Old Siam

Siam conjures up romantic visions of a bygone time in Asia - Anna and the King, royal ceremonies, fantastic temples, longtail boats and floating markets on the rivers, Buddhist monks, jungles, and traditional arts and crafts.

Siam was the land of the Muang Thai (the Free). Indeed, no colonial power ever managed to conquer Siam. In fact, it might be said that Siam and Thailand conquered the hearts of many a farang (foreigner), and to this day Thailand continues to weave a spell on visitors from foreign lands.

Siam's people were known for the arts, and the architecture, drawing, goldsmith's work, carving, music and dancing are all highly developed in strict accordance with the traditions of Indo-Chinese art.

Today, Siam's successor - Thailand - is a mostly modern country, but here and there it is still possible to find bits and pieces of old Siam.

The 1944 novel Anna and the King of Siam has captured the imaginations of many people over the years. That novel was based on The English Governess at the Siamese Court, written by Anna Leonowens and published in 1870. Leonowens was a widow with two children who had served as governess or tutor to King Rama IV's 64 children.

In 1872 she published a second volume, The Romance of the Harem. This volume, like its predecessor, captivated people everywhere with its exotic portrayal of Siam.

In 1951 the stage musical The King and I made the bald-headed actor Yul Brynner famous and won him a Tony award. He performed in the musical over 1,200 times on Broadway, and went on to star in the 1956 movie version, which was released to popular acclaim and won 5 Oscars.

Anna and the King is the 1999 film version of the story and stars Jody Foster. As with the books, musical and movie before it, that film was denounced as inaccurate by the Thai government.

We'll never know how much of the original story is true, but every version of this story has contributed to the Western romantic notion of Old Siam. And it's a good story!

Time magazine's online archive is a treasure trove of fascinating articles - from a Western perspective, of course - about Siam, Thailand, and Bangkok. Here are just a few:

SIAM: Two-Edged Blow, December 7, 1925

SIAM: National Paradox, December 13, 1926

SIAM: Mighty Monarch, April 20, 1931

THAILAND: Affair of the Mekong, December 30, 1940

SIAM: The Dancers Mourn, July 8, 1946

SIAM: Garden of Smiles, April 3, 1950

THAILAND: Holder of the Kingdom, Strength of the Land, May 27, 1966

In many parts of the world people believe in and use sacred amulets. Thailand is no exception - its people believe that amulets blessed by certain Buddhist monks are very powerful.

There is a global market for Thai amulets, and in Thailand the sale of amulets is a multi-million dollar business.

An amulet will be created and worn for a specific reason(s). Just a few of the many types of powers attributed to amulets include good luck, wealth attraction, protection from evil, protection of the body, protection of the family and one's health, protection against weapons, to bring love into their lives, and for protection against natural disasters such as tsunamis or floods.

Even some of the monks in Thailand wear amulets. Ajarn Jumnien of Tiger Cave Temple in the southern part of Thailand is known to wear twenty or more amulets at a time. He's known as "the good luck monk" because he's never seen without amulets and because he gives amulets away to others.

Most Thais wear at least one amulet, and it's not uncommon for ordinary people to wear three, four, or even five at one time. There are those who have collections of rare amulets that they keep hidden away, although whether an amulet that's not worn can work its "magic" is questionable.

In Thailand, amulets sell for as little as a couple of dollars and as much as $600 or even more. The more expensive amulets are thought to be old, but there's a premium on newer amulets that are thought to have greater power. How much power an amulet is perceived to have depends on the monk who created and blessed the amulet, but it may also have perceived power based on what protection similar amulets have provided in the past. For example, Jatukam Thai amulets became extremely popular for a while because someone wearing one of them was shot at with a gun that misfired twice.

Here is one amazing collection of Thai amulets, along with information about specific types of amulets.

Magical Amulets and Spells of Thailand provides a good overview of the types of amulets used in Thailand, and Buying Thai Buddhist Amulets will give you some tips for finding authentic amulets.

Porcelain tokens were used in old Siam at Chinese-run gambling establishments (known as hongs). Various sources disagree about when they first came into use in - some say the mid- to late 1700s, while others say the early 1800s.

They were in a game called Fantan. First they were used as counters, but later, the owners of the hongs allowed them to be used as currency withiin their districts. Those who issued the pees, as they were known, were required to exchange them for gold or silver. The tokens were much easier to use than the silver bars that were Siam's legal tender at the time, and in fact became so popular that they were used in trade throughout Siam. The value of the token appears on one side in Siamese or Chinese. Use of the tokens was eventually forbidden by Siam's King Rama IV; in 1875 he ordered new coins to be struck and circulated for his country.

Still, the tokens remained in circulation for a long time and were used as underground currency well into the 20th century. Many different different shapes and varieties were made, perhaps as many as 8,000 different designs. Today they can be found in the shops of antique and coin dealers around the world.