty throughout the period of colonial expansionism. He died on
October 23, 1910.
King Vajiravudh
(Rama VI) 1910-1925
King Vajiravudh was born at Bangkok on January 1,
1881. King Vajiravudh’s reigning title was Phra Mongkut Klao Chaoyuhua.
He was the second son of King Chulalongkorn.
Following the death of his elder half-brother, Crown Prince Maha
Vajirunhis, in 1895, he was appointed Crown Prince. He was educated in
England and his great love of literature and poetry in both Thai and
English together with his scholastic abilities was later to manifest
itself during his reign. Among his lasting achievements were devising a
system of transliteration of Thai into English and of translating the
entire works of Shakespeare into Thai. His passion for traditional Thai
theatre and ballet has left a mass of published scores, which form the
basis of the study of these arts to the present day. In 1916 King
Vajiravudh declared war on Germany and Thai troops fought with the
Allies during the latter part of World War I. He died in Bangkok on
November 26, 1925 at the early age of 44.
King Prajadhipok
(Rama VII) 1925-1935
King Prajadhipok was born in Bangkok on November 8,
1893. King Prajadhipok succeeded to the throne on the death of his elder
brother, King Vajiravudh. His reign coincided with the worldwide
economic depression, which followed the Wall Street crash of 1929, but
its effects were not unfelt in Siam. On April 6, 1932 the country
celebrated the sesquicentenary of the Chakri Dynasty; two months later
the eventual transferal of power to a Legislative Assembly began. On
December 10, 1932 King Prajadhipok granted a constitution to the Thai
people, and the Constitutional Monarchy of the present day was born.
Just over two years later, on March 2, 1935, having gone to live in
England in order to receive medical treatment, he abdicated the throne.
King Prajadhipok died in England on May 30, 1941, during World War II,
and his ashes were brought back to Bangkok by his widow, Queen Rambhai
Barni, in 1949.
King Ananda Mahidol
(Rama VIII) 1935-1946
King Ananda Mahidol was born on September 20, 1925,
the elder son and second child of HRH Prince Mahidol Adulyadej, Prince
of Songkla. He succeeded his uncle, King Prajadhipok, as King on March
2, 1935. King Ananda Mahidol spent his early years in Switzerland,
receiving his education there and made occasional trips to Thailand. He
returned to Bangkok after the end of World War II, but his life and his
reign came to an abrupt end when he died, on June 9, 1946. King Ananda
Mahidol was never crowned and shortly after his death his younger
brother and successor, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, posthumously altered his
regal title and raised him from seven to nine levels of royal umbrella,
as a fully crowned and anointed sovereign.
King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great
(Rama IX)
1946 to the present
HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) was born on
December 5, 1927. He succeeded his elder brother as King on June 9,
1946. On April 28, 1950 King Bhumibol Adulyadej was married to Mom
Rajawongse Sirikit Kitiyakara, a great-granddaughter of King
Chulalongkorn. The following week, on May 5, 1950, was crowned as King
and his wife was installed as Queen in a glittering ceremony in the
Grand Palace. Their Majesties have four children, Princess Ubolratana
Rajakanya, Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, Princess Maha Chakri
Sirindhorn and Princess Chulabhorn Valayalaksana. During his reign King
Bhumibol Adulyadej made numerous state visits abroad as well as having
received many Heads of State in Bangkok.
As his reign advances, the growing reverence of the Thai people for
their sovereign has become ever more apparent. On May 5, 1987, to mark
his then forthcoming 60th birthday, the prime minister of Thailand
proclaimed King Bhumibol Adulyadej “the Great”. On July 2, 1988, HM King
Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great celebrated his record reign - the day on
which he had reigned longer than any of his predecessors. On the
occasion of the 60th anniversary of his accession to the Thai Throne in
June 2006, HM the King and Queen presided over splendid festivities as
representatives of 25 royal houses from Europe, Africa, the Middle East
and Asia had come to Bangkok to honor His Majesty King Bhumibol
Adulyadej the Great. To this day, he remains the longest reigning
monarch in the world.
The world’s longest-reigning Monarch, who this year celebrated his
eightieth birthday, and now sixty-one years on the Thai Throne,
continues to be, as he has been for the six decades of his just reign,
“The light of his land, the pride of his people and a shining example to
all peoples of the world.”
International scoring
for horse jumping event
The winner was Ms. Pimchanok
Kuakulpitak from Horseshoe Point.
The Runner up was Ms. Manicha
Mavichien from the PBSC Polo Club.
3rd place was awarded to Ms.
Sailub Lertratanachai from Horse Lovers.
Pramote Channgam
Horseshoe Point in cooperation with the Thai Equestrian Association,
the Thai Horse Riding School Association and the International Riding School
staged the FEI World Jumping Challenger 2008 competition on March 23 and 24.
The horse-jumping event was for the under-100cm category and was held under
the rules of the Federation Equestrian International, with all scores from
the competition submitted to the FEI’s international rating system.
On the first day of the competition Ms Sailub Lertratanachai of Horse
Lovers, riding Victory B, was announced as the winner, finishing the course
with only a one-point deduction. In second place was Ms Pimchanok
Kuakulpitak, who rode a horse named La Tanza from Horseshoe Point. She had
four points deducted, but had a total time better than everyone else.
Day two saw Sailub come in at third place with a total time of 98.30
seconds, and with two points deducted. Second place went to Ms Manicha
Mavichien, who rode Pirelli. She did not do well on the first day, but
didn’t lose any points on the second day and finished with a total time of
79.28 seconds. The winner was Pimchanok, building on her first day results
and coming in on the second day at 65.88 seconds and no loss of points.
The final results for the two-day competition in the under-100 cm category
were, in winning place Ms Pimchanok Kuakulpitak from Horseshoe Point, in
second place Ms Manicha Mavichien from the PBSC Polo Club, and in third
place Ms Sailub Lertratanachai from Horse Lovers.
Clearing the bar during the
event.
Beauty and grace…
The atmosphere at the
competition.
New ablution centre for Baan Banglamung School
Bernie Tuppin,
PSC Charity Chairman
Baan Banglamung School is one of the oldest schools in our area. The grounds
even contain a shrine that is over three hundred years old. The school
itself is not that old, but when I visited recently [late in February] I was
appalled to see that the area and conditions where the children washed their
hands and obtained their drinking water could well have been that old.
 Teachers
and school administrators thank Bernie Tuppin (centre) and Nittaya
Patimasongkroh (right) for the new, clean area.
For the more than 130 young students attending this school, not only was the
existing facility unsanitary, it was located a considerable distance away
from their new classrooms. Pornrud, the school director, asked for
assistance to improve the situation, not an unreasonable request given the
circumstances.
Plans and quotes were obtained in time for our coming executive meeting
where approval was obtained to proceed with the project. That took place on
the 8th of March and work commenced the following day. Construction was
completed in 10 days, thanks to the work of Kamron our chosen builder. The
cost was B75, 000, and I believe it was money well spent. The children’s
smiles were an added bonus.
A presentation ceremony was held on the March 26, when Pornrud thanked the
Pattaya Sports Club for their positive action to alleviate a poor situation.
Below is a before and after comparison.
Before…
…and after.
Diana Group course prepares students for hotel industry career
Vimolrat Singnikorn
The Diana Inn held a ceremony on March 18 to present certificates to 29
students from Pattaya School No 3 who completed the One School One Hotel 2
project, which prepares them for further vocational training should they
wish to enter the hospitality industry when they leave school.
 Deputy
Mayor Wattana Chantanawaranon (right) presents a certificate and scholarship
to one of the 29 students who attended and completed the “One School One
Hotel 2” project.
The ceremony also included the presentation of scholarships worth in total
120,000 baht to four of the students, the funds having been raised by two
major charity golf tournaments held last year.
Deputy Mayor Wattana Chantanawaranon led the ceremony, which was
well-attended by representatives of the governmental and private sectors,
including Pratheep Malhotra, district governor-elect of Rotary International
District 3340 and chairman of the Pattaya Mail Mike Franklin Classic Charity
Golf Tournament 2007, the tournament’s director Mike Franklin, Bernie
Tuppin, charity chairman of the Pattaya Sports Club, and Theera
Prasertpinyo, head of Pattaya School No 3 Basic Education Course.
 Chanyarat
Kanchanabut (left), director of Pattaya School No 3, presents a bouquet of
flowers to Sopin Thappajug, managing director of the Diana Group.
Sopin Thappajug, managing director of the Diana Group and her team welcomed
the students and guests to the presentation ceremony. Mrs Chanyarat
Kanchanabut, director of Pattaya School No 3 presented a bouquet of flowers
to Sopin and to Pratheep.
Apart from the certificates distributed to the 29 students who had completed
this project, there was also a distribution of scholarships to four students
with outstandingly good scholastic results. They were Miss Piyaporn Harnkla,
Miss Patchara Yimngarm, Miss Chatsuda Amwilai and Miss Maneerat Chaiyen, all
of who are interested in a career in the hotel industry. The scholarships
are for 30,000 baht each and will support them for further study for a
vocational certificate from Sattahip Technical College. These scholarships
were supported by two charity golf tournaments, namely the Diana Gold
Charity Golf Tournament 2007, and the Pattaya Mail Mike Franklin Classic
Charity Golf Tournament 2007.
The One School One Hotel 2 project was organized in conjunction with the
Pattaya City Education Office. The Diana Group initiated the program in the
2006 education year, and Pattaya School No 3 was selected as the trial
school for the project, which is now into its second year. The course
provides basic knowledge on hotel administration and is designed to develop
the abilities of students who are interested in the hotel business as a
career. The syllabus included theory and practical experience.
Chanyarat Kanchanabut (left), director of
Pattaya School No 3,
presents a bouquet of flowers to Pratheep Malhotra, District Governor Elect
Rotary International District 3340 and chairperson of the Pattaya Mail Mike
Franklin Classic Charity Golf Tournament 2007.
Students from Pattaya School #3 who have
completed the “One School One Hotel 2” project pose with teachers and
benefactors.
Thailand’s Condom King granted Skoll and Bill Gates awards
 Sue
Kukarja
Many of the problems of our modern world, ranging from disease to drugs to
crime to terrorism, derive from the inequalities between the rich and the
poor ... be they rich nation versus poor nation or rich community versus
poor community. It is in the best interests of the well-off to help empower
those who are not as well-off to improve their lives.” - Jeff Skoll
On March 27, on behalf of the Population and Community Development
Association (PDA), Mechai Viravaidhya received the Skoll Award and Grant for
Social Entrepreneurship Program.
The fifth annual Skoll World Forum on Social Entrepreneurship was held at
the University of Oxford in England, and the awards were granted to 11
organizations working around the world in the areas of tolerance and human
rights, health, environmental sustainability, peace and security, and
economic and social equity. The recipients each received three-year grants
of $1 million and join a growing global network of Skoll social
entrepreneurs, now numbering 59, who have created innovative, proven
solutions for tackling the world’s most urgent social and economic
challenges.
 Mechai
Viravaidhya receiving the Gates Award for Global Health in 2007.
The Skoll Foundation was established in 1999 by eBay’s first president, Jeff
Skoll, who serves as founder and chairman. The foundation’s innovative
approach to philanthropy is based on the belief that small investments can
spur significant social change.
This latest award comes less than one year after the PDA was granted the
Bill Gates Global Health Program Award in May 2007 for its outstanding
family planning and HIV/AIDS prevention program. The $1 million Gates Award
- the world’s largest prize for international health - honors extraordinary
efforts to improve health in developing countries. A jury of international
health leaders selected PDA from more than 90 nominees.
PMTV communications director Sue Kukarja had a chance to visit Mechai, the
founder and chairman of PDA at the Birds and Bees Resort and Cabbages and
Condoms restaurant to find out more about their activities.
At this resort you are surrounded by a tropical rainforest with a
spectacular ocean views. The tranquil environment makes for an idyllic
hideaway for travelers and residents of Thailand alike. The complete
facilities of the resort are set in a lush tropical garden overflowing with
orchids and other native flowers with ponds and streams that provide a
natural sanctuary for birds and bees, rabbits, and local fauna.
 PMTV
Sue Kukarja sits with Mechai Viravaidhya (right) for an exclusive interview.
And then we found out that this is not just about luxury and enjoyment. Both
the restaurant and resort were created to provide financial support for the
Population and Community Development Association or (PDA), Thailand’s
foremost non-governmental charitable organization. Money spent at this
resort contributes to Thailand’s rural development, education and
scholarships, HIV/AIDS education and environmental protection.
As a young economist working for the government in Thailand, Mechai
Viravaidya saw a link between rapid population growth and poverty. He
launched the PDA in 1974 to distribute contraceptives and introduce sex
education in rural communities and schools. The population growth rate
dropped from 3.2 percent in 1974 to 0.5 percent in 2005.
In the early 1990s, when HIV/AIDS hit Thailand, Mechai harnessed the PDA
network and media and launched an aggressive public education campaign
amongst the rural poor in Thailand. Since then his name has been synonymous
with prevention - literally. Many locals don’t use the word “condom”
anymore; instead, they are called “mechais.”
“The world needs more leaders like Mechai, who are willing to tackle taboo
subjects like sex and HIV/AIDS directly in order to save lives,” said Dr
Nils Daulaire, president and CEO of the Global Health Council.
For Community Development and Social Entrepreneurship, the organization has
enlisted private partners in over 450 Village Development Partnership
programs that enable the poor to generate income without having to migrate
to cities. By 2011, PDA plans to expand the partnership program to at least
100 more villages.
Mechai Viravaidhya served as a senator, a minister of the Office of the
Prime Minister twice, in 1991 and 1992, when he assisted the former Prime
Minister Anand Panyarachun in establishing a comprehensive national HIV/AIDS
prevention policy and program. He has also served as government spokesman,
deputy minister of industry, governor of the Provincial Waterworks
Authority, and chairman of Krung Thai Bank Public Company Limited and the
Telephone Organization of Thailand. He was appointed as the Ambassador for
UNAIDS in 1999.
Mechai sets out his vision. “PDA’s mission is to eradicate poverty by
tackling the root cause, not the consequence, of poverty. Traditional
welfare approach has seldom succeeded, for it has only addressed the
consequence of poverty. PDA believes the only road out of poverty is through
business, by moving from aid to trade, and so we need more business
entrepreneurs to join in the program as a partner or to help and teach the
underprivileged people how to do business.”
For more information about the PDA, and how you can participate in the
program, go to www.pda.or.th
PCEC meeting - fullest programme ever?
There have been some full programmes presented at the
Sunday meeting of the Pattaya City Expats Club (PCEC) but the one which took
place on Sunday March 23rd at Henry J. Bean’s was probably one of the
fullest!
 Cheered
by lovely Henry J Bean’s staff Jib and Toc, Max cuts the seventh anniversary
cake for Pattaya City Expats Club.
Firstly, the PCEC was privileged to welcome a number of honoured guests who
were: Pattaya Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh; Banglamung Secretary General
Pattnapong Chuanchob; TAT Director Chaiwat Charoensuk; Pattaya Traffic
Police Superintendent Captain Sutin Naoprakone; and Chief of Banglamung Land
Transportation Thodsaporn Suwanakorn.
This week’s MC Roger Fox started the proceedings by announcing that the PCEC
was celebrating its 7th anniversary. Deputy Mayor Ronakit addressed the
attendees by congratulating the PCEC on this anniversary and the overall
success of the club. He commented that he had been aware of the club
activities as deputy mayor and recognised the contribution that had been
made to the community.
PCEC board member Max Rommel, the sole remaining founding member, provided a
brief history of the club, which was founded on March 21, 2001. Having met
every Sunday at Henry J. Bean’s for the past five years, membership has
rapidly increased since that date with over 2000 registered members
worldwide, most of whom receive the emailed weekly newsletter. Max concluded
by making presentations of framed prints to the special guests.
In celebration of Easter Sunday, brightly coloured eggs were distributed.
Also a large chocolate cake with seven candles, in keeping with the theme of
seven, also appeared and then rapidly disappeared!
 Police
Captain Sutin Naoprakone, Chief of Pattaya Traffic Police, advises PCEC
members of new drivers licence procedures.
Roger Fox reported that fifty members and their guests enjoyed the first of
the one day excursions planned for this year. The group really enjoyed the
aquarium at the Marine Institute of Science in Bang Saen which was followed
by a great seafood lunch on the waterfront. Appreciation was shown to board
members Darrel Vaught, Laurie McLoughlin, Michel de Goumois and Max Rommel
for organising it.
Roger also provided an update of what was described as the Songkran getaway
trip to Laos. He also commented that Vietnam was also being considered as a
future destination. It is hoped that a trip of some kind will be organized
every six weeks or so.
Richard Smith announced that the PCEC had been invited by the governor of
Chonburi province and the Banglamung nai amphur to participate in the
Chonburi Songkran Festival on April 13. Also on the Songkran theme, Richard
announced that following last year’s success, a traditional Songkran
celebration ceremony would be carried out at a PCEC Sunday meeting over the
Songkran period.
 PCEC
founding member Max Rommel presents Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh with
copies of sketches made of the Thai Royal Family, by one of his forebears,
on a trip to Thailand in the late 1800’s.
Pattaya Traffic Police Superintendent Sutin Naoprakone then provided details
of the process to obtain the new style driving licenses. The new license is
of a credit card style and size plus the details appear in both English and
Thai. He listed the documents which were needed to complete the application.
Sutin then answered a number of questions regarding the traffic situation in
Pattaya including the need to have full vehicle documentation available for
inspection at any time.
Further light entertainment was then provided by Yamo, a magician from
Finland and a member of the Finnish magic circle. Yamo engaged the PCEC in
audience participation which included an unusual card trick. Following this
a lucky draw was made for seven prizes.
The regular Open Forum was then underway with Sig Sigworth this week
performing a solo act. As always it provided an opportunity for questions
about living in Thailand with an emphasis on Pattaya to be asked. The Open
Forum again proved to be the usual lively and entertaining session. For more
information regarding not only PCEC Sunday meetings but also the varied mid
week activities, please see the Community Happenings section of Pattaya Mail
or, for more details, visit the Club’s website at pattayacityexpatsclub.com
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