Love for the Princess goes online
The lively website Wisith Silapin stakes a place in cyberspace for homage to HRH Princess Sirindhorn
A WEBSITE DEVOTED to Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn has just been launched. A year in the making, Wisith Silapin is lively with Flash animation in its graphics and photos, the pages cleverly linking and sporting hidden jumps to puzzles and other amusements.
The text is almost entirely in Thai, since it’s designed primarily for domestic enjoyment.
“Wisith Silapin was conceived to celebrate the Princess’ fifth-cycle birthday last year,” says MR Pridiyathorn Devakula of the Rama IX Art Museum Foundation. “We spent a year collecting information about every aspect of her life. Her biography is interesting enough, but there is much more, such as the poems she’s written that have been turned into well-known songs, like ‘Somtam’ and ‘Duj Bida Marndorn’.
“So the site can help people learn more about the Princess and it’s really worthwhile exploring. We want everyone to be curious about the Princess, and they will come to admire her and love her more for what she’s done.”
The foundation’s MR Chakrarot Chitrabongs, Khunying Kasama Varavarn Na Ayuddhaya, Sivaporn Dardarananda and Sermkhun Kunawong were also on hand for the press conference unveiling the site.
WisithSilapin.org – the title alludes to virtuosity in art and culture – has five sections.
“Visual Arts” covers the Princess’ artistic endeavours and showcases 43 pieces of pottery, 178 paintings and 72 photographs. Professor Sermsak Nakbua pointed out how the Princess’ art is “livelier” than what’s normally produced by professional sculptors or painters.
“In her work the focus is on the creative idea – the thought and the understanding,” added painter Panya Vijinthanasarn, a National Artist. “The composition in her paintings is simple, with individuality in the colours and harmony in the lines. They’re full of peaceful feelings, of freedom and joyfulness.”
Nitikorn Kraivixien, president of the Royal Photographic Society of Thailand, explained that the Princess initially became interested in taking pictures because she needed reference images of places for paintings she planned to do, and of course also wanted to record events as mementoes. “Everywhere she goes she has a notebook and a camera,” Nitikorn noted.
The website’s “Literature” section lists 116 books that Princess Sirindhorn has written or contributed to, as compiled by Pranee Prapripu, vice president of the Thai Language Teachers’ Association of Thailand.
“She’s had a genius for writing since she was young,” Pranee said. “She often translates Chinese literary works into Thai so that Thai people can read the valuable literature of East Asia.”
For the “Music” segment, Dr Poonpit Amatyakul has detailed the 45 songs for which the Princess composed lyrics. “Her interest to music doesn’t follow trends or any ‘requisite’ school subjects, but it demonstrates the deep faith she places in music.”
Under “Royal Duties”, the projects to which the Princess has so devoted herself are examined, such as the Chaipattana, Mae Fah Luang, Sai Jai and Ananda Mahidol foundations and the Thai Red Cross |Society.
The “Biography” section confirms MR Pridiyathorn’s comment that the Princess has lived a fascinating life. A series of events important to the country as a whole are highlighted through the course of her 60 years.
The Wisith Silapin website pays further tribute by assigning virtues to each letter in her surname. “S” is for artist, “I” for musician, “R” for explorer, the next “I” for historian, “N” for linguist, “D” for developer, “H” for author, “O” photographer, another “R” for conservative, and the final “N” for patron.
Intended as more than a mere overview of Princess Sirindhorn’s interests and accomplishments, the site is also meant to be a learning centre and will be, more likely than not, a source of inspiration.
