King Ramkhamhaeng’s giant bronze statue is being joined by other key monarchs, such as King Rama I and King Taksin. Labourers in Thailand are putting in place giant statues for a park commemorating the country’s past monarchs. The park has been commissioned by Thailand’s army, who are presently in charge of the country. It is being built in Hua Hin, Prachuap Khiri Khan province, at a cost of 700m Thai baht (£12.8m).
rmy land is being used for the park, which is on a compound near the Klai Kangwon Palace. Among those on view is King Ramkhamhaeng, the monarch considered to be the founding father of modern Thailand. He introduced in 1283 the first Thai alphabet to symbolise the nation’s independence, and much of it is still in use. Ramkhamhaeng’s giant bronze statue is being joined by other key monarchs such as Rama I, Narai and Taksin. Narai ruled the kingdom of Ayutthaya from 1656 to 1688.
King Taksin, who was of Thai Chinese descent, was responsible for breaking away from Burmese occupation. He ruled from 1767 to 1782 but was defeated by his old friend Rama and subsequently executed. Rama, who ruled from 1782 until 1809, was the founding monarch of the reigning House of Chakri in Siam - now renamed Thailand.
