Home of sweet memories for a forgotten community
A new museum in Bang Phlat ‘orchard’ district is part of the BMA’s plan to have each community preserve a slice of its past, writes Supoj Wancharoen
For years, an old wooden house has served as a classroom for Thai classical music at the Wat Paurohitya School in Bangkok’s
Bang Phlat district.
The house has now acquired a new role as the
Bang Phlat District Metropolitan Local Museum, which opened to the public on March 27.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and the owner of this old building hope to tell the story of the Bang Phlat community, famous for its orchards.
The house also has an interesting story to tell. Built 80 years ago, it belonged to Than Ouap Paurohitya or Chao Phraya Muk Montri. It is now owned by the Than Noi Paurohitya & Chao Phraya Muk Montri Foundation and is overseen by the family’s heiress, Nualsiri Paurohitya, a respected child psychologist.
The foundation agreed to a proposal by the Bang Phlat district office to transform the residence into a repository of knowledge and learning.
The proposal is part of the BMA’s policy of encouraging all districts to find space for a local museum that can tell the story and background of its community.
The BMA expects this will inspire in people a greater sense of belonging and inspire future generations to protect old ways of life.
Before handing the house over to the district office, Associate Professor Nualsiri, the aforementioned heiress, ordered some major repairs. The renovation work maintains the original design, which dates back to 1932.
Located on Soi Charan Sanitwong 62, and still a part of the same school, the museum has already been registered as one of the the Fine Arts Department’s preserved buildings.
Walking into the museum is like taking a trip down memory lane. Exhibition materials and equipment are on display to convey stories about the Bang Phlat people as well as the history of this building, according to Kanyamanee Deatpradit, a senior social development officer with the Bang Phlat district office.
Displayed items come from the heiress’s personal collection, including photographs of the Paurohitya family and the original household utensils.
The district also encouraged local residents to donate some antique items and pictures to add to what’s on show, said Ms Kanyamanee.
Visitors are greeted by pictures of the community as it existed in the old days. Each image comes with a caption that tells a story about the local community.
The original settlers had migrated from Ayutthaya, the old capital. They travelled along the river and settled there.
The first floor highlights utensils showing the old way of life of the people of Bang Phlat. These speak volumes about their identity.
Among them is a set of tools used to prepare a mixture of areca nut and a betel leaf for chewing, tao anglo (clay fire pots) and equipment used in the wood trade by Muslim traders in Bang Or, a sub-district of Bang Phlat.
One corner is dedicated to a story about orchards as, in the past, the district was f amous for the rambutan orchards in Bang Yi Khan sub-district, the pineapple orchards in Bang Bamru sub-district, the wild mangosteen orchards in Bang Phlat sub-district and the lychee orchards in Bang Or.
Also on the first floor is an exhibition board showing examples of old architecture in the district that is worth visiting.
These include Bang Or Mosque, a one-storey French-style building constructed in 1919; Wat Suan Sawan, a temple built during the late Ayutthaya period; and the Rama VI Bridge, the first bridge across the Chao Phraya River.
On the second floor, visitors will be greeted with a statute of Chao Phraya Muk Montri, who served as an important civil servant during the reigns of three kings — King Rama V, VI and VII. There are also more pictures showing his key roles and achievements.
These include his role in coordinating land demarcation with the French during the reign of King Rama V and raising funds for the construction of the Memorial Bridge, opened on April 6, 1932 in commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Chakri Dynasty and the founding of Bangkok.
Despite its small size, the museum is cosy and lively. Schoolchildren and other members of the community showed much interest in the more older items.
“A visit to this new museum will never bore you. We try to use modern technology to make it more lively and interactive,” said Narueporn Phanitchakan, who works there. “To learn about history you should do more than just read books [or surf the Web].”
Touchscreen displays facilitate an interactive exploration of the history of the district, for example, said Ms Narueporn.
“This museum could serve as an inspiration for those who wish to move forward in life driven by their remarkable achievements, as proven by Than Ouap [Chao Phraya Muk Montri], an ordinary person who became successful purely because of his hard work and dedication,” Ms Narueporn said.
Chao Phraya Muk Montri was appointed governor of Ang Thong province at the age of 23. Known for his hard work, competence and decent character, he was later appointed to many other key roles.
The local museum is just the start of things to come, the office said.
It is now forming a network with educational institutes, private companies and local people to create activities including a special museum tour, a Bang Phlat walking tour and orchard visits.
The district plans to launch these next month, it said.