Antiquity in decline
The cities of Sukhothai and Ayutthaya, once the capitals of the kingdoms of the same name, are the undisputed top monuments of Thailand. A visit to the country without having visited at least one of these world-famous archaeological monuments is almost unthinkable. Both old towns are still well preserved and have been declared World Heritage by Unesco.
Getting to know prehistoric Thailand…
No, dear reader, do not be fooled by the title of this piece. This article is not about the strange political manners and customs in this country, but about the history of the area that we know today as Thailand. After all, this is one of the oldest inhabited regions in Southeast Asia.
Leo George Marie Alting von Geusau was born on April 4, 1925 in The Hague into a family that belonged to the old nobility of the German Free State of Thuringia. The Dutch branch of this family consisted of many senior officials and officers. For example, his grandfather Lieutenant General George August Alting von Geusau was the Dutch Minister of War from 1918 to 1920.
The French archaeologist and the Siamese algae eater
When the French linguist, cartographer, archaeologist and globetrotter Etienne François Aymonier died on January 21, 1929, he had lived a rich and full life. As an officer in the naval infantry, he served in the Far East from 1869, especially in Cochinchine, present-day Vietnam. Intrigued by the history and culture of the indigenous people, he began learning Cambodian after meeting the Khmer minority in Tra Vinh province.
The city walls of Ayutthaya
Last year in November I wrote two contributions for this blog about the historic city walls of Chiang Mai and Sukhothai. Today I would like to reflect on the - largely disappeared - city wall of Ayutthaya, the old Siamese capital.
How a wreath-laying was seen as an illegal act of resistance
The day after the 1947 coup, a teacher made the front page of a newspaper. It was December 10, 1947, Constitution Day, when this man came to lay a wreath at the Democracy Monument. That led to his arrest and made the front page of the Siam Nikorn (สยามนิกร, Sà-yǎam Níe-kon) newspaper. The headline read: “Man arrested for laying wreath”. Here is a short translation of this event.
The experiences of Jacobus van de Koutere, a Bruges adventurer in Siam and surroundings (part 2)
Today part 2 of the story about the South Dutchman, the Bruges-born Jakobus van de Koutere or Jacques van de Coutre as he became internationally known. A Fleming who – oh irony of history – had devoted a large part of his life to fighting the VOC…
The experiences of Jacobus van de Koutere, a Bruges adventurer in Siam and surroundings (part 1)
The Portuguese were the first Farang to set foot in Siam in 1511. They were followed a century later by the Dutch. That is how it reads in the history books, although this story deserves some nuance. It was not the Northern Dutch shippers and merchants of the VOC who first arrived from our regions in the Siamese capital Ayutthaya. This honor belongs to a South Dutchman, the Bruges native Jakobus van de Koutere or Jacques van de Coutre as he became internationally known. A Fleming who – oh irony of history – had devoted a large part of his life to fighting the VOC…
The Resurrection of Prasat Hin Khao Phanom Rung
Easter is already behind us, but today I want to tell you about another resurrection, namely the restoration of one of the most imposing relics of the Khmer Empire in Thailand, Prasat Hin Khao Phanom Rung, the temple complex that was built between the 10th and 13th century. century on an extinct volcano in my home province of Buriram.
Prasat Preah Vihear: Stones of stumbling….
In a previous article I briefly discussed Prasat Phanom Rung and the way in which this Khmer temple complex was upgraded to Thai national cultural-historical heritage. In the margins of this story I briefly referred to Prasat Praeh Vihear to illustrate the complexity of the relationship between the experience of identity and history. Today I would like to go into the history of Praeh Vihear, for many in Thailand a lot of stumbling blocks…
Calendar: April 6 Chakri day in Thailand
April 6 is Thailand's Chakri Day, a national holiday commemorating the establishment of the royal Chakri dynasty. On Chakri Day, there are religious ceremonies in honor of the previous kings. It provides an opportunity for Thais to pay respect to the various monarchs who played an important role in shaping Thailand.
Anna Leonowens on the royal wedding
The following story is a description by Anna Leonowens, who was an English teacher at the court of King Mongkut between 1862 and 1867, of the kingdom of Siam at that time (chapter XXVIII entitled: 'The Kingdom of Siam' from the book mentioned below). Anna describes in chapter XVIII how a queen is selected and crowned.
Anna Leonowenes view of the Kingdom of Siam 1870
The following story is a description by Anna Leonowens, who was an English teacher at the court of King Mongkut between 1862 and 1867, of the kingdom of Siam at that time (chapter XXVIII entitled: 'The Kingdom of Siam' from the book mentioned below). I am omitting significant chunks of text indicated by (…..). A short biography of Anna was in the previous story.
The fortunes and experiences of Governess Anna Leonowens during the reign of King Mongkut
Anna Leonowens was an English teacher to the children and some of the wives of King Mongkut (reigned 1851-1868) for six years, and later his secretary. She wrote a memoir about her experiences in the palace and about aspects of Siamese society, which was published in 1870. Much that was later told about her and depicted in films (The King and I) and musicals is derived from the romanticized fiction bestseller by Magaret Landon Anna and the King of Siam (1941) and often not entirely according to the truth.
Archibald Ross Colquhoun & Chiang Mai
One of the books I cherish in my rather extensive Asian library is the book 'Amongst the Shans' by Archibald Ross Colquhoun. My edition is the 1888 edition - I suspect a first edition - which rolled off the presses at Scribner & Welford in New York and includes Terrien de Lacouperie's 'The Cradle of the Shan Race' as an introduction.
Jan Struys, a Dutch freebooter in Siam (part 2)
When Struys arrived in Ayutthaya, diplomatic relations between Siam and the Dutch Republic were normal, but that had not always been the case. From the moment Cornelius Speckx established a VOC depot in Ayutthaya in 1604, the relationship between the two mutually dependent parties had many ups and downs.
Jan Struys, a Dutch freebooter in Siam (part 1)
One of the books in my library that I cherish is Three remarkable voyages through Italy, Greece, Lyfland, Moscovien, Tartaryen, Medes, Persien, East Indies, Japan and several other regions, which came off the press in Amsterdam in 1676 with Jacob Van Meurs. printer on the Keizersgracht.