Following the footsteps of Mae Fah Luang
Terri Roamer
A fascinating historical tour traces a trail from a humble dwelling in Bangkok to a hilltop royal villa in Chiang Rai.
History inspires and Thailand’s long and colourful pageantry of events as well as its cultural evolution spanning more than 1,000 years will inspire today’s travellers.
Granted, most tourists head for popular beach resorts to chill out, but for visitors seeking the real Thailand, the journey of discovery unfolds on a variety of heritage trails that begin in the Thai capital and head and northeast of the Thai capital.
Modern history inspires me, possibly because many of the characters who play lead roles are still alive, or if they have passed on their images and impact on society remain fresh in our minds.
We have seen them, witnessed their work so the accounts of historians can be weighed and balanced with what we have experienced.
Thailand is steeped in ancient history reflected in the early adoption of Buddhism, visible in its magnificent temples. There are cities such as Sukhothai where monuments pay tribute to the first written text of the land, or the golden era that marked the first trade encounters with the west evident in the ruins of gilded palaces and temples of Ayutthaya.
But I am on the Thonburi side of the Thai capital in a small garden close to the bustling boat traffic on the Chao Phraya River intent on discovering more of an inspirational story of a mother who changed and impacted the lives of millions of Thais.
She was the mother of two Thai kings, Rama VIII and Rama IX, but born a commoner. She lived as child in a simple wooden terraced house almost in earshot of where I am standing.
Yes the life and times of the Princess Mother fascinates me. It has the trimmings of a fairy tale; the touches of romance and most significantly changed the country’s destiny in turbulent modern times.
You could say the small museum tucked away on the Thonburi side of the river is one of those hidden treasures of Thailand. It hardly gains a mention in guide books and is visited by just a few tourists.
But it can mark the start of a fascinating journey north in the footsteps of the Princess Mother who was affectionately named Mae Fah Luang by the ethnic minority groups of the far north.
The journey starts here in the gardens of the museum where visitors can study a replica of the wooden house that the Princess Mother lived in when she was a child.
The museum park, shaded by a canopy of majestic trees, is an oasis of calm just metres away from Klong San district’s busy lanes and streets.
The Princess Mother Memorial Park was built in 1993 on instructions of HM the King who wanted to build a museum with a replica of the “old house” where his mother (Princess Srinagarindra) lived when she was young.
The actual house where she lived, in a lane just 200 metres from the museum, has long been demolished to make way for progress, leaving just a couple of wooden single story houses. We could imagine the Princess Mother dwelled in one of those simple homes, but the replica house at the museum provides a more accurate rendering of living conditions.
The museum, itself, has two distinct buildings that should be admired for their construction and use of teak wood.
The first exhibition hall concentrates on the Princess Mother’s early life including pictures and models of her residences and particularly the modest house where she resided during her childhood.
It also tells the story of the park that used to be a residence of Chao Phraya Sriphiaphat (Pae Bunnag). It was purchased by the Indian migrant trader, Ibrahim Nana, who built a family mansion that was close to his riverside godown. Later, the Nana family donated the mansion and land to His Majesty the King who converted the property into the Princess Mother Memorial Park as a museum and community centre.
The second hall illustrates the various projects initiated and nurtured by “Som Dej Yah” the affectionate title used by most Thais when speaking of the Princess Mother.
The hall has a sense of home rather than a museum with wooden floors and stout teak window frames and shutters.
Here most of the exhibits are household items or reflect the hobbies or interests of Princess Srinagarindra.
A pair of wooden skis she used when living in Switzerland drew my attention. Compared with the carbon sleek skis of today, there is nothing much in common, except for the general shape. Yet, they reflect a beauty of handcrafted wood and a priceless craftsmanship.
As the journey continues through the museum, you gain insights into the driving force that gave the Mahidol family its inspiration and gave this land the greatest monarch of all time.
The museum is small and unassuming but its simplicity gains our attention and gently leads us to an understanding of the life and times of a remarkable woman.
While concentrating on her life and role of royal mother, the museum introduces her tireless work improving the livelihood of ethnic minority groups in North Thailand.
They have now turned into worthy case studies for others to emulate and continue to serve communities throughout far-north Thailand.
The best known projects are the Princess Mother's Medical Volunteer Foundation and Doi Tung Development project in Chiang Rai province. But there are a host of other projects that she cared for that still brings benefits to rural communities.
Ironically, very few tourists visit the museum even though entrance is free and it is conveniently located just a short ferry ride from riverside hotels.
The park’s curator explained there are no buses parked at the gates, just a handful of mountain bikes as nearly all international visitors who bother to make the journey are on cycle tours. They follow the paths and alleys along the banks of the river and stop at the museum before boarding a boat to continue their trip further upstream.
I noticed the cycles propped against the park’s railings and a small group of Dutch cyclists sipping freshly ground coffee sold at the museum’s shop. Brewed from Doi Tung coffee beans, the aroma tempted me to order an espresso.
Sitting on a park bench under the shade of the trees I could hear the river boats speeding upstream carrying tourists on a journey that will take them to the Ayutthaya’s ancient ruins some 70 km away.
I decided on a different historical tour. I would journey much further to the northern most province of Chiang Rai, to see for myself the remarkable achievements of Mae Fah Luang.
It is simple enough. I will take the daily flight to Mae Fah Luang International Airport just 10 km north of Chiang Rai, to trace the life of this remarkable mother from a humble wooden house in Thonburi to a royal villa on the 1,000 metre high peak of Doi Tung.
It will also involve a visit to the Mae Fah Luang Arts and Cultural Park, a parkland in the heart of Chiang Rai town that was the home-base back in 1972 for royal projects that helped to educate and raise living standards for the hill tribes. Today, it serves as a beacon of Lanna, or northern Thailand heritage.
From there, my impromptu tour will take the main highway north for 60 km to a mountain road that leads to Doi Tung a project started in 1988.
Here the Princess Mother lived in a simple villa surrounded by gardens and plantations that pioneered temperate climate flower and fruit cultivation for the hill tribes. Her work ended decades of reliance on opium growing and reforested an entire mountain.
Doi Tung has all the attributes of an attractive sightseeing venue. There are panoramic views of the mountains, flowers, great coffee and a balmy temperate climate year-round, quite a remarkable change for most tourists.
But I intend to take time out from the coffee and cake and visit the Hall of Inspiration, a museum on a mountain top that pays tribute to the Mahidol family. Here I can fill in the gaps in the life and times of the Princess Mother learning from the exhibits how this remarkable woman taught her family the joy of serving and maintaining balance. By example, she sowed the seeds that inspired the Mahidol family to serve the nation laying the foundation for HM the King’s sustainable economy principles that have since shaped the nation.
History can be inspirational and travel too if it brings the pages of history alive to enlighten and broaden our understanding. We just need to step out and see for ourselves what makes Thailand truly amazing.
