Chaophraya River back and nowadays

[Melom]

Main river of Thailand where Bangkok is upon, not aways looked like we used to see nowadays. See the map - light blue is the modern river with its basin. Darker blue - the parts of the old watercourse centuries ago. Today they are treated as canals.

At the North (mark 1722) is the small artificial island Ko Kret. Kind of reservation of Mon culture, local craftsman's market. Nice weekend route for the Bangkokians. The island of quietness and peace in the metropolis. Unbending canal was dug in 1722 and became a new part part ofwatercourse shortening it up 4 km.

Below (mark 1636) in this year another loop-line around Nonthaburi town (nowadays part of the metropolis) had been connected.

Century earlier in 1538 годы the first ever grand canal connected two other roundabouts for shorting the way for barges from estuary to Ayutthaya being the capital in that time. Following plans changed and the canal haven't became the part of the river.

In 1542 another detour had broke up right in front of future capital city. Old watercourse now called "Bangkok Yai" and "Bangkok Noi" though before re-engineering such names belonged to the last and the previous dug canals. River track became shorter in 14 km.

Later water engineering has been merely on drainage and irrigation. Only in 1874 one more detour has been connected but without purpose to change the watercourse.

As you may notice that Thailand was not that relaxed how it may be compared today to other heavy developed countries. They just don't strain as others do, keep harmony and that is why we like here. But in earlier times Thailand (Siam) was a mouthwatering jackpot. Britain and France liked mouthes but were slow because didn't know how to split it up between both of them. Though France did zapped Cambodia and Laos been controlled by Siam. Britain also cut something off at the west side. King Rama V was really great, under suppress of colonizers he could preserve enclave around Ankor Wat, which formally belonged to Thailand till end of WW2. Postwar order decided to transfer Angkor Wat to Cambodia. Thai government does not do any official attempts, but voice of people sometime shout out" Angkor is ours" as soon as it was theirs from the mid XIV till mid XX centuries. Pretty similar to Russians shouts "Crimea is ours", but they seems made it reality.

By the way when Britain and France were clamping rest of Siam, King Rama V went for friendly visit to Russia. Rama V and Nicolas II actually were familiar to each since crown prince Nicolas visited Bangkok on the cruiser "Aurora" which later became symbol of Russian revolution. Anyhow Nicolas did some diplomatic attempts and colonial suppression on Siam has been eliminated. In fact Thailand is the only country in SE Asia never been colonized.

On the junction of XIX-XX centuries Siam was a tough country. It even had political slang, similar to White House or Kremlin. It was called "Maenam" shortening from Maenam Chaophraya. By the way Mekong river in Thai called "Maenam Kong".

Alas golden age of Siam came to afterglow. In 1932 Siam was renamed to Thailand and the Chakra flag (standard of Chakri dynasty) has been changed to modern tricolor. Chakri is the collective dynasty name made of the word chakra. It is normal to give royal name by a suitable term. For instance do you think that "Richard" was an ordinary name back days? It means ancient European "ric" turned to Latin "rex" meaning king and "hard" is ancient heart. Thereby expression Richard the Lionheart is pretty tautological.

There is certain opinion flying around that changing name and flag is the sign that a country which have done it accepts new world global order and relinquish full sovereignty. You may look are there any correlations in other countries.

[Thian]

If you walk around Ko-kret you have to jump aside all the time for bicycles.

[Melom]

Maximalism ain't an argument.

[tgeezer]

Very interesting, thanks for posting. I have a history of the Ratanagosin era showing appropriations by both GB and France in the 1800s and first decade of the 19th century. I must re read it.


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[katana]

Looks like they would become oxbow lakes in the absence of dredging.