Philatelic Museum Bangkok records the Thai stamp and postal history from the mid 1800s - the gift day, with stamps honoring the reigning monarch of the day and marking considerable events in Thai history.
The museum was first established in 1947 when the postal services were under the Post and Telegraph Department. After reorganization of the civil assistance and any relocations, the Philatelic Museum, currently under Thailand Post business Ltd, finally found its permanent home in Sam Sen Nai Post Office next to the Saphan Kwai skytrain station on 15 December 2004.
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Stamps often tell the story of the history and culture of a society. The Thai stamps in the Philatelic Museum Bangkok have their stories to tell too.
The Thai postal history - the early days
Our story begins in the reign of King Rama Iv (1851 - 1868). In those days, before the existence of a postal assistance in Thailand, people sent letters straight through messengers or friends who were traveling within or out of the country.
With the signing of the Bowring Treaty in 1855, Thailand opened up for foreign trade. The presence of foreign businesses and consulates in Bangkok necessitated a postal service. This was setup in 1867 by the British Postal assistance and run by the British consulate in Bangkok purely for communications in the middle of consulates.
As Thailand had no stamps of her own then, she used stamps of British India which were also used in the Straits Settlements, Malacca, Penang and Singapore. Stamps for use in Bangkok were marked with a capital "B". The mail was routed straight through Singapore and had a Singapore postmark.
In 1875, while the reign of King Rama V (1868 - 1910), Prince Bhanurangsri Sawangwongse, younger brother of the king, published a newspaper "Court" for royalty and high officials. A local stamp was affixed for delivery services. This laid the groundwork for the Thai postal assistance in the future.
Philatelic Museum - the advent of the postal service
In 1880 some members of the government felt a pressing need for a postal assistance for the general social and petitioned King Rama V. The king agreed. Fittingly Prince Bhanurangsri was tasked to do this and was appointed the first Director general of the Post Department. The first post office was built in Charoen Krung Road by the Chao Phraya River near the mouth of the Ong-Ang canal.
Thai stamp history - the first stamp issue
With the making ready of the domestic postal service, Thailand issued her first postage stamp on 4 August 1883; 43 years after "Penny Black" the world's first prepaid adhesive postage stamps appeared in England.
The first set of stamps had the portrait of King Rama V, was designed by William Ridgeway and printed by the Waterlow Printing business of England. The stamps bore no country name and were only for domestic use. The Thais had their own nickname for these stamps, "Solot", after the price of the stamp in the old currency.
Originally stamp denominations were in solot, att, sio, salung, the old Thai currency units. When the currency was changed to baht and satang, new stamps were issued.
On 1 July 1885, Thailand joined the Universal Postal Union, which coordinates the international postal system. In line with international convention, the country name and price in Arabic and Thai numerals were printed on the Thai stamps.
Subsequent commemorative issues in the Philatelic Museum
On 11 November 1908, Thailand supreme the 40th anniversary of the reign of King Rama V, the longest reigning Thai monarch then, with a new set of postage stamps.
In the reign of King Rama Vii (1925 - 1935), extra stamps marked 150 years under the reign of the Chakri Kings. The stamp had portraits of King Rama I (1782) and King Rama Vii (1932). What was the importance of this 150 year anniversary?
An astrologer had startling earlier that the Chakri dynasty would come to an end after 150 years. On 1 April 1932, the 150th anniversary of the dynasty, there was a big celebration to prove soothsayer wrong. Though the prediction wasn't wholly right, two months later, the absolute monarchy was overthrown in a coup on 24 June 1932.
In the reign of King Rama Viii (1935 - 1946), a extra set of stamps were issued in 1943 featuring the Monument to the Expeditionary Force. These stamps weren't meant to commemorate the Thai military attempt while World War I. Furthermore, the stamps were priced in "cents".
Called "Four States", these stamps were meant for use in the four Malay states of Kelantan, Perlis, Sara Buri (the state of Kedah today) and Trengganu. These states, which were ceded to Britain in the reign of King Rama V, came temporarily under Thai rule while World War Ii when Thailand declared war on Britain and the Usa.
The story of the stamps in the Philatelic Museum continues into the reign of King Rama Ix, the gift king. There were any memorable occasions when commemorative stamps were issued.
When the Benjarong (Thai earthenware in five original colors) issue won second prize at the International Stamp Competition in Vienna, Austria in 1981, these stamps secured a place in the Philatelic Museum.
The commemorative issue celebrating the Bangkok Bicentenary (1782 - 1982) provides the centerpiece of the Philatelic Museum. These set of stamps had the nine Chakri kings, Rama I to Rama Ix in denominations from 1 baht - 9 baht.
In 1999, Thailand supreme the 72nd (the 6th cycle) birthday of Hm the King with another set of stamps. Firm believers in astrology and the 12 zodiac signs, Thais reconsider anniversaries in multiples of 12 particularly 60, 72 very auspicious.
Besides the displays of prominent issues, the Philatelic Museum preserves hundreds of the old stamps and envelopes in frames filed in chronological order. I was surprised to see old envelopes used by early Chinese immigrants in Bangkok to remit money to China.
There's also a comfortable library well stocked with books, collectors' journals and stamp bulletins and a souvenir shop.
Since 1883, the Thai postal assistance has made more than 720 stamp issues. The Philatelic Museum Bangkok preserves this postal and stamp history of Thailand and the considerable events associated to these issues.
Philatelic Museum Bangkok - The History Of Thai Postage StampsVisit : todays world news headlines
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