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Queen Sirikit : Glory of the NationRoyal Support for Thai Arts and Crafts

The Renaissance of Thai TextilesIn 1972 US President Richard M. Nixon made

his historic visit to China. In Thailand, the start of thecountrys silk export drive to the West was not yet bornbut was no less destined to open the cultural doorsbetween East and West. Her Majesty was inspiredto launch several more projects, aimed at providingwomen with a continuous income in the face of

adversity. Together with His Majesty the King, HerMajesty visited the severely ooded areas of NakhonPhanom in Thailands Northeast on 27 November 1972to distribute relief supplies to the villagers.

As many of thevillagers came too er their thanks andreceive emergencysupplies, Her Majesty,as mentioned earlier,p a i d p a r t i c u l a ra t ten t ion to thecolourful mudmee silkfabrics that they wovefor their personal use,but did not sell toanyone. Her Majestyexplained, on 11August 1980, why shewent ahead with her

promotion of silk weaving in impoverished villages,

Every place I visited, it was common to seethe Northeastern women wearing mudmee silk

skirts. When I asked them whether they couldgive me one, they doubted why I wanted an itemthat was out of fashion and only worn by therural people, not the rich. I con rmed that theirmudmee skirts were pre y, and this was not just


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Queen Sirikit : Glory of the NationThailands Ambassador of Goodwill

a a ering remark. Mudmee is very beautiful.They were glad and said that if I really wanted towear one, they could make it for me. Therefore, I told them to make one and I will wear it. At last,they all helped to prepare one for me1

All the materials required for makingmudmee werefound locally and the villagers really did not requireany additional assistance other than to nd someone

to open the markets for them.About a week a er Her Majestys rst visit, her

o ce called a villager, Mr Prasarn Ki isriworapan,and requested him to collect silk cloth from all areasa ected by the ooding. He was to send them to theroyal residence at Chitralada Villa with price tags setby the villagers themselves. Prices were around 80-130 baht per piece, which may appear inexpensive bytodays standards, but mudmee was not at that time ofa standardized quality. Her Majesty bought everythingthat was delivered and commi ed herself to buying allthat she could get in the future. 2 Prasarn toured Isan,visiting 40-50 villages at a time, and delivered pieces toher every one or two months. Her Majesty continuedwith her purchases during this initial period, whichlasted for two years. 3

Near the end of 1972, Her Majesty asked her latePrivate Secretary Thanpuying Suprapada Kasemsantand one of her assistants, Khunying CharungchitTheekara, together with a small group of colleagues, togo to Isan to observe the villagers standard of living and

1

Ibid, p. 56.2 Ibid, p. 1033 Sahat Bunyawiwat, Report of the Meeting Held in Honour of

H.M. Queen Sirikit : Her Nature Conservation in Thailand,Advisory Body to Her Majesty the Queen , Prime MinistersO ce, Bangkok : 2001, p. 22.


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study the silk textiles woven for their own household

use, and to purchase them so that Her Majesty couldinspect them.

Her Majesty personally inspected each piece ofmaterial regardless of where it was made. The royalsta identi ed the most interesting pieces in theprovinces of Nakhon Phanom, Roi Et, Maha Sarakham,Kalasin, Buri Ram, Surin, Sakon Nakhon, Udon Thaniand elsewhere, though notably in the Northeast. Aswe have seen, Her Majesty encouraged the peopleto weave silk textiles as a supplementary occupation.These she purchased with funds from the Privy Purseand from the Crown Property Bureau. At the same timeshe gave advice and encouraged them to weave clothof a higher, more standardized quality. Seeing now amarket for their textiles, the people joined togetherand formed groups to grow mulberry trees, raise silkworms, spin silk and weave textiles.

Sericulture itself has a long history in the North-east. In the nineteenth century, King Chulalongkorn,Rama V, sent his son, Prince Phichai, who had just

Inspecting some pieces of textile.


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1 It is said that in order to while away the time while journeyingon a bullock cart, he wrote songs, one of which became knownas Lao Duang Duean and remains famous today.

returned from the United Kingdom where he waseducated, to Buri Ram Province in the Northeast topromote sericulture there. 1

Mudmee from Roi Et Province.

From Surin Province.From Ubon Ratchathani Province.

From Khon Kaen Province.


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As noted, HerMajesty the Queen personally inspectedthe mudmee textilesthat had been boughtand encouraged theweavers to increasethe amount of theirwork. Her Majesty alsogave recommendationson silk worms, dyes,pa erns and quality ofmudmee textiles to theweavers. It is a measureof Her Majestys fore-thought that prescrip-

tion eyeglasses weregiven to the weavers, in addition to weaving instruments,re ecting her concern for their well-being.

Her Majesty sets herself as an example of howfabrics woven by villagers can be used. Regardless ofwhether the fabrics are woven in the mudmee, phrae wa, orthe chokstyle, Her Majesty has them fashioned into bothinternational and traditional Thai style costumes whichshe wears on occasions, whether visiting the people inrural areas, a ending royal ceremonies, receiving royalguests or when travelling abroad. Today Thai womenare turning more and more to Thai textiles. This helpsto publicize the beauty of the handwoven textiles ofThailands rural population and make them be er knownamong foreigners. It also helps to preserve and develop

the textile industry, giving it greater value.Her Majesty explained her interest in promoting

local textiles and her mission in preserving anddeveloping Thai textiles as cultural heritage,

Prince Phichai.


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Her Majesty in Thai silk dress.

Her Majesty in phrae wa silk dress.


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I initiated handicra activities primarily to

nd supplementary occupations for poor farmersso that they can sustain themselves. From decadesof accompanying His Majesty the King to visitrural people, I have found that the majority of thepeople are farmers who have to work very hard andface numerous natural disasters such as droughts,

oods and outbreak of pests. Consequently, a largenumber of these farming families are reduced to

a life of poverty. Assisting them with suppliesin times of di culties is merely a short-termalleviation of their plight. His Majesty the Kinghas told me that we should try to nd a morelasting solution by making it possible for themto stand on their own feet. When I rememberthat the world, according to experts, has a grainshortage while Thailand has adequate supplies of

food and is even able to export enough to qualifyas a major rice exporter, I feel very grateful toour farmers and think that they deserve more

Her Majesty in mudmee silk dress.


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care and a ention from all of us. His Majestythe King has devoted himself to this task byconcentrating on improving water supplies andsoil conditions and I look a er the welfare of thefarming families. 1

It is heartening that handicra s havebecome increasingly popular among Thais andforeigners, especially hand-woven textiles. If all of

us co-operate to study, conserve and develop ourtextiles, these handicra s will surely provide uswith a cultural heritage of great beauty for ourfuture generations. 2

1Royal address at the opening of the meeting and exhibition entitledAsian Textile Heritage : Cra and Industry at Sala Tham, Chiang

Mai University, 30 January 1992.2 The National Identity Board,Thai Textiles : Threads of a Cultural

Heritage, Bangkok : Amarin Printing and Publishing PublicCompany Limited, 1994, p. 19


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MudmeePerhaps the most

famous of Her Majestystextile successes in Isanis mudmee, or ikat, asilk made by a tie-dyedprocess. It cannot bedetermined de nitely

when and from whichcountry this type ofweaving originated.Ikat is found in Indo-nesia, the Philippines,India and China. Silkweaving has long beenpractised among Thai

villagers, especially those indigenous to the Northeast.The Northeasterners have drawn inspiration from theirnatural environment in designing exquisite pa erns fortheir mudmee, such as pine trees, spiders, waves andother designs. 1

1 Silk comes from silkworms, or caterpillars, that feed on mulberryleaves. A er ve days, with special feeding, cleanliness andtemperature, they begin to produce cocoons of silk. The ancientIsan people coloured their thread with natural dyes, such as thosederived from the fruits of native plants. Skeins of silk thread arebleached before being dyed and woven. Bleach is o en made fromleaves, stems or the wood of local plants likehom, di erent partsof banana trees, palmyra palm spadixes, Siamese cassia wood andpheka leaves. The silk thread is soaked in lye and then boiled withthe bleaching agents. A er being sun-dried, the thread is tied (mud in Thai) with strings to poles, called lak mee. Hence, this step isreferred to in Thai as mudmee. Then it is dyed, tied, and dyedseveral times over to make pa erns. The ikat style, commonlyused in the Northeast, varies in method from warp to we ikat,allowing for longer pieces of the same design to be woven.


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It is clear to me that these people are born

artists. For instance, they can weave mudmeesilk in ancient designs of exquisite beauty orthey can invent new pa erns in a combinationof a ractive colours. I merely give them moralencouragement and support while at the same time

nding ways to show their beauty to the world.This is how I have had the pleasure of playinga role in conserving and developing the arts and

cra s in Thailand.1

Today, people frequently resort to using chemicalproduc ts, which is much easier and quicker.Nevertheless, the prices of lye and dyes rise, just asmost commodity prices rise over time. Her Majestyunderstands that the villagers can minimize theircosts and maximize their pro ts by using natural

products.

1 The National Identity Board, Thai Textiles : Threads of a CulturalHeritage, Bangkok : Amarin Printing and Publishing PublicCompany Limited, 1994, p. 19


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Phrae wa 1

Centuries ago, Lao tribes migrated into the centralarea of Isan and the Mekong River Basin, bringingknowledge of silk ikat and supplementary we weaving

Visiting members of the Phu Thai ethnic group at Phon Village, KhamMuang District, Kalasin Province. Her Majesty encouraged the womenfolk to weave their traditional colourful pa erned silk cloth calledPhrae wa, which she has popularized both at home and abroad.

1 Phrae wa means a piece of silk cloth of onewa in length. One wais two metres.


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called khit. The Phu Thai people were one group who

se led in Kalasin and Mukdahan provinces. Phrae wa is a handicra ofPhu Thai descendants in Kalasin. HerMajesty visited Kalasin in 1977, where she met manyPhu Thai villagers and was impressed by their phrae wa shawls. Phrae wa is the most intricate style in weavingand embroidering. It is made into a sort of bodicewrap or shawl with a mixture of di erent pa erns andcolours on a dark red background. The pa erns are

made by raising threads of di erent colours, knownas khit. The art is a family legacy. It is said a Phu Thai woman will make only one piece ofphrae wa clothin her entire life. A traditional piece has ten pa ernswoven into it, but many villagers were weaving onlyone pa ern to save time and the art was in danger ofbeing forgo en. Her Majesty encouraged the elderlyto teach the younger villagers. Eventually, and withcontinual royal support, phrae wa is well-known tourban Thais and the foreign tourists, and there weremore varieties of colours and sizes to enhance salesuntil an export market built up.

ChokOne o f the ma jo r

achievements of Her Majestyswork concerning textile wasthat she literally introduceda revival of the chok styleof weaving. The word chok means pick, implying thatthe weaving also includesembroidering. This type ofcloth is typically used todecorate the lower border of alarger piece of cloth, usually apha sin or womens traditional

Chok motif from RatchaburiProvince.


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Chok motif from Sukhothai Province.

skirt. The pha sin decorated with a chok is called phasin tin chok. During the reign of King Rama III (1824-1851), Lao migrants of the Phuan tribe were allowedto se le in Hat Siao Sub-district, Si Satchanalai District,Sukhothai Province, and the Tai Yuan, se led in TambonKhu Bua, Mueang District, Ratchaburi Province. Thesepeople have since intermarried with the local peopleand are indistinguishable from indigenous Thais exceptfor their particular skill atchok weaving.

Every female descendant of Thai Phuan mustmaster how to weave diverse types of cloth, especiallythe chok, which is regarded the most complicated ofall, as it uses a discontinuous supplementary we .The designs of chok are made by using a porcupinesquill to pick or raise certain threads. They are usuallycomposed of intricately overlapping geometricalpatterns, such as quadrangles, alternating withhorizontal bars or stripes. Unfortunately, a empts were made to change its designs, pa erns and colours,to make it simpler and brighter. Her Majesty the Queenestablished a Chok Weaving Section in the SUPPORT


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1 The Foundation for the Promotion of Supplementary Occupationsand Related Techniqus, established on 21 July 1976.

2 The National Identity Board,Thai Textiles : Threads of a CulturalHeritage , Bangkok : Amarin Printing and Publishing PublicCompany Limited, 1994, p. 114

Foundation 1 in order to preserve the original methodsof weaving chok so that it may not die out. Moreover,SUPPORT is involved in the encouragement of localweaving villages at Ban Mi in Lop Buri, Mueang District,Ratchaburi, and at the villages of Ban Rai and ThapThan in Uthai Thani. 2

SilkSilk fabrics from

the Northeast or Isanare beautiful in theirown way since eachshows exquisite pa ernsproduced from diverselyunique methods. In Isan,

it has become a naturalpart of everyday life.Most importantly, silkweaving is a culturalrecord that has beenpassed down since thevery beginning of thenation. Cognisant of this

distinguished culturalheritage, Her Majesty the Queen believes that local-style silk weaving can provide extra income for hersubjects if standardized and marketed.


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Hand-woven Thai silk of all kinds and styles havebecome chic both at home and abroad, promoting silkindustry globally. Many rural people who used to spendsome of their free time weaving superb silk for theirown use now spend more time producing silk fabricin the same traditions as those handed down to themby their forefathers. A great number of people are thusengaged in silk-related businesses.

Phikun Flower Design in TextilesFlowers enter the picture of royal-initiated

projects in the South in a di erent way. As in otherregions, Her Majesty has always promoted textilesas she believed that weaving would always be asupplementary occupation to gain income during thoselean times when an inadequate amount of rice couldbe produced, or sh were harder to nd. One royalvisit to the South in 1974 coincided with a drop inrubber prices. Desperate villagers found themselveson short notice that their income might not payfor the basic necessities. Stepping into the breach,the queen supplied looms and the Department ofIndustrial Promotion instructors set up a fabric-weavinggroup at Wat Choeng Khao, Bacho District, Narathiwat.As the phikun ower1 was a symbol of Narathiwat,Her Majesty suggested using it as a design for thecloth. Experienced weavers from Lamphun were sentto the province to teach and in April 1975, two moreco on-weaving centres were set up at Mueang and Tak Bai districts.

1 The Bullet Wood ower,Mimusops elengi Linn.


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Based on Her Majestys advice, the women madebeautiful bodices on ne designs emulating local

owers such as thephikun. In addition, on one of HerMajestys visits to Chiang Mai, the same programmewas introduced to the people of several districts in theNorth, including Om Koi District. In Ban Mae TakhraiVillage, the purpose of the project was to preserve the

ne art of embroidery.

Her Majesty advises the villagers to weave as a

supplementary occupation. In this way, the nationseconomy can be so much stronger. As she noted later,in 1996:

The people in each region have their own skillsand ability, that can contribute towards the prosperityof the country. To my delight, I have witnessed this factand it has inspired me to carry on with my work. 1

1 Job Training Centre (Wat Chang Hai),The ChaipattanaFoundation Journal, August 1996, p. 25.

Fabric with phikun ower design.


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such as bags, hats, fans and sandals, among others.Her Majesty requested ML Maniratana Bunnag, one ofher ladies-in-waiting to implement a training projectfor local villagers. 1 A co-operative was eventuallyestablished there to use this free natural resource tocreate a li le bit of supplementary income for localwomen. Participants made good use of the long plant,and many of their products were successfully put onsale to the public.

The programme was expanded to includehousewives in the Central Region four years later, in1976. Her Majesty therea er garnered the support of thegovernment and in this new expansion of the project,women learnt techniques from teachers provided bythe Ministry of Industry.

1 Uraiwan Lerdsrisantad and Kemthat Visvayodhin, SUPPORTFoundation, Bangkok : 1992, P. 105.


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Artifcial Flowers

Following Her Majestysearly success with cottonweaving programme to createa supplementary income forthe villagers of Khao Tao, thewomen of Ao Noi in PrachuapKhiri Khan requested royaladvice on how to earn more

income themselves. HerMajesty was concerned thatthere should be no competition for sisal jute, whichwas needed for Hup Kraphong villagers, so she advisedthem to make arti cial owers. Arti cial owers areuniversal in their appeal and the demand for them isgreat in urban areas, where fresh owers are expensive,and in other countries where both fresh and arti cial

owers are costly. Training was provided and equipment


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supplied by the Sai Panya School Association. As therewas no competition for natural resources, other villageswere later included in the project, in Phetchaburi andSamut Sakhon provinces.

Her Majesty the Queen had an idea that native Thaiowers were quite scarce and li le known among the

younger generation. She decided their natural beautyshould be made wider known. The queen, therefore,

initiated the project using Thai owers, suchas angkap (Barleria cristata Linn.), saraphi (Mammea siamensis Kosterm) and chankapho (Vatica diospyroides), as themodels, emphasizing natural similarities of colour, sizeand form. Initially, the completed work was submi edfor royal approval. Today, the Foundations arti cial

owers are well-known and accepted.


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SUPPORT FoundationI started by looking into the health,

education and general living conditions of thefarmers and their families. I was glad to observethat these farmers have been handed down greathandicra skills from their ancestors. Most of the products are associated with their daily livessuch as the growing of mulberry trees to raise silk

worms in order to produce silk in the Northeastof Thailand. This gave me the inspiration to startpromoting silk weaving so that the farmers couldutilize their native ability to improve their standard

1 Royal Address, Chiang Mai University, 30 January 1992.2 Ministry of Education, Her Majesty the Queens Activities in

Education, Religion and Healthcare, Bangkok : 1995.

of living, while at the same time achieving a sense

of dignity and pride in their work. This nallyled to the establishment of the Foundation for the Promotion of Supplementary Occupationsand Related Techniques. 1

At that time, the SUPPORT Foundationhad no name, recalled Her Majesty. We gaveit a name a er it had been operating for ve years,and later established the foundation. 2


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1 Uraiwan Lerdsrisantad and Kemthat Visvayodhin, SUPPORTFoundation , Bangkok : 1992, p. 107

Products for the Preservation of Thai Arts andCrafs as Supplementary Occupations

Pa Mok Dolls

Although silk weaving is the handicra thatbrought Her Majestys SUPPORT Foundation to fame,the queen herself has been responsible for many otherinteresting and diverse arts and handicra s beingrevived in each of the major regions of the countryand the products sold locally or exported. For instance,following a severe ood in Ang Thong Province towardthe end of 1975, the people at Pa Mok District wereunable to continue with their normal occupations ofmaking bricks and joss-sticks as it was just too wet.The ood would not allow their products to dry. Her

Majesty obviously knew that the area had good claysoil for brickmaking and thus she suggested the revivalof the manufacture of miniature dolls, a product thathad disappeared from the world of Thai arts manyyears ago. The delicate, yet exquisite, dolls are fragileand eminently collectible. There followed a revival ofdoll making centred on Wat Tha Su hawat, in Pa MokDistrict, in January 1976. The rst batch was not suited

for commercial sale as the people were really startingfrom scratch, yet the queen purchased them all to helpget the project started. 1 Later, as they improved thecolour and design of the dolls, the villagers were ableto sell them to other people and tourists, creating newfound income for the people, come rain or ood.


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Pa Mok Co on-weaving In order to provide the villagers with another

source of income, Her Majesty set up a co on-weavingworkshop at Pa Mok on 27 August 1976. Co on weavingthen became a boon to people in the Central Region,becoming more valuable for being handmade, so on5 November 1976, Her Majesty set up a workshopat Bang Pahan and Bang Ban Districts, in Ayu haya

Province on 19 January 1977. These projects came inrapid succession and helped to ease the problems ofsome poor villagers in the Central Region.

It is the hands-on a itude of Her Majesty thatmeant SUPPORT Centres were o en set up within thegrounds of palaces where she stayed. Naturally, HerMajesty had to spend a considerable time in Bangkok

early on as she had royal duties to a end to thatrequired residence in the nations capital. Thus, whilethe training she provided was needed largely for thepoor in rural areas, it was more e cient to set up acentre for training in Bangkok so that Her Majestycould see for herself what was necessary and whatdid not work.


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Yan LiphaoHer Majesty initiated yan liphao manufacture with

the idea of providing training programmes that couldrevive the local handicra market. Yan liphao is a fern-vine abundant in southern Thailand due to the humidclimate and sandy soil. 1

As time went by, the popularity of yan liphao gradually waned and, almost a century later, the

expertise would have been lost had it not been forHer Majesty the Queens vision. She considered it acultural heritage that should by no means be le toextinction. She believed the irresistible a ractiveness of yan liphao basketry would make it a pro tablesupplementary occupation for the people in the areaswhere the plants grow in abundance. Her Majestysdecision came when she found out, on a stay at DaksinPalace in Narathiwat, that yan liphao grows profuselyin its vicinity. Following the initiation of the projectin Narathiwat, experienced instructors were broughtfrom Nakhon Si Thammarat Province and Her Majestyformed a weaving group. Several other weaving groupswere established and met with great success, and inSeptember 1974, the art ofyan liphao was promoted

in Yi-ngo, Ra-ngae, Bacho and Mueang Districts inNarathiwat as its popularity took o . The art wasfurther developed by adding precious metals andgems as decoration. For instance, yan liphao betel

1 Yan liphao weaving has existed for more than two centuries, andis assumed to have originated at Nakhon Si Thammarat during

the early Ra anakosin Period, gaining popularity under the reignof King Chulalongkorn. Considered one of the highest forms ofart, yan liphao weaving requires great skill and artistry as it isvery di cult and time consuming. Household goods made ofyan liphao are durable and resistant to the climate and able tomaintain their shape for centuries.


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baskets are decorated with gold, diamonds, rubies

and emeralds. Sometimes yan liphao is decorated withsilver or gold niello, which is a di erent branch of Thai ne arts in itself.

Despite all the di culties, Her Majesty was surethat the ingenuity of the Thai people would see themthrough. Those few people who had some knowledgeabout the art were invited to teach members of the

SUPPORT Foundation. A decade later, the almost-lostart has been successfully revived. Today, yan liphao basketry is popular both in the country and abroad,creating much needed supplementary income for thepoor villagers in the South and even further a eld. In1978, following a plea from the Phra Pradaeng Homefor the Disabled in Bangkok for Her Majesty to providethem with an occupation so that they could earn a living,the queen decided to let them try yan liphao weaving.Her Majesty reasoned that, as many were incapacitatedand could sit forhours weavingthis difficult setof products, theywere well-suited

for an occupationthat takes patienceand perseverance.A lot of them havedemonstrated afeeling for the skill,and some weaveproducts which

come c lose tothose made duringthe reign of KingChulalongkorn.


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Opening the Suep San Sombat Sin Exhibition,Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel, Bangkok.

A s t h eS U P P O R TF o u n d a t i o n sgreatest marketingasset, Her Majestyuses items madeo f y a n l i p h a o herself on manypublic occasions. Itwould be unusualnot to see theQueen of Thailandcarrying a smallyan liphao bagwhen welcomingforeign dignitaries

to Thailand, or at an exhibition of SUPPORT productsabroad.


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Her Majestys yan liphao handbags.


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Krachut Another forgo en art that was revived by Her

Majesty is krachut, or reed mat weaving. An ancientcra of the South, it had almost been forgo en bythe younger generation. The krachut reed (Lepironiaarticulata Domin.), a type of bulrush, grows abundantly

Krachut products.

in phru, or peat swamp in the Deep South. A er they

are gathered, the reeds are soaked in mud to toughenthem. They are dried in the sun and then a enedbefore being dyed and woven into mats.

In 1977,Her Majesty decided to establish a projectto revive and develop the weaving of mats made fromjute in the Lower South. The project was set up at SalaMai, Tak Bai District, Narathiwat. Her Majestys advice

to the people was to keep their traditional pa ernsand develop others using plant motifs and brightercolours. Over the years, krachut mats in bright coloursand distinctive pa erns have become much sought a erby people as far away as Bangkok.


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Her Majesty has encouraged local people to weavelarge mats as they can be used instead of carpets andare therefore more in demand in local and foreignmarkets. This is also part of an a empt to make suchtraditional articles more modern. Her Majesty has triedto nd something that each region of Thailand canproduce that may be sold locally and abroad in orderto help the home economies of villagers.

Bamboo BasketryThe SUPPORT Foundation became more famous,

not only for its supplementary occupations but alsofor its conservation of traditional arts and cra s. As a result, people inform the Foundation whenever a Thai cra is dying out, as in the case ofkhit basket-weaving. Basket-weaving with khit pa erns is also apart of the cultural traditions of the Northeast. Thehandicra requires great skill and patience, yet trulyskilled cra smen are almost non-existent.


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1 Uraiwan Lerdsrisantad and Kemthat Visvayodhin, SUPPORTFoundation, Bangkok : 1992, p. 115

When the Maha Sarakham campus of SiNakharinwirot University stated that there was only onefamily in the country that could produce khit-pa erned basketry, the Foundation requested that the family teachthe cra to its members. The family willingly acceptedthe request as they would have an opportunity to


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pass on their knowledge.1 Originally, there wereonly a few types of khit-patterned baskets and

containers, but throughHer Majesty the Queenspromotion, a few moreproducts, like vases andhandbags, have beenmade for distribution.

This handicraft represents fine, impressive

artistry of which Thai people can be proud. At present,young members of the Foundation are capable ofproducing baskets and other items and through them,this Thai art treasure may continue for a long time tocome.

Khit-pa erned utensils.

Her Majestys handbags.


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KhramAs a race, the Thais pay a great deal of a ention

to the ne quality of articles that in other cases maybe quite mundane. Iron as a material is not universallyrecognized as a particularly useful basis for ne artdue to its unfortunate tendency to oxidize over time.However, with typical Thai ingenuity, the texture ofeven oxidized metal can sometimes be the basis of

something more beautiful. This insight revealed itselfin the art known askhram. The art of makingkhram most likely originated in ancient Persia and spread toChina, Cambodia, Lao PDR, and southern Thailand,most notably Pa ani Province. The khram processinvolves embedding hair-sized gold or silver wire inthe iron surface of an item. Normally, a special sharp-edged chisel is used to create a rough surface by cu ing

tiny grooves in a ligree pa ern. The gold or silverwire is then hammered into the grooves, producingornate designs that are later enhanced by the naturaloxidization of the ageing metal. However, the wholeprocess must be completed before oxidization occurs.Many of the outstanding pieces still in royal collectionsinclude royal swords that are comparable in designwith the nest engraved swords produced by the swordmakers of Toledo in Spain.

Although the exact period of its introduction tothe country cannot be established, it is known thatKhun Saraphatchang, an o cial at what is now calledthe Department of Fine Arts, had learnt the art froma master-teacher of Khmer origin. His son, Mr SamanChaisukuman, inherited that knowledge. Her Majesty,

always watchful for teachers of cultural heritage toa new generation of people, found in 1977 that MrSaman, then 80 years of age, was one of the few skilledcra smen still alive at the time. Her Majesty persuadedhim to pass on his skills to younger people.


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Gold khram products.

Gold khram egg-shaped vessel in the Faberg style.


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Nielloware

A traditional, yet outstanding, use of graphic designencouraged and revived by Her Majesty the Queen iscalled niello, or Khrueang Thom in Thai, the applied artof ornamenting metal objects by cu ing groove pa ernsinto the surface and lling in the pa erns with blacklead alloy. Nielloware is evident both in Europe andAsia, particularly Portugal, England, Russia and Italyin Europe, and Iran, India and Thailand in Asia. TheThai art has something in common with niello fromPersia and India.

Initially, designs on silver niello were simple, withadequate space for lling-in of the black lead mixture togive bold e ect to the intaglio pa erns. Later, however,people favoured a denser pa ern, and there was adevelopment of combined silver and gold nielloware.This also meant that the masters who created this arthad to have the patience and time that todays artisansrarely have. The dual silver and gold form is primarilysilver niello with sections of the designs plated withgold. The plating is by the archetypal process of paintingthe pa erns with a gold-mercury paste and sublimingthe mercury with a hot ame leaving only a platingof gold on the pa erns. Nielloware is generally madeof silver or gold since the lead alloy will not cleave toother metals such as copper or bronze. This also makesit rather expensive to produce and purchase.

Most tourists in the past were familiar with Thainielloware in its silver version only. Her Majesty,however, has chosen to focus on the revival of gold


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1 The SUPPORT Foundation, 1985 Queens Collection , Bangkok:1985, p. 72.

Silver Nielloware.

nielloware as this was in danger of becoming extinct. 1 For the totally gold niello, the material for the objectcan be either gold or silver. If it is silver, the designscan be wholly gold plated.

A silver niello vessel.


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Gold nielloware.


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A combination of gold niello, gold and silver khram, metallic-beetlecollage and embossed diamond techniques were applied for this hand-

cra ed junk.


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Wood ProductsMore basic cra s, that of wood carving and

furniture-making, have never really been under threatof extinction. However, Her Majesty did notice thatthe cra smen have to work against time, producingobjects that are sometimes simplistic and not really ahigh form of art. Wishing to conserve this traditionalknowledge, Her Majesty the Queen has sought highly-

skilled woodworkers to teach the young, inexperiencedpeople from the countryside. They were able to learn theancient traditional forms in SUPPORT centres withouthaving to worry about earning a quick return.

Wood sculpture is taught by the SUPPORTFoundation. Teak was used in the past, when it wasfound in abundance. Over time it became more di cult

to nd and some substitutes, such as ivory wood,which can be found in abundance, were used. Woodsculpture, such as bas-reliefs or free-standing pieces,require similar iron tools, a chisel and a hammer. Thematerial is cut to the desired shape requiring greatcare and patience as it is easy to damage a piece at thevery beginning. The next step is to rive smaller, moredetailed pa erns with smaller tools. The completely

carved wood may then be painted, lacquered or gildedas desired. The result has been that wood carvinghas achieved a renaissance in Thailand. Under HerMajesty the Queens tutelage, ordinary Thai farmersare becoming renowned for producing works of greatbeauty that are promoted by the queen around theworld and derive for the artists not only reputationbut considerable income.


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Carved wood.


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Gold and Silver Gold and silver are prized and used as ornaments

and in the manufacture of certain implements. Goldnormally is not tainted by mixture with any othermetal or exposure to the air. Silver, on the contrary,oxidizes very easily, a process intensi ed by thedegree of the purity of the metal. However, a skilledThai silversmith makes use of this dark coating of

oxidization on silver by embossing ornamental pa ernson it, executing shiny raised designs against the grey ordark background.

Making gold and silver objects consists ofhammering, welding, beating and heat-blowing. Thisdone, the metal is carved and embossed, polished andsometimes decorated with precious or semi-precious

stones. The whole process requires great artistic skill.While the values of gold and silver have increased, thenumber of ne gold and silver cra smen has decreasedand certain regional or local variations of handicra shave completely disappeared in Thailand. Therefore,Her Majesty knew that e ort must be made to conserveThai arts and cra s.


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Gold and silver utensils.


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1 Traditional Thai painting did not use perspective in the Westernsense.

A physically handicapped trainee at work on a painting.

Painting Thai arts are based on certain traditional pa erns

or designs considered the salient characteristics ofThai art. These pa erns appear on all kinds of objects:gold and silver items, nielloware, wood-carvings orsculptures. Around the middle of the twentieth century,Thai traditional painting began to die out when Westernoil paints, and the introduction of perspective 1, were

introduced. Her Majesty the Queen wished to see thetraditional styles of Thai arts conserved for the future,and thus the SUPPORT Foundations apprenticesare trained to draw Thai-style pa erns before goingon to other elds of arts. Thai decorative designsoriginate from nature, for instance ame-like pa ernsor arabesques based on oral shapes.


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SculptureSculpture is one of the best examples of the

training carried out in Chitralada SUPPORT Centre. At the Centre, many sculptors diligently practise theart, rst with plasticine of various colours, such as

green, which is so andsuitable for beginners, greywhich is a li le tougher,

and dark grey for thosewith more advanced skill.Though most of the Centresmembers are young, theycan create amazinglya ractive sculptures, whichwill be used as modelsfor many types of handi-

cra s. Some silversmiths have undergone trainingin sculpting for anatomicalaccuracy.

Carving From high art using precious metals and gems,

the Chitralada SUPPORT Centre teaches the more

fundamental handicra s that are more noticeablearound us each day. Marble and soapstone, with theirmoderate hardness,are suitable forcarving and polish-i n g t o c r e a t ebeautiful figures.Stone sculptures are

found in every partof the world. InThailand, artisansof the past contrivedsoapstone carvings

Soapstone carving


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with traditional pa erns for building decorations, asthey were more beautiful and durable than stucco.The front and side gates of the Amarindra VinichayaThrone Hall in the Grand Palace, for instance, displaycarved soapstone decorations. Besides stone, Chitraladacra smen and women were taught to be adept atcarving wood and leather also. 1

Just as importantly,the Chitralada SUPPORTTraining Centre emphasizescra s that will earn a living

those that can be saidto be more commoncrafts, such as ceramicsand enamelware, woodwork

and ra an ware, collage andartificial flower making.However, the uniquely Thaiarts and cra s, such as Thaidolls, krachut weaving andyan liphao basketry, are alsoincluded so that Thailandwill never lose its creative

heritage.

1 The Chitralada SUPPORT Centre also teaches wickerwork, silverand gold inlay, yan liphao basketry, khit plaiting, silk weaving,embroidery and arti cial ower making.

Marble carving.

Arti cial owers in a carvedwooden vase.


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Malaeng Thap CollageOne of perhaps the strangest, yet most beautiful, of

Thai arts chosen by Her Majesty to teach involves usingthe wings of the malaeng thap beetle, genus Buprestis, with its hard, translucent blue-green and copper-yellowcovering. These are used to beautify other handicra s,such as the Thai traditional bodice wrap. This short-


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lived insect may be found dead in large numbers underthe makham thet (camachile tree), the leaves of which itfeeds on. Its durable wings are cut to shape and a achedto metal or other materials to form brooches or partsof other designs, for instance, to adorn wood-carvedbirds where they represent the feathers.

The success of this project led to another royal

initiative in basketry work: smaller pieces of the insects wings are interwoven with delicate yan liphao vine, resulting in an intricate design. This ne artrequires great e ort and skill to create, making it animportant and original contemporary work of art.

Her Majestys evening gown embroidered with malaeng thap wings.


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EmbroideryThe Grand Chamberlain and SUPPORT Treasurer,

Dr Chirayu Isarangkun na Ayuthaya, notes, Over thepast three or four years, embroidery has found greatsuccess in the South but has been introduced with li lesuccess in other regions. Used for chair covers andother home items, embroidery from the South is nowworld class. Her Majesty has encouraged that local

colour be added to the designs, particularly Southern

motifs. The art of embroidery requires a combination ofexpertise and creativity. Every nation in the world hasits own embroidery style and technique and Thailandis no exception. Although modern technology has

revolutionized the art of embroidery, hand embroideryis still highly regarded and treasured by all. It is ahandicra that can earn satisfactory income for thosewith patience and time on their hands, and as suchneeds to be preserved.


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CeramicsThis same e ect was seen with ceramics, which

worked in some areas where they were part of thelocal tradition, but not in areas that had no history ofmaking ceramics. The Grand Chamberlain surmisedthat it is di cult to transplant arts they appear tobe in the blood.


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Ceramics


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Chapter 5: Her Majestys Support for Women

F rom early in the reign, His Majesty KingBhumibol Adulyadej entrusted Her Majestythe Queen to focus on family development,while the king developed the land, hence we

know that her earliest e orts to provide supplementaryoccupations were in the form of weaving groups forwomen, o en with their children accompanying them totraining in the grounds of Chitralada or Klai Kangwol

Palace. Throughout her journey to foreign countrieswe are able to read accounts in western newspapersthat point to Her Majesty as some kind of feminist(the term was more popular in the sixties than it istoday); however, whatever we believe about the wordsused, the fact remains that Her Majesty was entrustedby the king to pay special a ention to the family. Herown interests in many elds have distinguished Her

Majesty as a leader of people, promoting projects thatwill assist women to raise their status in the country.

In dealing with Her Majestys activities to supportand enhance the status of women and the rights of thefamily, one should understand that the Thai family iso en larger than its western equivalent, an extendedfamily that can include grandparents, aunts and uncles.

The women of the family have always played animportant role in the management of the family; manywould say they are the power that keeps the familytogether. However, when they can nd a way to take


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care of themselves, they are, o en as not, taking carealso of several other relatives.

Early e orts to promote and upgrade the statusof Thai women were low key. When Her Majesty wasabout to go abroad for a world tour with His Majestythe King in 1960, she wanted to be able to show theWest that Thai women were as sophisticated as they

were, but that did not mean having to compromiseall the time by wearing western clothes. The creationof a national costume for women was intended tobring pride to Thai women also, that they had a styleof their own, and that it was well displayed by theyoung queen. Europeans and Americans knew veryli le about Thailand, Thai culture and the status of

Thai women in the sixties. Her Majestys objective, then,was not fashion-conscious, but to ensure that the rstimpression that many Westerners would have of Thaiwomen was favourable. She was to provide the look ofthe sophisticated Thai woman without compromising


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Queen Sirikit : Glory of the NationHer Majestys Support for Women

too much on the ma er of dress. Moreover, it gavemany Thai women a feeling of encouragement, thatthey could feel proud of themselves no less than anyother women around the world. Thus, Her Majesty wasable to promote not only the image of Thai womenabroad, but encourage and support their self imagewithin the country.

Her Majesty in traditional Thai costume.


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Wearing a Thai Ruean Ton costume, Her Majesty a ended a Sala Thaipresentation ceremony at the East-West Center University of Hawaii,during a state visit to the US in 1967.


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Her Majesty, wearing a Thai Chitralada costume, a ended a ceremonyin which an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Law was presented to His

Majesty at Williams University, Washington D.C. on 11 June 1967.


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Wearing a Thai Amarin costume,Her Majesty visited the Taiwan

Handicra Promotion Centre in1963.

Her Majesty wearing in a Thai Borom Phiman costume, visited theHo urg Imperial Palace during a state visit to Austria, 1964.


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Wearing a Thai Chakraphat costume, Her Majestyopened the SUPPORT Exhibition at the Okura

Hotel, Japan

Her Majesty, in a Thai Chakri costume, a ended a state banquet hostedby President Eisenhower and the First Lady at the White House, 28June 1960.


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Her Majesty in a Thai Sivalai costume at the return banquet hosted byDr Adolf Schrf, President of the Republic of Austria on 2 October1964.

Her Majesty in a Thai Dusit costume at a return banquet for TheirMajesties the Emperor and Empress of Japan, 3 June 1967.


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As a self-con dent young woman in the sixtiesand seventies, the queen stood by the king during thechaotic times of communist insurgency. She was a strongleadership gure for women during that time. Thequeen was always by His Majestys side as they touredthe hospitals to visit the wounded and maimed. Neverone to stand back while others su ered, Her Majestybecame well-known for accompanying the king to riskyareas in the North to visit the villagers and give themcomfort. One of Her Majestys sta mentions that HerMajesty does not just go to these villages to show herface and return home, but a entively interviews thewomen in each village, asking them,

Do you have a problem? Tell me about it.1

Thai Ladies in traditional costumes Greeting Their Majesties the King and Queen

1 From an interview with Thanpuying Pharani Mahanonda, DeputyPrivate Secretary to Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, March 2004.


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It is not unusual for men in the Southern provincesto cross over into Malaysia to nd work. This o enleaves the wives with no income. In such cases,SUPPORT can assist with skills training. Sometimeswomen just start crying. Her Majesty says to them,

Visiting soldiers on duty at Khek River Basin (Khao Kho),24 February 1981.

Asking about the well-being of the villagers.


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Her Majesty the Queen assists women in the South of Thailand to takeup handicra s as a form of supplementary occupation.

Conversing with a villager, who reported to Her Majesty on the progressbeing made on the screw pine leaves weaving project, during a visit tothe members of the SUPPORT Foundation at Wat Chanaram, ThaisukVillage, Ruso District, Narathiwat Province.


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1 From an interview with Thanpuying Pharani Mahanonda, DeputyPrivate Secretary to Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, March 2004.

Hush, dont worry about it. Learn this and takecare of yourself.1

Her Majesty paid close a ention to the traditionalhandicra s that take place in the home, like silkweaving. It is clear that poor women su ered doubly inthe past from social as well as economic disadvantage.

Whenever one talks of silk weaving, it is usually thewomen who perform this work, not the men. In additionto their weaving, these women are expected to looka er their families, cook, wash and clean up a er them.Yet more o en than not, these women receive scantrecognition for their achievements. Farming requiressome expense, and so many farmers go into debt topurchase fertiliser or seedlings.

Krachut weaving

p209


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When women are able to earn money, they areable to help the family pay o its debts,

explains Thanpuying Pharani Mahanonda, DeputyPrivate Secretary to Her Majesty.

Even in urban se ings, women in Thailand havealways looked to Her Majesty as a leader. It is common,even in Western countries today that women, no ma er

how emancipated, nd it di cult to compete on apar with men, o en doing the same job but for lessmoney. The glass ceiling exists everywhere. Rather thanworrying about making every woman a su rage e,the queen always aims to ensure that women have anincome rst, which provides their independence.

One cause that assists the improvement of

womens lives is non-formal education to teach womenhow to earn a supplementary income. Non-formaleducation for women takes place on weekends at SUPPORT workshops, says Thanpuying Pharani. Many of thesewomen have never worked before in their lives, they are


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Opening a SUPPORT training centre, where small children canaccompany their mothers.

just housewives and mothers. They told Her Majesty,when invited to a end the workshops, that they couldnta ord to do so, or that they did not have the money.Her Majesty just tells them,

Yes, you can and anyway, its free.

Unfortunately, assisting women and families indistress who come to the a ention of the queen is anactive full time job for her secretariat, and there aresimply too many women and families living on thepoverty line in the far reaches of the country to hopeone person, even one with considerable resources, could

intervene and resolve their problems. This is one reasonwhy Her Majesty has focused on se ing up centres andprojects in all regions of the country, gathering peoplefrom outside the court to play a part in her work. Forthese reasons, Her Majesty has also given her support


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to institutions that help the development of women andwomens rights and the promotion of their equality inlaw and in the eyes of society.

One method of lending support to suchdevelopment is to o er royal patronage to organizationsworking to assist women and young girls. Royalpatronage allows Her Majesty to support manygroups simultaneously providing them with advice

and encouragement. Several of the most prominentinstitutions that she has supported over the yearsinclude a variety of professions and occupations thatre ect the progress that Thai women have made overthe years.

One of the largest womens organizations inThailand, incorporating many NGOs under its wing, isthe National Council for Women of Thailand (NCWT)under the royal patronage of Her Majesty the Queen.It was granted royal patronage on 5 May 1961 and hadaround 140 member organizations, both in Bangkokand seventy-two provinces at that time. Founded on 9September 1956 by Thanpuying La-iad Pibulsonggram ,the NCWT was set up to be an independent womensmovement, without ties to the government or any

political party. In this manner, the Council acts as aneutral agent in bringing together the activities of thegovernment and private sector to support and developwomen. 1

The Council, with Her Majestys guidance,searches for ways and means to raise the status andquality of life of Thai women, stemming through thepromotion of education, occupations, family life and

1 Social Welfare Department, Private Organizations underRoyal Patronage of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, Social WelfareDepartment, Bangkok : 1992.


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health. It does this by searching for obstructions towomens development, and identi es ways aroundthem, all the while co-operating with domestic andinternational agencies. For instance, the NCWT o enrepresents womens a airs on dialogues with the UnitedNations.

The problems faced by Thai women such as humantra cking and the sex trade were not a result of self-

will. As Her Majesty knew from frequent travels tothe provinces, much of them were based on a limitedknowledge of their rights. In certain cases, their rightswere not equal under the law.

Thai women were enfranchised in 1932, followingthe change of the political system, and the rstConstitution which declared all Thais to be equal.Today, Article 1997 of the Constitution also states invery speci c terms the equality of all Thai people, yetwomen o en nd themselves disadvantaged by legalloopholes. Society in Thailand is still male-dominated.Her Majestys programmes to provide women withoccupations that made them more self-su cient wasalso aimed to give women self-respect. For all theirresponsibilities for the home and the children, social

and cultural reasons mean that women o en bear theburden of looking a er the family.Over several years, through her work, Her

Majesty built up a reputation as a proponent ofwomens rights. Naturally, many of them thought ofher when they were at a particular nexus of theirlives, perhaps reasoning that she was the only famousperson who was known to be interested in helpingwomen. Whatever the reason, the palace received manyle ers from women about issues that required a legalresponse and Her Majestys Secretariat usually passedthem on to the Womens Lawyers Association of


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Thailand (WLAT), founded in 1947 by female lawgraduates speci cally to explain the law to those whocould not a ord a lawyer, or who knew nothing aboutthe law, especially family law. It disseminates legalinformation and training in family law.

A typical case passed on to the WLAT by the palacewas of a woman in Phetchaburi who allowed one of herrelatives to use her land as collateral in order to take

out a loan from a bank. When that relative could notrepay the bank loan, the bank seized all the womansland, even though it was worth more than the loan.The WLAT took up the case and a lawyer went to thebank and argued that it should have accepted partialpayment for the amount of the loan, not taken all theland of someone who had not understood the law inthese cases. Fortunately, the bank was persuaded to

return half of the land it had seized. Land rights forwomen are a particular problem.

A company takes deposits from people to bookland for a house in a new housing project,

Says Payow Kamalmalaya, the Director of WLAT,explaining the way in which ordinary people areexploited due to their lack of legal knowledge.

The buyers did not know that the land had beenmortgaged to the bank and the company just took thedeposits without thinking of handing over the land.

Her Majesty is most concerned with the problemsfaced by women. In many cases she can nd trainingfor those she comes across, but it is an impossible taskto assist everyone. Thus the queen became the patronof the Women Lawyers Association of Thailand, on 15June 1979, and supported the Association in its ghtto promote knowledge of the law to ordinary womenand to ght on their behalf.


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1 It should be noted that at the time, women could not be district

o cers or provincial governors and that they could not take theexams that would allow them to rise in the hierarchy. When theywere eventually allowed to take the exams, they performed verywell, but still had to struggle to get on. One famous example wasthe breakthrough of Mrs. Chalochit Chitarutha, who in 1966became the rst woman judge in Thailand.

The WLAT has worked hard to seek womensequality under family law. On 1 October 1976, theAssociation played a role in changing the law to allowwomen to control their own property. Dividing marriageassets a er a divorce had been di cult due to the maleperspective embodied in the law. With Her Majestyssupport, the Government agreed that womens rightsin marriage with regard to personal assets were madeequal. Eventually, they were successful. 1

Thirty years later, well-known lawyer and humanrights activist Thongbai Thongpao wrote about thesevere inequalities that still existed between men andwomen despite the continuous e orts of womensrights activists.

The success of this ba le depends largely oninforming males of the equal rights between the twosexes. In other words, the e orts can be fruitful onlywhen men are well-informed of the essence of thismovement and agree to give up the long-held beliefsand habits in which they have had privileges over theopposite sex.

Concurrently, women must be enlightened asto the basic fact that men and women are equal. Theyneed to be woken up and liberated from centuries-oldbeliefs or traditions which maintain that men aresuperior, men are leaders and only men can be theheads of families. According to these beliefs, women


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are supposed to obey without question and serve theirhusbands like slaves.1

Her Majesty is pleased to lend her patronage toother organizations who promote economics in thefamily so that women can develop to run a homee ectively and with the basic knowledge of homeeconomics required. The Thai Home EconomicsAssociation (THEA) came under the Royal Patronage

of Her Majesty the Queen in 1963 because it is one ofthe most determined non-government organizationsto support the family, the smallest but most importantunit of society, with conferences, seminars, andworkshops.

Through home economics, Her Majesty encourageswomen to be serious about their family responsibilitiesand nd ways to live within their means. THEA aimsto make the study of home economics more academicand professional, teaching women how to handle themoney issues that every family must deal with, ndingnew and more cost e ective methods of running ahome. It generally sees a womans role in the home as aserious career that requires some academic backgroundknowledge in order to be successful. Such concern of the

status of women in society has not gone unrecognizedby global bodies either. It was in 1985 that Her Majestyreceived the Asia Society Humanitarian Award forher work to preserve Thai folk arts and cra s and forelevating the role of women by giving them the meansto be economically independent. Later, in 1992, HerMajesty received the UNIFEM Award of Excellence fromthe United Nations Development Fund For Women.

1 Thongbai Thongpao, Bangkok Post , 28 April 1996.


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Her Majesty Queen Sirikit receiving the UNICEF Special Recognition Award byMrs Karin Sham Poo, Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF, 2 August 1992.


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Her Majesty Queen Sirikit receiving the UNIFEM Award of Excellence byMrs Sharon Capling-Alakya Deputy Executive Director of UNIFEM,2 August 1992.


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Her Majestys encouragement of others to supportthe institution of the family gave rise to a generalconsensus that Her Majestys birthday on 12 Augustbecome National Mothers Day. In recognition of hermany charitable activities as mother of the nation.By chance, the vernacular of many hilltribes peopleassisted by Her Majesty led many of them to refer toher as Chao Mae Luang or Royal Mother whenevershe visits them.

The Buddhist religion makes it clear thateverything is a ma er of cause and e ect. Her Majestysinterest in the status of women in Thai society hasplayed a role in their development over the past 50years. By supporting womens groups, Her Majestyhas signalled that the way of life of Thai people canchange for the be er. Thus we see that the constitutionalrights of women are equally enshrined with men.However, it is society that will change over time,and the queen pays a ention to the opportunitiesthat women have to work and earn a living forthemselves and their families. In this, she acts as anexample to society of how we can help one another,and how women can help themselves.

Mothers Day 2004.


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Hilltribesmen greeting Her Majesty, whom they dub Royal Mother.


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Chapter 6: Her Majestys Involvement in Education

T hroughout the rst decade of the reign, Her

Majesty the Queen has been involved in manyof His Majesty the Kings educational and

public welfare programmes, like raising funds forhospital buildings, leprosy programmes, vaccinationsagainst cholera, especially programmes and schoolsfor poor children as stated in her royal speech on 18August 1986 at Dusitdalai Hall.

...I want to achieve my objectives, to reach outto the poorest people that I can, to give them the fouressentials; to make them as developed as the centreof our nation; to allow their children to receive aneducation. I am determined to ensure the people havean integrated village, with farming, animal husbandryand a rice bank. This is what is called, live well, eatwell, free from ill health caused by a lack of food.1

As the years passed, Her Majesty developedvocational education projects that provided the poorwith a means to supplement their income as farmers.Sometimes this involved teaching them a cra or tradeso that they could support their families. Her Majestysvocational education projects, like the SUPPORT

1 Ministry of Education, Her Majesty the Queens Activities inEducation, Religion and Public Health, Bangkok : 1995, p. 16.


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Foundation discussed in Chapter 4, have helped tobolster Thailands ancient arts and cra s, reviving themand making them again the pride of all Thai people.

However, not many people are aware of HerMajestys involvement in general education and herinterest in teaching, not simply initiating projects.Keeping in mind His Majesty the Kings wish thatthe queen should pay a ention to the family, 1 she hastaken schools under her protection and guidance inorder to contribute to the future stability of the family.Her Majesty made this desire to stress the importanceof education at a National Council for Women on 24February 1962.

Training provides children with knowledgeand a good a itude. They know the value of sharingbene ts. This is important for the development of our

nation.2

1 See also Chapter 3.2 Ministry of Education, Her Majesty the Queens Activities in

Education, Religion and Healthcare, Bangkok : 1995, p. 37.

Viewing SUPPORT students work.


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Queen Sirikit : Glory of the NationHer Majestys Involvement in Education

Representing His Majesty the King, Her Majesty bestowed sabres anddegrees on new graduates of Chulachomklao Military Academy, the NavalAcademy, and the Air Force Academy at the Ministry of Defence on 8April 1975.

Conferring certi cates to students of Saipanya School.


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Her Majestys interest in education and teachingstems from her interest in her own childrens education.Their Majesties have always been devoted parents andspent hours playing with their children. The king canbe seen wearing a polo shirt in family photos playingwith the children while the queen sits on the groundtelling stories to them. Her Majesty is an avid readerand musician. As she is a classically trained pianist, herfamily and friends have been entertained by the queenat the piano on several occasions. Although these days,she has li le time to practise, one of Her Majestyssecretariat has mentioned that the piano is her meansof relaxation. This includes some songs writing on herpart, o en poetry to be set to music by many of hertalented palace musicians. Her favourite subject ma ertends to be poetic descriptions of owers, one of the

queens great interests in conservation ma ers also.


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Her Majesty knew well enough that Thai esteemfor royalty is such that teachers at the regularschools would spoil them. In 1955, a school namedChitralada School had already been established inthe royal residence, in Bangkok, and students coulda end without having to pay fees or for meals inthe early days. Her Majesty permi ed the children

of members of the royal family, their entourage andstudents from outside to study with her children,Princess Ubol Ratana, Prince Vajiralongkorn, PrincessSirindhorn and Princess Chulabhorn. A er the royalchildren graduated from Chitralada School, theinstitution continued to operate as a private school.

Besides this, she helped children from families

working at the royal household by permi ing them tostudy at Chitralada School. While this opportunity isopen to them, should the places be unavailable, HerMajesty will o er a scholarship from her own fundsto ensure they receive an education.

HRH Prince Vajiralongkorn with his classmate at Chitralada School.


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Her Majesty the Queen also initiated the teaching of

villagers in various provinces, both adults and children,in the most cost-e ective manner. She insisted thateducation could be provided outside or without schoolbuildings, by teaching children herself in pavilions oron beaches, cooled by sea breezes.

Beachside pavilion at Pran Buri.

Teaching at the beachside pavilion at Pran Buri,Prachuap Khiri Khan Province.


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Her Majesty went to Ban Pran Khiri, Hua Hin,Prachuap Khiri Khan Province early in the reign whereshe used to teach the village children. It is said thatwhen her automobile swept into the village, childrenwould run excitedly toward the school for their lessonwith the queen, shouting to their friends that their royalteacher had arrived. Her Majesty prepared primarylevel reading practice books for these lessons. Thequeen o en used general information books to read,things that local people would nd interesting andnot too dry, such as folk stories and the Jataka tales. 1 Sometimes she would read from a history of Thailandand more mature novels by leading Thai writers likeRed Bamboo by MR Kukrit Pramoj . Her Majestytaught individuals and groups of 2 - 3 students, o ensi ing on the beach under a tree. She gave awards tothose who could read fast and diligently, keeping anaccount of all the students she taught. She listed notonly whom she taught, but also how well they studied,noting especially those who could read well. This is aninteresting characteristic of Her Majesty.

1 The tales are a series of stories telling of the many reincarnationsof the Lord Buddha.

Her Majesty alwaysprepares gi s of books,pencils and uniform forschool children in the

village.


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Visiting a bookstore.

Presentingprints of the

LordBuddhas life

to teachers,12 March

1992.

She nds read-ing to be a valuablea ribute and is knownto encourage thosearound her to read.Her gi s for peopleupon her return fromabroad are o en books,which she chose onher frequent visitsto bookstores. Evenif she herself has notime, she will arrangefor her companions tobe given a tour of the

bookshops and has been known to purchase relevantliterature, on military ma ers for instance, for herbodyguards. 1

Her Majesty taught general knowledge, but stressedmoral education, the story of the Lord Buddha, how

1 From an interview with Thanpuying Pharani Mahanonda, 2004.


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to be a good person for society and nation, diligence,love of country and of oneself. Her Majesty distributeduseful books about religion and others with knowledgeof Thailand, such as important places, ancient sites,novels that stimulated knowledge and ideas.

Her Majesty set up temporary SUPPORT centresnear several royal palaces and elsewhere, afterconsulting with local monks about which villages were

notably poor. Her Majesty would then select a villagethat she was informed was particularly in need ofassistance and set up a centre there. She would teach

At Sala Ruam Jai.

the children of traineesat the supplementaryoccupa t ion cen t resherself, or sometimes

asked her royal guardsto assist her in teachingsubjects such as religion,e th i c s and hea l theducation.


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Her Majesty had an idea that she could provideThai people in the countryside with library sevices andbasic health care through a place called Sala RuamJai . It is similar in part to a local library, containingbooks and magazines on topics that villagers can useto assist themselves and their own development. Theseinclude Buddhist texts, academic books, novels andmagazines. Like libraries, they contained newspapersfor local people to keep up with national news andgeneral information. Local knowledge was in dangerof disappearing, so Sala Ruam Jai act almost asdepositories of local wisdom and handicra s. Basicmedicines are also kept there for use by the villagerson the advice of local health volunteers.

One Sala Ruam Jai set up at a temple is WatSarawan, Ban Ludong (Sarawan), Mai Kaen Sub-district, Pa ani Province, in the South of Thailand,established on 18 June 1984. These places of knowledgeare Her Majestys personal contribution to villagers,and are good examples of Her Majestys people-centredapproach.

As mentioned above, health volunteers werepart of the Sala Ruam Jai facilities. Her Majesty pays

for the basic medical training of a number of localvillagers who will be stationed at the Sala Ruam Jai,knowledgeable enough to o er immediate, but basic,medical care to the other villagers. Naturally, there isa simple medical kit with essential medicines on hand,and very o en a telephone for the volunteers to calla local clinic or government medical centre for thepurpose of asking advice whe

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