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The King Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII) Statue. Ban Poon, Thonburi, Bangkok. July 2009.
King Rama VIII was finally “given" a statue and a neat petite park (Suan Luang Phra Ram Eight) in 2006. 60 years after his death.
King Ananda was actually the first king of "Thailand". Up until 1939 the Chakris had been kings of "Siam". Ruling between 1935 and 1946 meant that King Ananda got to be both.
Unfortunately, the 1930s were not the best of times to be a King in Bangkok, particularly if you had to work under the laws of the Phibun government. Siam's last absolute monarch, King Prajadhipok (Rama VII), had been through a nasty coup in 1932 finally abdicating in 1935.
Without any Prajadhipok children to chose from the Royal Succession Committee recommended nephew Ananda for the role of constitutional monarch. Ananda was away studying at school in Switzerland at the time. So he was given a set of regents do the job for him until he got the hang of what's what and had finished his exams in Lausanne.
In late 1938 King Rama VIII was in Thailand, but in January 1939 returned to Europe. He didn't even get one Songkhran water festival to celebrate.
The Phibun government then started introducing some interesting cultural suggestions to the population, like singing anthems and praising the flag, saying “sawasdee”, dressing appropriately and not carrying your fruit basket on your head – better to use a pole over your shoulder with a basket on each end. This obviously went down well with the Japanese. Which Phibun was delighted about. Not much could beat a good bit of intense 1930s nationalism.
After the war was done with things got slightly more “liberal” in Bangkok, and although Phibun was let off at a war crimes tribunal on a “technicality” by his previous chum, Pridi, it was felt fine for King Ananda to come back to live here once more. So he came.
However, and I am saying nothing,
“A major disaster arrived from a completely unexpected angle. In the early morning of 9th June 1946 a pistol was fired in the bedroom of King Ananda, a shot that killed the young monarch who had returned from Switzerland only six months before. Probably it was an accidental death, it may have been caused when a royal servant had tried to wrench the pistol from the young king’s hands.”
(BJ Terwiel 2005, Thailand’s Political History)
Probably. May have.
And thus the throne passed to Ananda’s younger brother, Bhumibol Adulyadej, King Rama IX. Who named the park in honour of his younger brother on May 10, 2006 and ceremoniously dedicated the statue.
Sadly it seems, Ananda’s statue can only gaze over the Chao Phraya towards Rattanakosin Island, the home of the Chakri Dynasty.
He stands quite alone in Nonthaburi. Outside looking in. Rain clouds as a backdrop.
The King Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII) Statue. Ban Poon, Thonburi, Bangkok. July 2009.
King Rama VIII was finally “given" a statue and a neat petite park (Suan Luang Phra Ram Eight) in 2006. 60 years after his death.
King Ananda was actually the first king of "Thailand". Up until 1939 the Chakris had been kings of "Siam". Ruling between 1935 and 1946 meant that King Ananda got to be both.
Unfortunately, the 1930s were not the best of times to be a King in Bangkok, particularly if you had to work under the laws of the Phibun government. Siam's last absolute monarch, King Prajadhipok (Rama VII), had been through a nasty coup in 1932 finally abdicating in 1935.
Without any Prajadhipok children to chose from the Royal Succession Committee recommended nephew Ananda for the role of constitutional monarch. Ananda was away studying at school in Switzerland at the time. So he was given a set of regents do the job for him until he got the hang of what's what and had finished his exams in Lausanne.
In late 1938 King Rama VIII was in Thailand, but in January 1939 returned to Europe. He didn't even get one Songkhran water festival to celebrate.
The Phibun government then started introducing some interesting cultural suggestions to the population, like singing anthems and praising the flag, saying “sawasdee”, dressing appropriately and not carrying your fruit basket on your head – better to use a pole over your shoulder with a basket on each end. This obviously went down well with the Japanese. Which Phibun was delighted about. Not much could beat a good bit of intense 1930s nationalism.
After the war was done with things got slightly more “liberal” in Bangkok, and although Phibun was let off at a war crimes tribunal on a “technicality” by his previous chum, Pridi, it was felt fine for King Ananda to come back to live here once more. So he came.
However, and I am saying nothing,
“A major disaster arrived from a completely unexpected angle. In the early morning of 9th June 1946 a pistol was fired in the bedroom of King Ananda, a shot that killed the young monarch who had returned from Switzerland only six months before. Probably it was an accidental death, it may have been caused when a royal servant had tried to wrench the pistol from the young king’s hands.”
(BJ Terwiel 2005, Thailand’s Political History)
Probably. May have.
And thus the throne passed to Ananda’s younger brother, Bhumibol Adulyadej, King Rama IX. Who named the park in honour of his younger brother on May 10, 2006 and ceremoniously dedicated the statue.
Sadly it seems, Ananda’s statue can only gaze over the Chao Phraya towards Rattanakosin Island, the home of the Chakri Dynasty.
He stands quite alone in Nonthaburi. Outside looking in. Rain clouds as a backdrop.