H.T.M.S.

Mae Klong Museum

One of the most auspicious days in the history of the Royal Thai Navy, June 24, 1997 records the first day of introduction of a royal ship museum in Thailand, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Navy, Admiral Wichit Chamnankarn, at the Chullachomklao Fortress, Phra Samut Chedi Sub-district of Samut Prakan Province, officially opened the museum.

The Royal Thai Navy initially Planned to display sections of Thai warships, but the new museum, named H.T.M.S. Mae Klong Museum, is the first in Thailand to placed on display a complete warship. Also featured is an exhibition of the history of the “Mae Klong” warship and activities carried out by the Navy on different occasions.

The Museum is one of the projects conducted by the 50^th anniversary of His Majesty the King’s Accession to the Throne, celebrated on June 9, 1996. Declared by the Ministry of Defense to be in a state of disrepair, H.T.M.S. Mae Klong decommissioned on July 25, 1996 and went on display to the public at the new museum.

Constructed following the enactment of the Navy Promotion Act in 1935 during the reign of King Ananda Mahidol, (RamaVIII), H.T.M.S. Mae Klong enjoyed a long service history. Phraya Phahol Pholphayuhasena was prime minister at the time. The Royal Thai Navy had tried, unsuccessfully, for thirty-years (from the reign of King Rama V to the reign of King Rama VII) to acquire a warship for national defense. Budget constraints intervened.

Both H.T.M.S. Mae Klong and H.T.M.S. Tha Chin, regarded by naval officers as sister ships, were constructed in Japan for the Royal Thai Navy to be used as training vessels, or sloops, along with three small torpedo boats. In times of war, the vessels played a role in marine national defense and as training ships during peacetime for both offices and cadets for marine navigation training in foreign ports.

Construction of H.T.M.S. Mae Klong began on July 24, 1936 at a ceremony in Yokosuka City, Japan, presided over by Phra Mitrakamraksa, Thailand’s Ambassador to Japan. Eight months later, the outer section of the ship was completed and the vessel was launched at a ceremony on November 27, 1936. Initially the ship was armed with cannons, submachine guns, torpedoes and offshore aircraft.

Following construction, successful offshore technical trials took place on April 20, 1937, at which time the Ministry of Defense dispatched ships’ crews to bring back H.T.M.S. Mae Klong , H.T.M.S. Tha Chin and the three torpedo boats to Thailand. Commander Luang Yuhakitphilat ( Mee Patthamanawin ) commanded H.T.M.S. Mae Klong and H.T.M.S Tha Chin was under the command of commander Luang Naopholrak ( Chun Suwankhadi).

The flotilla, which left Kobe, Japan on July 16, 1937 for Thailand, encountered a series of severe storms during the two-month voyage, but arrived safely on Thai shores thanks to the crews’ abilities to keep all vessels afloat. The ships docked on September 24, 1937 at the Royal Thai Navy base at Satthahip in Chon Buri Province. This was the first voyage of H.T.M.S. Mae Klong which, two days later berthed at Bangkok’s Ratchaworadit Pier after steaming up the Chao Phraya River.

Captain Prince Arthithay Thipabha, Regent of King Ananda Mahidol, presided over a grand welcoming ceremony for the ship and its crew.

Since H.T.M.S. Mae Klong was named after the Mae Klong River, the main waterway for Samut SongKhram Province, the Navy dispatched the royal ship to the province to allow residents to enjoy their own proud moments with the vessel over three days from February 3 to 6, 1938. Here, the Mae Klong residents presented a Buddha image and plaque as a magic charm to protect serving officers and crew from all worldly dangers.

H.T.M.S. Mae Klong entered active service for the first time on May 15, 1938. Training navy cadets on a voyage that called at Saigon, Manila and Kuching. The ships later headed for southern Thailand ports of Tak Bai, Pattani Songkhla, Nakron Si Thammarat and Prachuab Khiri Khan, eventually arriving in Bangkok on July 4, 1938.

The ship’s last tour of offshore training took place between January 30 and March 20, 1995, offering the Navy the opportunity to take the ship’s of Mae . H.T.M.S. Mae Klong ‘s officers and crew joined forces with Samut Songkhram province in a farewell ceremony for the ship on the Mae Klong River between March 17 and 18, 1995.

During it’s entire period of active service, H.T.M.S. Mae Klong performed admirably both in times of war and peace. The warship saw active service patrolling territorial waters in the Gulf of Thailand during conflict with France at the time of World War II warfare in Indochina.

Also used as a royal barge for Their Majesties the King and Queen and members of the Royal Family, the ship served to transport King Ananda Mahidol, ( and the present monarch) from Ratchaworadit Pier to the vessel Sealandia anchored off Si Chang island, Chon Buri Province, Their Majesties were returning to Lausanne, Switzerland, to continue their studies. The warship was also used to transport the royal relics of King Prajadhipok (Rama VII) from the mouth of the Chao Phraya River to Ratchaworadit Pier.

H.T.M.S. Mae Klong journeyed further than any of the ships in service with the Royal Thai Navy, serving Thailand for sixty years before being honored as “teacher ship.” The H.T.M.S. Mae Klong Museum serves as a link between the past and the present time enabling future generations to study the ship and the activities of the Royal Thai Navy. The museum is open every weekday between 0830 and 1630 and admission is free.

Bangkok National Museum

Historical background of the National Museum, Bangkok goes back to the year of 1874 when His Majesty King Rama V opened the first public museum to exhibit the previous royal collection of King Rama IV and other objects on general topics at the Concordia Pavillion inside the Grand Palace.

Later, the Museum was transferred to Wang Na, once a palace to the heir or the palace of the Prince Successor. In 1926, it became the Bangkok Museum and was then developed to become the National Museum, Bangkok, when it was organized under the Department of Fine Arts in 1933.

The collections of this museum are national cultural heritage with an emphasis on art, archeological and cultural objects which are dated from as early as prehistory up to the present day. The main galleries are :

1. The Gallery of Thai History located at Sivamokhapiman Hall with the prehistoric gallery at the rear part of the building.] 2. History of Art and Archaeological Collections are presented in 2 buildings : Dvaravati, Sivichai and Lopburi in the south wing ; and Lanna , Sukhothai, Ayutthaya and Rattanakosin in the north wing.

3. In the galleries in the old palace buildings, a variety of minor arts and ethnological collections are exhibited such as gold treasures, enamel ware, mother of pearl inlays, musical instruments, wood carving, entertainment articles, textiles, and stone inscriptions, etc. Royal Cremation ceremonial exhibits and chariots are house in the Cremation Chariot Hall.

The National Museum, Bangkok also has a monumental value in itself as a Palace of the Heir. May buildings are displayed as their original purpose such as Bhuddhaisawan Hall where the Buddha Sihing is enshrined. And other pavillions from various old palaces all over the country are valuable examples of Thai architecture.

The Native Thai Boat Museum in Lop Buri

In the old days, due to an underdeveloped and insufficient network of roads zigzagging into villages, the native people of Thonburi, Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Samut Sakhon, Samut Songkhram , Sing Buri, Lop Buri and many more places depended mainly on boats ( run in Thai ) as their means of transportation.

During those times, water transportation played an important role in everyday lifer. Farmers and villagers used different kinds of boats in the rivers, waterways, and irrigation canals for personal business, trade, and merit making trips to temples and monasteries on religious occasions.

Nowadays traveling by boat on business or for personal activities has decreased substantially owing to modern and advanced means of transportation. New generations seemingly learn about boat traveling in documentary movies or by visiting the floating market at Damnoensaduak District in Ratchaburi Province. Consequently boats have been neglected and have become only remnants in the memories of old folks.

The private sector under the name of the Ancient Relics and Environmental Preservation Club of Lop Buri province has established a native thai boat museum at Wat Yang Na Rangsi because it realized the value of those native Thai boats. The intention is to educate later generations of the way of life and the culture of their ancestors. The boats were collected from the people around the temple while some were donated from elsewhere. Many of these boats are still in good condition while some need repairs.

The boats in the museum were once actually in use. They have different names and shapes according to their purpose : Phaima Boat, Khem Boat, Bot Boat, Sampam Boat, Krachang Boat, Mat Boat, Rowing Boat and Mu Boat.

The boats mentioned above were assembled or dugout. The dugout boats are made by cutting out a deep hollow in a log such as teak, malabar ironwood, or ormosia. Mu Boat is a sample of dugout. It is smaller than Phaima Boat with pointed bow and stern. It is a sculling or punting boat for fishing belonging to the central part of the region. If it is made of malabar ironwood, it has a reputation for longlife and durability under tough conditions.

The bigger kind of dugout is Chala Boat. It was dugout of a whole log forming a hold in the flat craft. The hull is oblong or rectangular. Normally it was a punting boat.

Krachang Boat is a sample of an assembled boat. Normally it was made of curved teak enclosing a hold. Many Krachang Boats were put in tandem forming a long barge pulled by a motor boat. The boat received its name Krachang- because at first it was made of Krachang or pandanus leaves which were sown together to make plaited awnings. They were used to transport heavy goods such as unhusked rice or firewood.

The native Thai boat museum is located in the old Temple Hall of Religious Instruction of Wat Yang Na Rungsi in Talung subdistrict, Muang district, 8 kilometers from downtown. The distinctive landmark of Wat Yang is a gigantic 400 year old Dipterocarpus tree. It takes 13 adults to get their arms around its trunk.

Come by the national heritage-the native Thai boat museum-when you visit Lop Buri to view a Thai way of life in the past.

Museum

The Golden Teakwood Museum, also referred as the Kamphaeng Phet City National Museum, is the one of projects initiated for the Golden Jubilee of His Majesty the King, It was constructed in the area of the Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park in cooperation with the Kamphaeng Phet Province, the Department of Fine Arts, the Department of General Education, and the Pariyat Suksa Religious Foundation under the patronage of the Supreme Patriarch.

The building structure is designed and built in the traditional Thai architectural style associated with House Complexes of the Thai Central Region. The museum itself consists of two exhibition floors. The ground floor is an open are where native products such as Thai sweets and dolls are displayed on tables. The upper floor has numerous rooms containing collections of arts, artifacts and crafts. The exhibitions on this floor are designed to demonstrate the folk wisdom of our Thai ancestors, and the sources of our cultural and natural heritages.

The Golden Teakwood Museum is designed be a new tourist spot for the Kamphaeng Phet provincial history and the region’s cultural heritage. The exhibition is divided into five parts as follows:

1. General history and archaeology of the province’s origins, which pre-date the Sukhothai Era. This part of the museum has information on the ancient city at Ban Khlong Muang, Muang Nakhon Chum, Muang Thep Nakhon, Muang Phan and Muang Kamphaeng phet.

2. Kamphaeng Phet City History including geology, climate, economy and environment.

3. Ethnology presents the way of life, economy, society beliefs, traditions and migration of various tribes such as the Myanmar, Tai, Song, Lanna etc.

4. The Kamphaeng Phet Natural and Cultural Treasure section of the museum has displays on the development of Kamphaeng Phet Buddha amulets such as Nang Phya Kamphaeng Phet, Kamphaeng Sum Ko, Kamphaeng Klip Bua etc. This part also includes materials on industrial development, handicrafts, and the well-known festival about Kluai Khai, a kind of Thai banana.

5. The Exhibition of the City’s Origin is multi-media presentation of colored pictures, transparent sheets, maps, and models. It is assembled as a means to educate future generations, while encouraging them to devote themselves to their motherland.

The Golden Teakwood Museum in Muang Kamphaeng Phet District, Kamphaeng Phet Province is located in the old town area of the city. It is situated on land belonging to the original museum, The Kamphaeng Phet National Museum. Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn graciously presided over the Opening Ceremony of the Golden Teakwood Museum on May 19, 1997. This brand-new museum is available for visitors to experience the history and identity of this World Heritage City.