Siam's richest memories
The history-rich minutes of Siam Society meetings since 1904 have now been added to Unesco's "Memory of the World" Registry.
Filled with learned discussion about history, the recorded minutes of meetings of the Siam Society have earned a place on the Unesco “Memory of the World” Registry, it was announced last month.
A “World Heritage” list for important documents rather than locales, the registry has also gained the Maha Lawkamarazein (Kuthodaw) inscriptions from Myanmar and the Pages of Testimony Collection known as “Yad Vashem Jerusalem” from Israel. Bolivia and Cuba donated key manuscripts from the life of Ernesto “Che” Guevara.
In all, there were 54 new additions in 2013.
The society’s Minute Books date from 1904 to 2004. They contain the board members’ discussions about events, projects, obstacles, personalities and organisations of an international and intellectual nature.
In 2011, the inscriptions of Wat Phra Chetuphon, popularly referred to as Wat Pho, was registered as a “Memory of the World” by Unesco.
Wat Pho is recognised as one of Thailand’s most important learning centres.
It was built in the reign of King Phetracha, who ruled the Ayutthaya Kingdom from 1688 to 1703. It underwent a major renovation during the reign of King Rama I of the Rattanakosin period.
In 1830, the temple was renovated again at the royal command of King Rama III, who intended to turn this temple into a major source of knowledge for all people, regardless of their social status.
King Rama III ordered the collection of knowledge from wise men and the collection of arts and sciences on such subjects as traditional medicine, archaeology, literature, and poetry. These subjects were inscribed on thousands of stone tablets on the walls and columns of cloisters around the temple.
Wat Pho became the first “open university” in Thailand, and it is now recognised as a centre for traditional Thai massage, where people can learn techniques of various natural remedies for health. ]Since the inscriptions at Wat Pho contain universal knowledge, which is useful not only to Thailand but also the world at large, they are considered invaluable treasures that must be preserved for humankind.
