Thai monarchs are revered by their people because of their great contributions to the development of the nation. King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) was one of those monarchs who opened up the country to Western thought, having been tutored by a British-Indian governess named Anna Leonowens whose life was the basis of the musical “The King and I”.
Wreath Laying on the Royal Equestrian Statue in Dusit
To commemorate King Rama V and honor his contributions to Thailand’s modernization, Chulalongkorn Day is celebrated as a public holiday on the anniversary of his death.
This year, Chulalongkorn Day 2013 falls on Wednesday.
Thais gather around the Royal Equestrian Statue of Chulalongkorn in Dusit District, Bangkok, to place wreaths and commemorative images of the King. Garlands are hung on the statue, while Thai flags and royal emblems are flown alongside the statue.
General business and commerce remains open on Chulalongkorn Day, but schools, government offices and non-commercial institutions are closed on this public holiday. Because employees are given time off, expect that local getaways like Chiang Mai, Hua Hin, Krabi, Phuket and Koh Samed, and even Kanchanaburi, will be crowded with “weekend warriors”, leaving the majority of Bangkok crowd-free save for official ceremonies that are held in memorials erected to honor the king.
The Modern King
His exposure and willingness to embrace outside perspectives also enabled him to enact laws that abolished slavery, having learned of what the United States (at the time embroiled in Civil War) had to go through to sow the seeds of democracy. His extensive travels to British colonies, particularly to Indian provinces, led him to create reforms in administration, divvying up Siam (ancient name of Thailand) into provincial units overseen by “intendants.”
His Western exposure also convinced him to initiate measures to open up the country to postal and telegraph services, and to construct communication and railways systems that connected Bangkok and Ayutthaya. Because he was tutored in the workings of Western diplomacy, he was able to implement policies that allowed symbiotic relations with the West while resisting its expansionism. As a result, Thailand is the only Southeast Asian country that was never colonized by a Western power.
The Royal Equestrian Statue of Chulalongkorn was erected in celebration of his 40th year of reign. Two years later, on October 23, 1910, the King died of kidney disease despite repeated treatments he received in Europe.
