Chapter – 4: The Memorial Bridge

The Memorial Bridge

Figure 28 Phra Phutta Yodfa Bridge Plan Figure 29 Phra Phutta Yodfa Bridge source: Bangkok Land Survey and Map Division

At the south end of Khlong Rob Krung, the fortress (Pom Jak Petch) had been demolished. The Memorial Bridge (or Phra Phutta Yodfa Bridge, Figure 29), the second bridge crossing the Chao Phraya River (the first bridge is Rama VI Bridge, for trains), had been built to connect Rattanakosin island (east) to Thonburi (west). The creation of the project served two purposes. First, due to the decline of monarchism, King Rama VII desired to create a new symbol that could improve the monarchy image in the commemorate event 150th year of Bangkok. Therefore, the King Rama I Monument had been selected as a representation of the collective memory of the city’s establishment and the founder of Chakri Dynasty. Second, at that time, there was no bridge across the Chao Phraya River. People had to use the river by boats. The bridge could accommodate people to travel across the river and expanded the urban area to the west side of the river, which is typically used as orchard lands.

The project’s construction started in 1929 and was completed in 1932 in the commemoration of the 150th year of Bangkok and Chakri Dynasty, briefly before the Siam Revolution of 1932 in the same year. The project comprises two parts – a bascule bridge and King Rama I memorial. The layout was designed as an arrow derived from the royal seal of King Rama VII. The arrow directs from King Rama I memorial, a

founder of this city, on the east to Thonburi (west- the former capital) (Figure 28). King Rama I Memorial and plaza had been built at the east end of the bridge. The monument statue was sculpted by Corrado Feroci, an Italian-born sculptor who also sculpted the Democracy Monument, which commemorates the Siam Revolution of 1932 seven years later. The concrete monument base and ornaments were designed by Prince Nirisara Nuvadtivongs.

The bridge was designed by Dorman Long, a British construction company that was constructing Sydney Harbour Bridge at the same time. Initially, the bridge had a double leaf bascule-type which raised some questions about its worthiness. Despite the demonstration of advanced technology, there is no apparent reason for more budgets for a movable bridge. Suluck Siwaluck, a Thai philosopher and scholar, narrates that, according to hearsay in the royal families, there was a curse from the King Taksin that when Thonburi (west) merges Bangkok (east at that time), the new dynasty would be wrecked. However, after being damaged during World War II, it has never moved again.

In 1954, subsequently, Plaek Phibunsongkhram, prime minister at that time and a leader of the Siam Revolution of 1932, imposed another pinpoint linking to the Phra Phutta Yodfa Bridge axis, which connected to the Democracy Monument (Figure 30). The King Taksin Monument had been built at the Wongwian Yai roundabout in Thonburi. This monument expanded the axis from the arrow. The meaning behind the political axis is not entirely clear, but we can see the antagonistic tension between King Taksin Monument and King Rama I Monument. From the aerial view, two juxtaposed monuments reveal traces of the political agendas, changes of the political regime, and new collective memories that the authority wanted to create.

Figure 30 The Axis - King Taksin Monument - King Rama I Monument - Democracy Monument source: Original Image from Google Earth, Edited by Kitti Chupanich, 2021