Voices from Siam

January 1, 2014-January 1, 2014
Location: Asia Collection

Siam Thailand is a kingdom with a rich history and thriving culture. This exhibit showcases Siam's wondrous stories as told by various people from around the world and from within the nation herself.

Each piece selected in this exhibit is unique and tells a story from Thailand's past. Together, all the pieces participate in a united conversation that explores the nation's greatness and the legacy it left for its future generations. We hope you enjoy this humble adventure. Sawadee and Aloha.

Top Panel: The Thai voice through the nation's cinema, highlighting the cherished film Nang Nak Nonzee Nimibutr, 1999, which was adapted from the famed folktale of Mae Nak Phrakanong.

Middle Panel: King Chulalongkorn, Rama V 1853 - 1910 and his connections with people in different social strata from around the world, including Hawai'i's King Kalakaua. Thailand remains to be the only country in Southeast Asia to have never been physically colonized.

Bottom Panel: The Thai voice as expressed in contemporary Thai popular culture, epitomized by the rise and tragedy of one of Thailand's most famous country singers, Poompuang Duangjun 1961 -1992. She told the stories of Thailand's poor and the inequalities suffered by the Thai women, but, more importantly, was known to her fans for being "one of them."