What’s This!?

Each time when passing the corner of Wireless and Ploenchit this fat old something keeps me guessing: what’s this? Not only does it stand in the middle of the sidewalk and obstructs passage, it has as well some strange holes and details “built in” – it must have served some purpose some decades ago.

Back then Wireless was a klong and elephants were common beasts of burden in Bangkok. Was that strange old something part of a dock for ships? Or a part of something to tie elephants to? And why is it not removed? I mean they’re tearing down much more useful stuff in Bangkok.

This undefinable something has so far defied the times and braved the elements. It’s old and weathered – with seemingly no purpose. I’ve heard many stories though what it could be – none of them making real sense. There must be a simple answer to it – anyone? Or got a photo from those times?

Another true Bangkok mystery. A seemingly completely useless thing defying the odds:




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January 26, 2009 | Filed Under Culture & Arts, History, Truly Bangkok 

Comments

15 Responses to “What’s This!?”

  1. ThaiCrisis on January 26th, 2009 8.23 pm

    I think it’s clear: It’s a filled bunker, AKA a revolutionary defense artifact created under the King Siam 145.

    Enemies just can’t take it. Because they can’t go inside. ;-)

    Sorry.

    What else? A cap … for the mysterious jars in Laos?

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plain_of_Jars

    Yes, surely.

    (It’s because of Abhisit. After being stimulated by his economic policies, now I feel inspired).

  2. Peter Hall on January 26th, 2009 11.40 pm

    Ghosts; I’m surprised that thing that looks like a pillbox is still there, Queen Victoria’s bronze was moved from the old entrance (a few hundred feet away from your object) when the U.K. embassy sold part of their land to Central Pattana for XXX billions of baht, that land remains maybe the most desireable piece of land in Thailand, and that would make it very expensive by world standards also. It Looks like that old bunker might survive the upcoming round of ghost buildings as Bangkok will revert to its “Skeleton Coast” status, its moniker earned from the last real estate bust ten years ago … the cranes are coming to a standstill in Bangkok.

  3. JJ on January 27th, 2009 11.10 am

    Well, that’s the head of a celestial supernatural nail stuck into earth to prevent bad karma.

    But really, it’s an upside-down huge penis stuck into earth – representing enormous powers, as our Dear Leader Sondhi feared them. It all has to do with this:

    Sondhi went on to describe his efforts in defence of the country. “The (base of the) Equestrian Statue is like this [draws hexagon with his hands] with the statue inside. Tacks had been inserted at the six corners so that the statue of the revered king could not emit its power. We drew out the tacks from all six places.”

    Presumably these tacks or nails are supernatural, imaginary articles anchoring an imaginary magical wall around the statue to pen in the spiritual forces. Presumably too, Sondhi’s team used rituals to remove them rather than digging up the tarmac. He mentioned that “masters and adepts pulled out each of them.” He went on to describe preventive measures for the future. Here the actions seem to have been real rather than imaginary.

    “I must thank the women of the PAD because after [the tacks] were pulled out, to ensure they would not be replaced, they took sanitary napkins from menstruating women and placed them on the six points.

    See? No mystery at all. Your old something’s some suppressed masculinity trying to save Thai mankind.

    You just can’t see it, can you.

  4. Peter Hall on January 27th, 2009 1.28 pm

    What next Dan? What about the Ghosts of the Cobra Swamp, where where they in November?

  5. BangkokDan on January 27th, 2009 1.35 pm

    Hmm, terrific topic Peter.

    Any hard evidence?

    BangkokDan

  6. Peter Hall on January 27th, 2009 1.43 pm

    Ghosts and hard evidence? Unlike “is the pope Catholic?” the stories that were bandied around when the new airport was being built (on top of a graveyard) were certainly worthy of an airport lounge novel … Of course Thaksin was to blame for upsetting the ecosphere at Cobra Swamp and the spirits have yet to be placated … take it away JoJo!

  7. chang dek on January 27th, 2009 2.29 pm

    While on the subject of your phallus, just up the road from yours is the fertility shrine Chao Mae Tuptim, there, just behind the Nai Lert/Swissotel on Wireless Road … worth checking out.

  8. Joomz on January 28th, 2009 12.30 pm

    This concrete thing has been the topic of conversation in a few places over the years. Might have even seen some short article about it in some section of the Bangkok Post ages ago … If I remember correctly (and I could be completely wrong with this), they all seemed to come to a similar conclusion that it was built to look like an upturned cannon of some sort, possibly symbolizing non-aggressive relations between Thailand and Britain. Possible use: water storage tank?

    But then again that could all be wrong again. :P

  9. ATM on January 28th, 2009 3.24 pm

    Drinking water storage vessel, put (donated) there by a king I’m told.

  10. chang dek on January 28th, 2009 4.51 pm

    Must have been a drinking water font for all those Siamese queing up outside the embassy waiting for a visa to Albion …

  11. BangkokDan on May 4th, 2009 6.14 pm

    Guess the mystery is solved – submitted by a reader:

    The stumbling block’s a boundary stone.

    Usually they’re a meager 50 cm high and of cylindric shape.

    But the owners back then, the very very rich family Nai Lert, thought it was adequate to erect a show-piece of a boundary stone.

    Many couldn’t take it and wanted it taken away. But the land department refused, as it was an official marker.

    BangkokDan

  12. BangkokDan on June 9th, 2009 4.16 pm

    And finally, an email from the British Embassy:

    “Dear Mr. XXXXXXX,

    I do apologise for the delay in replying to your email. In the photo is the milestone of the former owner of our land, Phraya Pakdi Noraseth. He was popularly known as Nai Lert, who at that time owned the whole of the park between the Ploenchit Road and the large klong which runs parallel with the Petchburi Road. The British Government acquired about half of this park, or some 12 acres (28 rai) from Nai Lert.

    Regards,
    Pantibha

    Pantibha Chansorn / Asst Communication Manager / British Embassy, Bangkok”

    BangkokDan

  13. chang dek on June 9th, 2009 6.00 pm

    Nai Lert mysterium: In their informative answer, the British Embassy spokesperson failed yet to state what the purpose of the “landmark” object was. We could pose them another question, as communications manager, the British Embassy has very sensitive listening devices (I know, I tried using microphones for interviews there once) maybe they eavesdrop on sounds at the hotel next door? Wrong embassy to being pursuing kung fu onanistic justice?

  14. chang dek on June 10th, 2009 2.58 am

    Ok, my bad, it’s a milestone. I thought a milestone was supposed to precicely mark a definitive measure. That tub of lard is so fat one would need a GPS to find the center. And a walkie talkie to get safely around the corner. Maybe it should be crowned as the primal example/template of how to destroy a safe corner in Bangkok by building air conditioned police boxes, from where most of Bangkok’s lovely traffic is orchestrated. A pedestrians haven. By the way, the Thai word for pedestrian isn’t flattering. Just deafening.

  15. Edgar on August 17th, 2009 1.42 pm

    Dear All,

    Actually these markers were put by Phraya Bhakdi Noraset (Nai Lert) in 1915 when he acquired the land in this whole area to mark the boundaries of one of the first real estate developments in Bangkok. When he later on sold some of this land to the British Embassy, they decided to leave it for its historical significance (there are unfortunately so few remaining items of Bangkok’s history in the central business district). Even though not necessarily esthetically pleasing, the history is there so I believe it should be conserved and maybe why not renovated. To my knowledge this is the only remaining marker that I heard delimited an area between the BTS line and Saen Seap canal which extended from the current Chidlom to Sukhumvit 5. More information can be found on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nai_Lert

    Hope this helps clarify.

    Edgar

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