Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr (Chhum or Choom Abhaiwongse, (1861 to 1922) was the last Lord-Governor of Battambang province from 1895-1907).MANSION fit for A KING
The Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr building has a storied history and remains an architectural jewel
10th March, 2009
By VASANA CHINVARAKORN
Bangkok Post
This is a building inspired by love and loyalty. And for the past century, the ochre-coloured two-story mansion next to the Prachin Buri river has been through a fascinating history of transformations. Named after the original owner, Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr (Chhum/Choom Abhaiwongse, 1861 to 1922), the baroque-style building was born out of his simple wish to provide a vacation residence fit for a king. Then it was offered as a royal wedding gift, and later turned into a hospital touted to be the country's most beautiful. Now housing a museum on traditional Thai medicine, the picture of its facade has been used as the logo of Thailand's most popular line of herbal products under the brand name of "Abhaibhubejhr".
It all began in 1909. A loyal subject to King Chulalongkorn, Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr had an opportunity to play host during the former's royal visit to Prachin Buri a year earlier. Due to limited resources at the time - Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr himself had just relocated his whole family from Cambodia's Battambang to Siam in 1907 - the monarch had to stay in a makeshift pavilion for the entire trip. After the king's departure, Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr thus decided to initiate the construction project, to build a mansion more fitting for His Majesty, lest he might return to the area again.
Estimated to cost about a million baht, a rather considerable sum at the time, the ambitious scheme recruited the best of designers and craftsmen. A French architectural firm that had been commissioned to build a similar style of building in Battambang while Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr was still the governor there was rehired; certain high-quality materials unavailable locally like roof and floor tiles, rainwater pipes and a weathercock (with both eyes made of real diamonds, it is reputed) were imported from overseas. It is believed that the builders may have been drawn from French Indochina, as well.
King Vajiravudh and his royal consort, Phra Nang Chao Suvadhana, formerly Tew Abhaiwongse, on their wedding day.
Despite his best intentions, however, the mansion was completed after King Chulalongkorn's demise in 1910. But Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr was able to throw a lavish reception on the premises when King Vajiravudh paid him a royal visit two years later. Intriguingly, the building was subsequently presented as a wedding gift when the monarch married one of Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr's granddaughters, Kruakaew, aka Tew Abhaiwongse, who was appointed Phra Nang Chao Suvadhana (royal consort) in 1924.
It should be noted that up until his final days, Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr had never made use of the building himself. Ironically, the only occasion came after he passed away, in 1922, with his royally sponsored funeral service being held at the site.
The century-old Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr building in Prachin Buri remains a testament to the unwavering loyalty of one man for his beloved monarch. It has been transformed from a vacation residence of Rama VI, who married Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr’s granddaughter, to a public hospital and now a museum of traditional Thai medicine.
As a tribute to her grandfather, in 1937 Phra Nang Chao Suvadhana decided to donate the building to the Royal Thai Army to be used as a hospital catering to both the military and the local public. Four years later, it was transferred to the Ministry of Public Health, which named it the Prachin Buri Hospital. The present name of Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr Hospital was unanimously voted on by the provincial council in 1966.
The first phase of restoration began in 1970, when then hospital director Dr Sujin Palakornkul deemed it necessary to return the building to as near the original condition as possible. From then on, it was used only for special occasions such as to receive members of the royal family and, interestingly, to host the wedding parties of hospital staff. In 1990, the Fine Arts Department registered the building as a heritage site.
Pharmacist Supaporn Pitiporn.
Substantial repair work did not take place, however, until well into the mid-'90s. In 1994, pharmacist Supaporn Pitiporn pioneered the task, with support from then-director Dr Prem Chinvanthananond. Despite the initial difficulty of fund-raising, the mission was finally accomplished - the first building of Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr Hospital was restored to its former grandeur. In 1999, it won an award for the best architectural design (building category) from HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.
But a building is more than a combination of bricks and tiles. For years, Supaporn has been researching Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr's life and the more she learns, the more she grows to admire his calibre and loyalty to his king. "This is a person who was willing to leave everything for the sake of his country." Supaporn refers in particular to the historic juncture in 1907 when Siam was forced to cede its control over Siem Riep, Sisophon and Battambang in return for the coastal towns of Trat and Chantaburi. Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr decided to return to Siam despite an offer by the French colonial power that he could remain the governor of Battambang and adjacent areas if he wished.
Supaporn thus views her work at the hospital, promoting knowledge and use of traditional Thai medicine, as an effort to carry on Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr's spirit. A century ago, the man stood up to defy the foreign powers. Now, it is to keep national "sovereignty" from the multinational pharmaceutical industry with its patent-oriented regime.
"So there is a continuation between the legacies of Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr and us his descendants. We respect him because we understand, appreciate, what he tried to do throughout his life. Our hope is only that we will be able to be completely self-reliant in terms of producing our own [herbal] medicine for our needs, one day."
Were Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr still alive, he would be tremendously pleased.
10th March, 2009
By VASANA CHINVARAKORN
Bangkok Post
This is a building inspired by love and loyalty. And for the past century, the ochre-coloured two-story mansion next to the Prachin Buri river has been through a fascinating history of transformations. Named after the original owner, Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr (Chhum/Choom Abhaiwongse, 1861 to 1922), the baroque-style building was born out of his simple wish to provide a vacation residence fit for a king. Then it was offered as a royal wedding gift, and later turned into a hospital touted to be the country's most beautiful. Now housing a museum on traditional Thai medicine, the picture of its facade has been used as the logo of Thailand's most popular line of herbal products under the brand name of "Abhaibhubejhr".
It all began in 1909. A loyal subject to King Chulalongkorn, Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr had an opportunity to play host during the former's royal visit to Prachin Buri a year earlier. Due to limited resources at the time - Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr himself had just relocated his whole family from Cambodia's Battambang to Siam in 1907 - the monarch had to stay in a makeshift pavilion for the entire trip. After the king's departure, Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr thus decided to initiate the construction project, to build a mansion more fitting for His Majesty, lest he might return to the area again.
Estimated to cost about a million baht, a rather considerable sum at the time, the ambitious scheme recruited the best of designers and craftsmen. A French architectural firm that had been commissioned to build a similar style of building in Battambang while Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr was still the governor there was rehired; certain high-quality materials unavailable locally like roof and floor tiles, rainwater pipes and a weathercock (with both eyes made of real diamonds, it is reputed) were imported from overseas. It is believed that the builders may have been drawn from French Indochina, as well.
King Vajiravudh and his royal consort, Phra Nang Chao Suvadhana, formerly Tew Abhaiwongse, on their wedding day.Despite his best intentions, however, the mansion was completed after King Chulalongkorn's demise in 1910. But Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr was able to throw a lavish reception on the premises when King Vajiravudh paid him a royal visit two years later. Intriguingly, the building was subsequently presented as a wedding gift when the monarch married one of Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr's granddaughters, Kruakaew, aka Tew Abhaiwongse, who was appointed Phra Nang Chao Suvadhana (royal consort) in 1924.
It should be noted that up until his final days, Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr had never made use of the building himself. Ironically, the only occasion came after he passed away, in 1922, with his royally sponsored funeral service being held at the site.
The century-old Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr building in Prachin Buri remains a testament to the unwavering loyalty of one man for his beloved monarch. It has been transformed from a vacation residence of Rama VI, who married Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr’s granddaughter, to a public hospital and now a museum of traditional Thai medicine.As a tribute to her grandfather, in 1937 Phra Nang Chao Suvadhana decided to donate the building to the Royal Thai Army to be used as a hospital catering to both the military and the local public. Four years later, it was transferred to the Ministry of Public Health, which named it the Prachin Buri Hospital. The present name of Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr Hospital was unanimously voted on by the provincial council in 1966.
The first phase of restoration began in 1970, when then hospital director Dr Sujin Palakornkul deemed it necessary to return the building to as near the original condition as possible. From then on, it was used only for special occasions such as to receive members of the royal family and, interestingly, to host the wedding parties of hospital staff. In 1990, the Fine Arts Department registered the building as a heritage site.
Pharmacist Supaporn Pitiporn.Substantial repair work did not take place, however, until well into the mid-'90s. In 1994, pharmacist Supaporn Pitiporn pioneered the task, with support from then-director Dr Prem Chinvanthananond. Despite the initial difficulty of fund-raising, the mission was finally accomplished - the first building of Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr Hospital was restored to its former grandeur. In 1999, it won an award for the best architectural design (building category) from HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.
But a building is more than a combination of bricks and tiles. For years, Supaporn has been researching Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr's life and the more she learns, the more she grows to admire his calibre and loyalty to his king. "This is a person who was willing to leave everything for the sake of his country." Supaporn refers in particular to the historic juncture in 1907 when Siam was forced to cede its control over Siem Riep, Sisophon and Battambang in return for the coastal towns of Trat and Chantaburi. Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr decided to return to Siam despite an offer by the French colonial power that he could remain the governor of Battambang and adjacent areas if he wished.
Supaporn thus views her work at the hospital, promoting knowledge and use of traditional Thai medicine, as an effort to carry on Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr's spirit. A century ago, the man stood up to defy the foreign powers. Now, it is to keep national "sovereignty" from the multinational pharmaceutical industry with its patent-oriented regime.
"So there is a continuation between the legacies of Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr and us his descendants. We respect him because we understand, appreciate, what he tried to do throughout his life. Our hope is only that we will be able to be completely self-reliant in terms of producing our own [herbal] medicine for our needs, one day."Were Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr still alive, he would be tremendously pleased.
2 comments:
The Aphaiwongs abundant assets were taxed from the Cambodian farmers when this family ruled Battambang from 1795-1907. While they live like kings, the Cambodian formers, whom they heavily taxed, live miserably. While the Thais hailed the Aphaiwongs as their heroes, the Khmers condemned them as traitors.
to an anomymous person that left a comment on 13 march 2009 9:19mp. What you said is not all true. The people in pnom penh hated the people in battambong. they do anything to make people in Battambong hate each other. Aside from the truth, it's the people in phnom penh that taxed their own people to death and neglected the poor Cambodian. most people in Battambong always had peace and stability when the Aphaiwongs family was there. Ever since they left, we never had peace more than 20 years; there's always been war/genocide/hunger. I personaly wished the Aphaiwongs had stayed/rulled Battambong and the surrounding states. Because they would have fought off the Pol Pot army and we would't suffer like we did from 1975-1979. Please do not beleve everything that was written by the dogs of Phnom Penh. thanx
Post a Comment