Exotic Objects” in King Chulalongkorn’s Royal Letters from Europe in 1897
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
King Chulalongkorn’s royal letters sent from Europe in 1897 record “exotic objects” the King encountered during his trip. The objects can be divided into 1) natural objects and 2) man-made objects. The natural objects became geographical knowledge for Siamese elites. The man-made objects represented gift exchanges, concepts of collecting and museums, and concepts of giving gifts and souvenirs. The significance of the description of the exotic objects was to bridge the cultures of the East and the West. To show Siamese elites taste and expand the worldviews of Siamese elites, the king shared his experiences in Europe under the name of “being civilized”. Exotic objects were an important inspiration and knowledge regarding foreign countries for the modernization of Siam.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Journal of Thai studies is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-NoDerivatives4.0 Intenational (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) licence, unless otherwise stated. Plese read our Policies page for more information on Open Access, copyright and permissions.
References
Chandransu, T. (2010). khong suai khongdi khrang phaendin phraphutthachaoluang [Beautiful objects from the reign of King Rama V]. (3 rd edition). Bangkok: S.C Print and Pack.
Chulalongkorn (Rama V), H.M.K. (1962). phra rat hat lekha muea sadet phraratchadamnoen praphat Europe BE 1897, lem 1 [Writings from the royal tour of Europe in 1897, Volume 1]. Bangkok: Khuruspa.
Chulalongkorn (Rama V), H.M.K. (1985). phra rat hat lekha muea sadet phraratchadamnoen praphat Europe BE 1897, lem 2 [Writings from the royal tour of Europe in 1897, Volume 2]. Bangkok: Khuruspa.
Chutintaranond, S. (2001). kan sadet praphat Europe: khwammai choeng sanyalak [Royal Tour of Europe: the meaning of symbols]. in luem khot ngao ko phao phaendin [Forget family roots then destroy the motherland] (p. 188-226). Kanchani La-ong si, ed. Bangkok: Matichon.
Kongsirirat, S. (2010). A study of King Rama V’s economic worldview from his letters. (Doctoral dissertation). Naresuan University, Phitsanulok.
Munsin, W. (2000). phrabatsomdet phrachunlachomklao chaoyuhua sadet praphat Europe R.S. 116 (BE 2440) [King Rama V’s Royal Tour of Europe in 1897]. Bangkok: Ton Or 1999 Corp.
Nana, K. (2003). kittisap lae rueang uechao khong - prathanathibodi farangset muea ro ha sadet yuean krung parit [Popularity and impression of the French President when King Rama V visited Paris] in prawattisat nok phongsawadan ratchakan thi 5 phraphutthachaoluang nai lok tawantok [ In, History Outside the Royal Chronicles of King Rama V, King Rama V in the Western World] (p. 141-178). Bangkok: Matichon.
Nana, K. (2003). “ratchakan lap” muea ro ha sadet praphat Germany mai chai rueang lap nai Europe [“The missing king”: King Rama V’s travelling in Germany was not a secret in Europe] in prawattisat nok phongsawadan ratchakan thi phraphutthachaoluang nai lok tawantok [History Outside the Royal Chronicles of King Rama V, King Rama V in the Western World], (p.๑๒๗-๑๕๐). Bangkok: Matichon.
Nana, K. (2003). “chak - rueang talok katun ro ha sadet praphat europe thueng - rueang mai talok ngan phraborom sop ro ha phit ong” [From being a joke to being taken seriously, the efforts of King Rama V. The Story of King Rama V’s tour of Europe and the mistaken identity at his funeral ceremony]. Silapawatthanatham (Art and Culture Magazine), 24 (11), 60-77.
Nana, K. (2004). thatsana mai ro ha sadet praphat europe chak thruesadi phanthamit son phanthamit “mai dai ratsia ko kho pen yoeramani” [New point of view of King Rama V’s travels in Europe from theories of overlapping alliances: “If not Russian, then Germany.”]. Silapawatthanatham (Art and Culture Magazine), 26 (2), 120-130.
Nana, K. (2005). phap lakthan thi mai mi kham-athibai kham yuenyan thi khat phayan lakthan rueang thi mai dai banthuek wai nai “chotmaihet sadet praphat europe” [Pictorial evidence with no explanations or confirmation and missing evidence that did not appear in the “Royal Tour of Europe”] Silapawatthanatham (Art and Culture Magazine), 26 (6) 94-108.
Nana, K. (2006). phop lakthan thang prawattisat kao sut “chin raek” ang thueng kan sadet praphat yurop nai ro ha sing thi rao ru at mai chai thangmot [Discovery of the oldest historical evidence, “the first piece”, with reference to the European travels of King Rama V, what we know is likely not all there is to know]. Silapawatthanatham (Art and Culture Magazine), 27 (6), 145-157.
Nana, K. (2006). Thueng! konlayut suek ratchakan thi plian sathana chao sayam chak “phae” ben “chana” [Amazing! The War Strategy of King Rama V, Transforming Siam from being the “loser” to being the “winner”]. Silapawatthanatham (Art and Culture Magazine), 27 (12), 114-131.
Nana, K. (2014). “khong khwan” ratchakan thi 5 khomun thi sapsun chak phongsawadan thai [“Present” of King Rama V, Information missing from the thai royal chronicles]. Silapawatthanatham (Art and Culture Magazine), 35 (3), 132-147.
Nana, K. (2015). ratchakan thi 5 sadet praphat yurop (khrang raek) phuea du khwam charoen rue kaekhai panha roso 112? [King Rama V Travels to Europe (first time) to see modern progress or to fix the problem of 1893?]. Silapawatthanatham (Art and Culture Magazine), 36 (12), 102-125.
Nawikkamun, A. (2010). pakinnaka nak sasom [Stories of Siamese collectors]. Bangkok: Saithan.
Nawikkamun, A. (2010). nangsue lae samut khlassik [Classic Books]. Bangkok: Sangdao.
Photisunthon, W. (ed.) (2010). nam chom phiphitthaphanthasathan haeng chat wat ben chom Bophit [Introduction of National Museums, Wat Benchamabophit]. Bangkok: Office of National Museums, Fine Arts Department.
Royal Institute. (1999). photchananukrom chabap ratchabandittayasathan BE 2542 [Dictionary of the Royal Institute, 1999 Edition]. Bangkok: Royal Institute.
Sa-nguansai, P. (2016). sasom phuea suk san [Collecting for Happiness]. Bangkok: Saengdao.
Sarawasee, P. (2008). nak sasom chaoban bon senthang sai phiphitthaphan [Local collectors on the way to Museum.] in phiphitthaphan banthuek: thopthuan botrian chak kan wichai lae phatthana phiphitthaphan [In, Community Museums: Lessons from Museum research and development (p.82-83)]. Siriporn Srisinurai (ed.). Bangkok: Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre.
Sarawasee, P. (2008). nak sasom chaoban bon senthang sai phiphitthaphan [Local collectors on the way to Museum.] in phiphithaphan banthuck: thopthuan botrian chak kan wichai lae phatthana phiphitthaphan [In, Community Museums: Lessons from Museum research and development (p. 82-83)]. Srisinurai, S. (ed.). Bangkok: Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre.
Sriudom, K. (2007). Kan Sadet Praphat Europe BE 2440: Chut Plian Khong “Exhibition” nai Siam [Travels to Europe in 1897: Beginning of change in “Exhibitions” in Siam] in Nai sai than haeng adit ruam botkhwam thang prawattisat nueang nai wara khrop rop 60 pi sattrachan Dr. Professor Piyanart Bunnag [Streams from the past, collection of articles about history on the occasion of the 60th birthday of Professor Dr. Piyanart Bunnag] (p.๑๗๔-๒๑๑). Yimprasert, S. (ed). Bangkok: Chulalongkorn University Press.
Soontravanich, C. (2001). kanmueang bueanglang kan sadet praphat Europe [Hidden politics of the royal tour of Europe]. in luem khot ngao ko phao Phaendin [Forget family roots then destroy the motherland] (p. 227-264). La-ong si, K. ed. Bangkok: Matichon.
Winichakul, T. (2017). phawa yangrai no thi riak wa siwilai muea chon channam sayam samai ratchakan thi 5 sawaengha sathana khong ton eng phan kan doenthang lae phiphitthaphan thang nai lae nok Prathet [What are the conditions to label one civilized, when, during the reign of King Rama V, Siamese High Society was seeking their own position by traveling and at museums both inside and outside the country]. in khon thai tap khon uen: wa duai khon uen khong khwam pen thai (Thai People/Others: Reference to Others in relation to Thainess (p. 27-90). Nonthaburi: Fa Diaokan.