Bangkok--21 Feb--Museum Siam
The Museum Siam holds the “Ola Siao Five Centuries of Thai-Portuguese Relationships” exhibition under the theme ‘God, greed, and gold: the ultimate quest’. This event can be considered to be the first live exhibition if compared to other museums in range. It can be stated that this exhibition articulates a new style of learning era, where visitors can listen, chat, smell, look, and taste at the exhibition. The organizer hopes the participants will understand the history and background of the Thai-Portuguese relationships, which have been developed for 500 years.
Mr. Rames Promyen, Director of National Discovery Museum Institute, revealed that Portuguese was the first nation, who sent an ambassador to develop a friendly relationship with the Ayutthaya Kingdom during the reign of King Ramathibodi II in 1511. Portugal and Thailand (Siam) have been in good relationship for 500 years, the longest relations Thailand has enjoyed with a Western nation. The relationship reflects Thailand’s open diplomacy from the past to present. The Kingdom has been welcoming international trades and foreigners. Having many great and farsighted kings, Thailand has developed many diplomatic relations with several Western powers as equal partners.
“The Ola Siao Five Centuries of Thai-Portuguese Relationships exhibition is considered an unconventional event in Thailand. Visitors get a chance to experience and learn of several events in history from actors and actresses playing roles of Portuguese figures, who were significant to Thailand. They dress in traditional costumes, bringing the audience back to the old period. The organizers hope that the visitors will be able to recall what they have learned here through visualization, which is a better learning process than reading books”, Mr Rames says.
Over 10 actors and actresses take over eight roles of important figures in history. They had brought changes to the religion, belief, art, and culture. For example, For example, Thao Thong Kip Ma or Marie Guimar de Pinha in French, woman of mixed Japanese-Protuguese ancestry, married to Chao Phraya Vichayen (Monsieur Constance) and lived a life of affluence as Phaulkon rose to become highly influential at the Siamese court of king Narai. Domingos de seixxa, encourage trade especially selling artillery weapons and bullets to Siam and also warfare collaborated with Portuguese will be discussed by him on this section and Cristiano Ronaldo as a representative of new Portuguese blood views.
Thailand and Portugal had melted these aspects so they have become the way they are today. The exhibition also includes various techniques used of presentations and tangible equipment. On weekends, visitors are able to taste various Portuguese food and beverages, which are rare nowadays.
Asst. Prof. Dr. Pridi Pitpoomwithee, Humanities Lecturer of the Burapha University states that “in the past, Thais called Portugal Puttaket or Patukan, which are distorted pronunciations. The Portuguese were keen sea travelers and considered world’s sea conquerors 500 years ago. They traveled to trade and spread Christianity to others. They traded for spice, which was extremely expensive once being transported to Europe; some compared spice to gold. Once Pope Alexander VI granted permission, the Portuguese set sail immediately to Siam to spread its Jesuit Christianity. That was 200 years before the reign of King Narai the Great. During the reign of King Chai Racha Thirat, many Portuguese took the positions of mercenary and weapon traders in Siam.”
Ms. Jullada Meejul, Head of Academic, National Discovery Museum Institute, says that Thais have limited knowledge of the Thai-Portuguese relations as historical learning is limited to academicians; therefore the Museum Siam presents the relationships in a form of live exhibition, making people understand the longstanding relationship between Thai-Portuguese from past to present.
Interested people are welcomed to enjoy the exhibition from February 16th-April 29th, 2012 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Museum Siam, Bangkok. Admission is free. For more information, please contact 02-225-2777 ext. 407 or www.facebook.com/museumsiamfan and www.museumsiam.com.