Thailand in 1937...historical post....

[layow]

Taken from this old Magazine I found at a garage sale.

 

Has some interesting photos from around Thailand from 1937

 

 

 

check out the last line....not anymore

 

wonder where that photo was taken? thats the "chao phrayer" river was "menam"

 

probably close to the Palace so could be looking at the rattanakosin island area

 

 

 

maybe sukumvit rd 70 years ago? 55555

 

 

 

More later

[whitespider - RIP]

No thats not the Chao Praya - Chao Praya is a BIG thing LOL. Menam must have been the original tributory that the city grew around.

 

Talking of history - I was talking to a Thau businessman the other day who was telling me that many Thais (especially the older ones) have never forgiven the Americans for the mass bombings of the city towards the end of WW2. Apparently it only lasted 2 nights but several thousand were killed and temples destroyed etc. The topic came up because he was telling me why they love the Japanese here because of course its not the money LOL.

 

I didn't even know they did this - does anyone have any more info or heard tales from thais about it?

 

My (limited) understanding is that Thailand was allied to Japan but played little active part in the war and that the Japanese presence here was rather disliked. Their iitial alliance to Japan was (apparently) more an "anti-French" move more than anything else.

[layow]

right, thanks ws

 

I read somewhere that the chao praya was called the menam where i got mixed up

 

though it could be anywhere up to aytthunya

 

I have a photo of the chao showing wat arun the river looks smaller but not by that much

 

but who knows what the reporter was told or could find out

 

possibly the canal that makes the rattanakosin area.

 

I know there was only one battle fought against the japs by the thai down near Phuket.

 

What I find strange is the way thais are proud of never being colonialized and yet caved to japs with only that small battle.

 

guess they'd rather have asians than farang.

 

 

[Cennn3]

I have been up there in a boat but it was a bit more modern than the boats in you picture. Nice set of pics.

 

Menam means river. Now it is called Chao praya

[layow]

well that shows my knowledge of Thai

 

and shows how the thais haven't changed much

 

just tell the farang its called "the river"

[Chuk Wa]

photos not working!!!!!

[lincslad]

photos not working!!!!!

 

Same here.

[arpita21_ind]

May be the links are broken.................

[formulas]

could you please reupload the pictures?

[ginseng]

Would love to see those pics but not working for me as well.

[gunzel24]

Re the US bombing of BKK at the end of WW2, one of the areas they really targetted was the railway facilities around Makkasan. After the war the Japs as part of the reparations rebuilt the station and workshops.

 

However, these buildings are nearing the end of their working life and the land is very valuable now and with the airport rail line now almost completed the area is about to undergo dramatic change again with the workshops being demolished and redeveloped, probably as yet another huge shopping complex - just what BKK needs!

[americanpunter]

i think it's a problem with this forum. i noticed a lot of database error messages the other day

[layow]

i'll try to dig them up

but i dont think i have them with me now!!!

[myMY77]

photos not working ):