The Royal Barge Suphannahong () is a

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 ...

Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...

It is one of the four main royal barges used in the

Royal Barge Procession Thailand's Royal Barge Procession (; ) is a ceremony of both religious and monarchy, royal significance which has taken place for nearly 700 years. The royal Barge, barges are a blend of craftsmanship and traditional Thai art. The Royal Barge Pr ...

. As it is the barge that the

King of Thailand The monarchy of Thailand is the constitutional monarchy, constitutional form of government of Thailand (formerly ''Siam''). The king of Thailand (, historically, ''king of Siam''; ) is the head of state and head of the ruling Chakri dynasty. ...

uses during the procession, Suphannahong is considered the most important royal barge. When it is not commissioned, it is on display at the National Museum of Royal Barges in Bangkok.

History

The Royal Barge "Sri Suphannahong" was first mentioned in the barge-rowing poems of Prince Thammathibet in 1548, during the early reign of King Maha Chakkraphat of the

Ayutthaya Kingdom The Ayutthaya Kingdom or the Empire of Ayutthaya was a Thai people, Thai kingdom that existed in Southeast Asia from 1351 to 1767, centered around the city of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya (city), Ayutthaya, in Siam, or present-day Thailand. Europe ...

. The annals of Thai military boats written by Prince Damrong Rajanubhab mentions the construction of the "Sri Suphannahong" royal barge during the reign of

King Rama I Phutthayotfa Chulalok (born Thongduang; 20 March 1737 – 7 September 1809), also known by his regnal name Rama I, was the founder of the Rattanakosin Kingdom (now Thailand) and the first King of Siam from the reigning Chakri dynasty. He asce ...

. It was used and gradually became dilapidated over the years. The current barge was reconstructed by King Rama V which was completed in the reign of King Rama VI, and at the same time was renamed as "Suphannahong". The barge was launched by the head artisan Lt. Gen. Phraya Ratchasongkhram on 13 November 1911.

Barge details

The royal barge's distinct feature is the bow shaped as the head of a golden swan/phoenix and is decorated with a

tassel A tassel is a finishing feature in fabric and clothing decoration. It is a universal ornament that is seen in varying versions in many cultures around the globe. History and use In the Hebrew Bible, the Lord spoke to Moses instructing him to ...

hanging from the mouth, made from yak hair imported from

Nepal Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mainly situated in the Himalayas, but also includes parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China Ch ...

. The royal barge was awarded the Maritime Heritage Award of the year 1992, from the World Ship Trust, based in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

. The award was granted to 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 ...

for its role in refurbishment of the ship. The Royal Barge Suphannahong has become a renowned icon of Thai culture, having been used as the namesake for awards such as the

Suphannahong National Film Awards The Suphannahong National Film Awards (, also known as the Thailand National Film Association Awards) is the primary film award of the Thai film industry. It is given annually by the National Federation of Motion Pictures and Contents Associati ...

, as well as

aircraft livery An aircraft livery is a set of comprehensive insignia comprising color, graphic, and typographical identifiers which operators (airlines, governments, air forces and occasionally private and corporate owners) apply to their aircraft. As aircraf ...

for

Thai Airways International Thai Airways International plc () is the flag carrier airline of Thailand. Formed in 1961 as a joint venture between SAS and Thai Airways Company, the airline has its corporate headquarters in Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, Chatuchak district, Bang ...

and the logo of the

Tourism Authority of Thailand The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) () is an organization of Thailand under the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. Its mandate is to promote Thailand's tourism industry, and protect the environment. History Its predecessor, Tourism of Thaila ...

. File:Royal-Barge-Procession-Rama VI-B-E-2454-160.jpg, alt=, Suphannahong in 1911 File:Wat-Arun-and-Royal-Barge-Suphannahong-in-BE-2510.jpg, alt=, Suphannahong in 1968 File:พระบรมมหาราชวัง-4.jpg, alt=, Suphannahong in 2012 File:Boeing 747-4D7, Thai Airways International AN0489327.jpg, alt=,

Thai Airways Thai Airways International plc () is the flag carrier airline of Thailand. Formed in 1961 as a joint venture between Scandinavian Airlines, SAS and Thai Airways Company, the airline has its corporate headquarters in Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, Chat ...

Boeing 747 The Boeing 747 is a long-range wide-body aircraft, wide-body airliner designed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes in the United States between 1968 and 2023. After the introduction of the Boeing 707, 707 in October 1958, Pan Am ...

in "Suphannahong" livery

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Suphannahong, Royal Barge Royal barges of Thailand