Phan Thai Norasing
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Phan Thai Norasing () is a legendary figure mentioned in some later editions of the royal chronicles of Ayutthaya. He is described as a
coxswain The coxswain ( or ) is the person in charge of a boat, particularly its navigation and steering. The etymology of the word gives a literal meaning of "boat servant" since it comes from ''cock'', referring to the wiktionary:cockboat, cockboat, a ...
of King Sanphet VIII's
royal barge A royal barge is a vessel that is used by a monarch for ceremonial processions, and (historically) for routine transport, usually on a river or inland waterway. It may also be known as a state barge, and may be used on occasion by other members o ...
in the Ayutthaya period. According to the legend, Phan Thai Norasing served his duty as the coxswain until around 1704 when an accident happened during the king's fishing trip, causing damage to the royal barge. From this, he willingly accepted the penalty according to ancient Thai law, which was execution, despite being given a pardon. Although his existence cannot be fully confirmed, he remained as a famous symbol of honesty and integrity. There are many monuments dedicated to him in places related to his story, such as those presumed to be his execution spot. The story of Phan Thai Norasing has been adapted into various forms of media including films, TV series, and musicals, with possibly altered or extended plots but preserving the core of the story regarding honesty.


Life

It cannot be fully confirmed whether Phan Thai Norasing actually existed or not. Based on the few available historic records, the original name of Phan Thai Norasing is "Sing" (Thai:สิงห์) and his birthplace is assumed to be what is now Pa Mok,
Ang Thong Ang Thong (, ) is a town ('' thesaban mueang'') in Thailand, capital of Ang Thong Province. The town covers the entirety of ''tambon'' Talat Luang and Bang Kaeo as well as parts of tambon Sala Daeng, Ban Hae, Ban It, Pho Sa, and Yansue, all of ...
. Also, he had a wife named "Sri Nuan". "Phan Thai", is the title for coxswain in Thai. Sing is said to have first met King Sanphet VIII (Phrachao Suea) when the king went on a trip in Ang Thong. During the trip, the king disguised himself as a civilian and met Sing in a
boxing Boxing is a combat sport and martial art. Taking place in a boxing ring, it involves two people – usually wearing protective equipment, such as boxing glove, protective gloves, hand wraps, and mouthguards – throwing Punch (combat), punch ...
match. After that, Sing was summoned by Sanphet VIII and became coxswain, developing a close relationship to the king.


Death

According to historical records, the execution of Phan Thai Norasing occurred in 1704 at Khok Kham Canal, Sakhonburi (
Samut Sakhon Samut Sakhon (, , is a city in Thailand; it is the capital of Samut Sakhon province. It is also part of the Bangkok Metropolitan Region. Toponymy Samut Sakhon was formerly called Tha Chin (Chinese Pier) probably because, in the old days, it had ...
today). At the time, Khok Kham Canal had a meandering course that made it hazardous to travel through. Some stories suggest that Phan Thai Norasing's choice to enter hazardous waters was in order to protect the king from assassins. Eventually, the royal barge hit a large tree, damaging the
figurehead In politics, a figurehead is a practice of who ''de jure'' (in name or by law) appears to hold an important and often supremely powerful title or office, yet '' de facto'' (in reality) exercises little to no actual power. This usually means that ...
of the royal barge Ekkachai and causing it to fall off. Such damage carried the penalty of beheading according to ancient law. Sing was initially given a special pardon from Sanphet VIII, who considered it an accident, but Sing rejected it. King Sanphet then ordered the crew to create a clay statue representing Sing and beheaded it instead. However, Sing still insisted so the king had no choice but ordering his execution.


Legacy

Because of his life story, he is worshipped and respected by later generation as well as becoming a model of honesty. From this, many shrines and statues were built to dedicate his heroic action. Locations of shrines are based on presumed execution points which are around Khok Kham Canal.


Phan Thai Norasing's shrine

This shrine is located at the mouth of Khok Kham Canal in Phanthai Norasing, Muang Samut Sakhon, Samut Sakorn. It is believed to be the location of Phan Thai Norasing's execution along with the original eye-level shrine containing the head of Phan Thai Norasing and the figurehead of the Ekkachai barge together. As time went by, this original shrine was damaged and destroyed by water. The new shrine was constructed by Prince
Bhanubandhu Yugala Prince Bhanubandhu Yugala (; , born 27 November 1910 in Songkhla Province, Thailand, died 5 February 1995 in Bangkok)"Prince Bhanu enjoyed a long, varied career", ''The Nation'', Focus, Section C, Saturday, February 11, 1995 (print edition from ...
during the filming of the 1950 movie. The new shrine is also at eye-level height and has six legs. Additionally, there is a statue of Phan Thai Norasing made of
sandalwood Sandalwood is a class of woods from trees in the genus ''Santalum''. The woods are heavy, yellow, and fine-grained, and, unlike many other aromatic woods, they retain their fragrance for decades. Sandalwood oil is extracted from the woods. Sanda ...
. File:ด้านหน้าศาลพันท้ายนรสิงห์.jpg, The front of Phan Thai Norasing's shrine (Khok Kham canal) File:ศาลเพียงตา ที่เชื่อกันว่าเป็นศาลที่พระเจ้าเสือสร้างขึ้น.jpg, The eye-level height shrine believed to formerly contain the head of Phan Thai Norasing and the damaged figurehead of the barge File:รูปเคารพพันท้ายนรสิงห์.jpg, The sandalwood statue of Phan Thai Norasing in the shrine File:ส่วนของหัวเรือพระที่นั่งที่หัก 01.jpg, The damaged figurehead of Ekkachai royal barge


Phan Thai Norasing Historical Park

This historical park is located in Ban Phanthai, Phanthai Norasing, Muang Samut Sakorn, Samut Sakorn. It is also believed to be the original location of Phan Thai Norasing's execution due to the discovery of an 80 cm long damaged piece of wood believed to be the figurehead of the royal barge along with a stick by the
Fine Arts Department The Fine Arts Department (, ) is a government department of Thailand, under the Ministry of Culture. Its mission is managing the country's cultural heritage. History The department was originally established by King Vajiravudh in 1912, split o ...
and teachers of
Suankularb Wittayalai School Suankularb Wittayalai School (โรงเรียนสวนกุหลาบวิทยาลัย; Abbreviation: ส.ก. / S.K.) (also known as Suankularb College) literally ''Rose Garden College'' is an all-boys secondary school for g ...
. Scientific examination suggested these woods date from in the same period as attributed to Phan Thai Norasing. The stick was hypothesized to be the scaffold for Phan Thai Norasing's execution. This place was registered as a national historic site by the
Fine Arts Department The Fine Arts Department (, ) is a government department of Thailand, under the Ministry of Culture. Its mission is managing the country's cultural heritage. History The department was originally established by King Vajiravudh in 1912, split o ...
published in
Government Gazette A government gazette (also known as an official gazette, official journal, official newspaper, official monitor or official bulletin) is a periodical publication that has been authorised to publish public or legal notices. It is usually establish ...
Volume 53, page 1533 on 27 September 1936. and a new shrine was reconstructed by the Fine Arts Department on 4 January 1995.''เนชั่นทีวี, 2017-05-11,'' Lineกนก ตามรอยพันท้ายนรสิงห์ 7 พฤษภาคม 2560. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BzLofQB_yw A life-size statue showing Phan Thai Norasing steering a barge in the shrine was added in 1976. The shrine is a place of worship for people seeking fortune and wishes. As records state that Phan Thai Norasing loved Thai boxing and
cock fighting Cockfighting is a blood sport involving domesticated roosters as the combatants. The first documented use of the word gamecock, denoting use of the cock as to a "game", a sport, pastime or entertainment, was recorded in 1634, after the term " ...
, people commonly offer cock statuettes,
boxing gloves Boxing gloves are cushioned gloves that fighters wear on their hands during boxing matches and practices. Unlike "fist-load weapons" (such as the ancient cestus) which were designed as a lethal weapon, modern boxing gloves are non-lethal, desig ...
and
paddles A paddle is a handheld tool with an elongated handle and a flat, widened end (the ''blade'') used as a lever to apply force onto the bladed end. It most commonly describes a completely handheld tool used to propel a human-powered watercraft by p ...
. There is also a 300-year-old barge presumed to be a ruin from a royal procession or an army dispatch. The dimensions of this barge are 19.47 meters by length, 2.09 meters by width, 1 meters by height, with 7.5-centimeter-thick gunnels File:ศาลพันท้ายนรสิงห์ 01.JPG, The main shrine of Phan Thai Norasing historical park containing the real-size statue of him File:ศาลพันท้ายนรสิงห์ (ศาลใหม่) 08.jpg, The inside of Phan Thai Norasing's shrine containing the real-size statue of him File:รูปปั้นไก่ที่มีผู้นิยมนำมาถวายพันท้ายนรสิงห์ 2.jpg, Cock statuettes offered to Phan Thai Norasing File:ศาลพันท้ายนรสิงห์ (ศาลใหม่) 07.jpg, The place believed to be the execution spot of Phan Thai Norasing File:ศาลพันท้ายนรสิงห์ (ศาลใหม่) 09.jpg, A 300-year-old barge in Phan Thai Norasing Historical Park presumed to be the ruin of army dispatch or royal barge File:ศาลพันท้ายนรสิงห์ (ศาลใหม่) 10.jpg, The front sign of Phan Thai Norasing Historical Park


Mahachai Canal

After the execution of Phan Thai Norasing, King Sanphet VIII is stated to have begun the excavation of Mahachai Canal to mourn his integrity and improve the convenience of water transportation by providing a straighter course than the winding Khok Kham Canal. 30,000 workers are said to have worked on the excavation, which finished in the reign of King Sanphet IX (son of Sanphet VIII). The canal connects the
Tha Chin River The Tha Chin River (, , ) is a distributary of the Chao Phraya River, in Thailand. It splits in the province of Chai Nat and then flows west from the Chao Phraya through the central plains, until it empties into the Gulf of Thailand in Samut S ...
to the
Chao Phraya River The Chao Phraya River is the major river in Thailand, with its low alluvial plain forming the centre of the country. It flows through Bangkok and then into the Gulf of Thailand. Etymology Written evidence of the river being referred to by the ...
.


Norasing Sub-District

Based on records, it is presumed that Phan Thai Norasing's hometown was located in what is now Pa Mok District, Ang Thong Province, where Norasing Sub-District was established in commemoration. A monument honoring Phan Thai Norasing was also constructed and the opening ceremony held on 4 November 1989.


In popular culture

Many media adaptations of the story of Phan Thai Norasing have been produced including musicals, movies, and TV series.


Musicals


''Phan Thai Norasing'' (1945)

The first adaptation of the story of Phan Thai Norasing, the plot of this musical was adapted from royal chronicles by Prince
Bhanubandhu Yugala Prince Bhanubandhu Yugala (; , born 27 November 1910 in Songkhla Province, Thailand, died 5 February 1995 in Bangkok)"Prince Bhanu enjoyed a long, varied career", ''The Nation'', Focus, Section C, Saturday, February 11, 1995 (print edition from ...
. It was performed by the Siwarom troupe. The main cast were Surasit Sattayawong as Phan Thai Norasing, Suphan Buranaphim as Nuan, and Chok Dokchan as King Sanphet VIII. This musical originated the song "Nam Ta Saeng Tai" (น้ำตาแสงใต้) from the farewell scene between Sing and Nuan. The song and musical was very beloved during and after
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
.


''Phan Thai Norasing'' (1965)

This musical was a special staging for charity hosted by the Thai Association Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. The musical was performed at Thammasat University's auditorium. The main characters were played by Kamthon Suwanpiyasìrí as Phan Thai Norasing, Nonglak Rochanapan as Nuan, and Chalong Simasatian as King Sanphet VIII.


''Phan Thai Norasing'' (1989)

The musical was performed at
Sala Chaloem Thai Sala Chaloem Thai (, ), abbreviated as Chaloem Thai (), was a movie theatre in Bangkok, located at the corner of Ratchadamnoen Avenue and Mahachai Road near the Fort Mahakan, opposite what is now the Queen Sirikit Gallery. This movie theatr ...
as the final farewell before its demolition. Main characters were played by
Sarunyoo Wongkrachang Sarunyoo Wongkrachang or spelt Sarunyu Wongkrachang ( Thai: ศรัณยู วงษ์กระจ่าง; nickname: Tua–ตั้ว; October 17, 1960 in Bang Khonthi District, Samut Songkhram Province, Thailand – June 10, 2020), ...
as Phan Thai Norasing, Nataya Daengbunga as Nuan, and Phisan Akharaseni as King Sanphet VIII.


Movies


''Phan Thai Norasing'' (1950)

Prince Bhanubandhu Yugala's adaptation of his own 1945 play, the movie's main cast included Chuchai Phrakhanchai, a famous Thai boxer as Phan Thai Norasing, Suphan Buranaphim as Nuan, and Thanom Akharaseni as King Sanphet VIII.THAI FILM, พันท้ายนรสิงห์
493 Year 493 ( CDXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Albinus and Eusebius (or, less frequently, year 1246 ''ab urbe condita''). The denomination 493 for th ...
Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ab3k_RA3vrA


''Phrachao Suea Phan Thai Norasing'' (1982)

This movie was produced in
35 mm movie film 35 mm film is a film gauge used in filmmaking, and the film standard. In motion pictures that record on film, 35 mm is the most commonly used gauge. The name of the gauge is not a direct measurement, and refers to the nominal width of the ...
by Chaiyo Productions Co., Ltd. and directed by Marut. Main characters were played by
Sorapong Chatree Sorapong Chatree (; born Pittaya Tiamswate; 8 December 1950 – 10 March 2022) was a Thai film actor. He frequently starred in the films of Prince Chatrichalerm Yukol, as well as in Cherd Songsri's classic romance, '' Plae Kao''. Biography He ...
as Phan Thai Norasing, Apaporn Konthip as Nuan, and
Sombat Metanee Sombat Metanee (; 26 June 1937 – 18 August 2022) was a Thai actor and film director, who was honored as National Artist in the performing arts branch (movies-television drama) in 2016. At one time, he held the Guinness World Record for most ...
as King Sanphet VIII.


''Phan Thai Norasing'' (2015)

This version was directed by Prince
Chatrichalerm Yukol Prince Chatrichalerm Yukol (; ; born 29 November 1942), or usually known by his nickname Mui (), is a Thai film director, screenwriter film producer and National Artist Performing Arts branch (Movie and TV Drama director) in 2001. A member of ...
. The plot is also based on that of Prince Bhanubandhu Yugala. It was released 30 December 2015. Main characters were played by Pongsakorn Mettarikanon as Phan Thai Norasing, Lieutenant Colonel Wanchana Sawasdee as King Sanphet VIII, and Pimdao Panichsamai as Nuan


Television series


''Phan Thai Norasing'' (1972)

The first TV series version was aired on Channel 4 Bang Khun Phrom, now MCOT HD. Main characters were played by Kamthon Suwanpiyasìrí as Phan Thai Norasing and Nonglak Rohjonpan as Nuan.


''Phan Thai Norasing'' (1978)

This version was aired on Channel 5. Main characters were played by
Nirut Sirijanya Nirut Sirichanya (born 2 May 1947) is a Thai movie and television actor. He is best known internationally for his role as Lauren's father Fong in the 2011 sequel ''The Hangover Part II''. He is the recipient of Suphannahong National Film Awards ...
as Phan Thai Norasing and Duangchai Hathaikan as Nuan


''Phan Thai Norasing'' (2000)

This version first aired on Channel 7. There are 28 episodes in total. The plot was adapted from the movie version written by Prince Bhanubandhu Yugala. This version was directed by Pisaan Akarasaynee. Main characters were played by Teerapat Sajakul as Phan Thai Norasing, Phiyada Jutharattanakul as Nuan, and
Pongpat Wachirabunjong Pongpat Wachirabunjong (; ) is a Thai singer, actor, film director and TV series director and producer. He graduated in bachelor in health of physical education from Srinakharinwirot University. He is well known in Thailand for his role in the ...
as King Sanphet VIII.


''Phan Thai Norasing'' (2016)

An expanded version of the 2015 film, this latest version was directed and written by
Chatrichalerm Yukol Prince Chatrichalerm Yukol (; ; born 29 November 1942), or usually known by his nickname Mui (), is a Thai film director, screenwriter film producer and National Artist Performing Arts branch (Movie and TV Drama director) in 2001. A member of ...
. Main characters were played by Pongsakorn Mettarikanon as Phan Thai Norasing, Lieutenant Colonel Wanchana Sawasdee as King Sanphet VIII, and Pimdao Panichsamai as Nuan. The series aired on
Workpoint TV Workpoint Channel is a national digital terrestrial television station in Thailand, operated by Thai Broadcasting Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Workpoint Entertainment Public Company Limited. The channel provides general programming in standard def ...
from 4 March to 6 June 2016, with 19 episodes in total.


References

{{reflist Legendary Thai people People from the Ayutthaya Kingdom Executed Thai people People executed by Thailand by decapitation