The Royal Barge Procession ? Splendor on the Chao Phraya River
The Royal Barge Procession in Bangkok, conducted on very
rare occasions, is a spectacular royal armada on the Chao
Phraya River. This procession is normally conducted on the
following occasions:
When the King ascends the throne.When the King goes down the Chao Phraya to present
robes to the monks during the Royal Krathin Ceremony after
the Buddhist Lent in October.When the King goes to Saraburi to pay homage to the
Buddha's footprint.When Bangkok receives important Buddha images from
other cities.When receiving foreign diplomatic dignitaries to
Bangkok.
Some of the memorable Royal Barge Processions during the
reign of King Rama IX, the present King, were:
On 14 May 1957, to commemorate the 25th century of the
Buddhist era.On 06 Apr 1982, to commemorate 200 years of the
Bangkok era on the Bangkok Bicentennial.On 05 Dec 1999, to celebrate the 72nd birthday of King
Rama IX.
The most recent Royal Barge Procession was on 20 Oct 2003
for the closing ceremony of the APEC Conference in Bangkok,
in honor of the visiting heads of state.This procession was special as this was the first time it took
place at night, amid special light and sound effects for the
stretch of the river fronting the VIP's. The guests were seated
in the Royal Thai Navy Institute across the Chao Phraya River
from the Grand Palace.At 2000 hours, 50 barges consisting of the Suphannahongse, the
Narai Song Suban King Rama IX and escort barges were
launched from the Wasukri Pier upriver.This flotilla of royal barges, when fully deployed in a sailing
formation of five columns abreast and 90 m wide, stretched 1.5
km along the Chao Phraya.Concurrently at the Royal Thai Navy Institute, a 10-minute
sight and sound presentation in six languages was made on the
history and tradition of the royal barges.The presentation was timed to end as the Royal Barge
Procession sailed into view, on waters apparently lit with gold,
as a curtain of mist fell over the river, creating an ethereal air.Two thousand men of the Royal Thai Navy in ancient
ceremonial uniforms rowed steadfastly by in perfect unison,
honed through months of intense practice. Their chants of the
ancient boat song, that dates back to the days of King Narai of
Ayutthaya, drifted across the river.Just then, the night erupted as fireworks burst, filling the sky
with the brilliant national colors of the participating nations.
The lights cascaded down illuminating the Royal Barge
Procession as it streamed past the Grand Palace, a splendid
finish to a grand event.The royal barges can be viewed at the Royal Barge Museum, Bangkok.This article by Eric Lim first appeared in Tour Bangkok Legacies, a historical travel site on people, places and events that shaped the landscape of Bangkok. Lim, a free-lance
writer, lives in Bangkok, Thailand.
River Cruise in Bangkok ? Sightseeing on the Chao Phraya
A river cruise in Bangkok gives an insight to the community
life on the Chao Phraya River and the legacies on this river of
kings, a picture of stark contrasts.It needn't have to be an elaborate affair; you can cut the frills
and expenses. Plan the river cruise yourself for a more
meaningful Bangkok sightseeing tour from the Chao Phraya
River.The Chao Phraya River is the longest river in Thailand
stretching 370 km from Nakhon Sawan, more than 200 km
north of Bangkok. The river continues past Bangkok to flow
into the Gulf of Thailand in Samut Prakan to the south.Chao Phraya is also the highest title in ancient Thai nobility,
similar to the Duke in British nobility. The title is no longer in
use.Attractions, landmarks and views in a river cruise in
BangkokStart the river cruise from the Sathorn Pier near the Taksin
Bridge; five minutes walk from the Taksin Bridge skytrain
station, the terminal station for trains from the city center.Proceed northwards passing the scenic water front hotels like
the old Oriental Bangkok where famous writers like Joseph
Conrad and Somerset Maugham left their mark.The first recommended stopover, in a river cruise in Bangkok,
is the Ratchawong Pier which leads to Yaowarat Chinatown,
Soi Sampheng where Chinatown started and Soi Sun Yat Sen
named after the father of the Chinese Revolution.The Memorial Bridge, the next stop, is dedicated to King Rama
I, the founder of Bangkok. His monument, near the bridge,
depicts King Rama I on a throne gazing at the bustling city he
founded more than 220 years ago. Pahurat, the Indian
community in Bangkok is further inland.Historical aspects of the Chao PhrayaFurther upriver on the Thonburi bank, near the mouth of the
Bangkok Yai Canal, the white ramparts of Fort Vichai Prasit
come into view. This was an old Ayutthaya fort built in 1688.
King Taksin's Palace is here in the complex that's now the
Royal Thai Navy HQ.Next to this old citadel, stands the glittering Wat Arun, Temple
of Dawn, a temple built in the Ayutthaya era.The Bangkok Yai Canal and the Bangkok Noi Canal, further
upriver, used to be the original course of the Chao Phraya
River.This long meander was straightened out by a canal in 1542 to
shorten sailing time to Ayutthaya. The new canal subsequently
became the present course of the Chao Phraya River.The river cruise in Bangkok will now pass the most majestic
sight along the Chao Phraya River, the Grand Palace and the
Temple of the Emerald Buddha in old Rattanakosin, the
historical center, which is the origin of modern Bangkok.The Thonburi bank, across from the Grand Palace, is where
old communities have lived long before Bangkok was
established as the capital. The Bangkok Noi Museum, further
inland, preserves the history of these communities.The Royal Barge Museum is located in the Bangkok Noi Canal
near the Phra Pin Klao Bridge.The river cruise in Bangkok next passes Fort Phra Sumen,
built in 1783 to fortify the old city. Located near the mouth of
the Banglampoo Canal, the second protective canal ring, it's
one of the two remaining forts left from the Bangkok era.River life and scenes on the Chao PhrayaOn the banks, rickety old wooden houses on stilts can be seen
in stark contrast to the spanking new houses and
condominiums. The noodle vendor in a boat sells her food from
house to house as restaurants provide riverside dining near the
some of the piers.The most spectacular bridge across the Chao Phraya River
encountered in a river cruise in Bangkok is the King Rama
VIII Bridge, a suspension bridge that stands out like a giant
harp over the water. Bang Khun Phrom Palace, which houses
the Bank of Thailand Museum, is nearby.Bridges across the Chao Phraya River serve as useful
landmarks in a river cruise in Bangkok. Some piers, located
near these bridges, are named after them. You'll pass under
eight bridges in the entire river cruise.Further upriver life gets less touristy and more rustic,
particularly on the Thonburi bank. Many piers are named
after wats (temples) located nearby, around which community
life is built. Some of these temples, though less well known, are
equally beautiful as their city counterparts.Chao Phraya boat services for a river cruise of
BangkokChao Phraya River boats ply along the river during the
day stopping at regular piers. These boats are an inexpensive
and convenient way for a Bangkok sightseeing tour of the river.A Chao Phraya tourist boat service is also available for a day
tour of selected areas and piers. Boat rental services are also
available for groups of 20 or more.A total of 34 Chao Phraya river piers located along this 25 km
winding stretch of river. You don't have to go all the way
though, just take your pick and get on and off where you wish.A river cruise in Bangkok provides a very different perspective
of life in the city on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, an
aspect you can't get from the usual Bangkok city tour.This article, by Eric Lim, first appeared in Tour Bangkok
Legacies, a historical travel site on people, places and events
that shaped the landscape of Bangkok. Lim, a free-lance
writer, lives in Bangkok Thailand.
The Kuan Yin Shrine, Bangkok ? the Goddess of Mercy on the Chao Phraya
The Kuan Yin Shrine in Bangkok is in an old Chinese building
within a community on the Chao Phraya River where time
seems to have stood still for the last 200 years.The site originally had two shrines built in the reign of King
Taksin (1767 ? 1782) by his Chinese supporters. The
dilapidated buildings were torn down in the reign of King
Rama III (1824 ? 1851) and rebuilt to house Kuan Yin, the
goddess of mercy.Today, the Kuan Yin Shrine is in the care of a local Chinese
family living in the area. In Thai, the goddess of mercy is
known as Jao Mae Kuan Im.Kuan Yin, an ancient Chinese goddess, embodies the virtues of
love, kindness, compassion and forgiveness, a legend that goes
back to 300 BC.The youngest daughter of a Chinese king, she was blessed with
virtue and spurned her corrupted father's greed for wealth
and power. When she rejected his order for an arranged
marriage, he drove her out of their home.Rejected, persecuted and exiled by her father, she dedicated
her remaining years as a nun healing the sick and destitute and
as a savior of shipwrecked sailors. When her father was
mortally ill, she sacrificed her eyes and arms for the antidote to
save him.Her selflessness earned her eternal worship and the Kuan Yin
Shrine became a Chinese cultural heritage. The early Chinese
immigrants to Bangkok continued the tradition and built a
shrine for the goddess of mercy on the Chao Phraya River near
where they lived.An elevated walkway, a recent addition, runs from the pier
along the riverbanks and a small footbridge with a red arch
links the walkway to the main gate of the shrine. At the end of
a small red-tiled courtyard is the period Chinese structure
housing the Kuan Yin Shrine.Images of classical Chinese characters are engraved on the
front walls and above the opened main door, two fiery dragons
ride the crest of the roof, glaring down fiercely. The wooden
doors in the sidewalls leading to the inner quarters behind are
closed.Inside the shrine, painted walls of Chinese warriors and old
red Chinese lanterns hanging from the rafters create a mood
reminiscent of ancient China, a mood seemingly unchanged
over the years in the Kuan Yin Shrine.A smaller altar with several Kuan Yin statues stands in the
open yard in the center of the shrine. In the main altar, in the
covered area to the rear, a metre-high gold statue of Kuan Yin,
the goddess of mercy, sits serenely facing the Chao Phraya
River.It's not a busy shrine on non-festive days. The occasional
worshipper comes in to pray and pay respects as the day goes
lazily by. Life on the river is quiet except for a few children
playing by the pier and the odd fisherman.Meanwhile, in the Kuan Yin Shrine, the goddess of mercy,
gazes benignly at the bustling river beyond as the riverboats go
streaming by.The Kuan Yin Shrine is one of the many Bangkok Shrines in the old city.The Kuan Yin Shrine is one of the legacies that make up the rich cultural milieu of Bangkok. This article first appeared in Tour Bangkok Legacies, a historical travel site on people,
places and events that shaped the landscape of Bangkok.
The author, Eric Lim, is a free-lance writer who lives in
Bangkok Thailand.