On pain of death, do not touch Queen Sunandha!

Rama V was a great modernizer, yet one of the overly strict laws of his time was responsible for the tragic deaths of his loved ones.

Queen Sunandha Kumariratana, who was pregnant at the time of the tragedy, died with their one-and-a-half-year-old daughter.

Perhaps one day, while walking around Thailand, you will come across a statue or monument in tribute to Queen Sunandha and wonder why she is so honored.

The saddest deaths are those of people who disappeared too soon, if you add to that a tragic story, a drowning or rather three drownings in front of people who had orders not to help them, you understand the tribute.

A story that makes you sad and makes you think about the meaning of life and destiny.

The Tragic Story of Queen Sunandha

Sunandha Kumariratana with her daughter Kannabhorn Bejaratana

Sunandha Kumariratana was born on November 10, 1860 as the daughter of King Mongkut of Siam (Rama IV) and Princess Piam.

She was the first wife of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) of Siam and was also his half-sister.

Rama V's first four wives were his half-sisters, and while this may seem shocking, it must be put into context at the time.

King Mongkut had at least 82 children with his many wives and concubines.

King Chulalongkorn also had many children, 77 officials with 36 of his 92 wives.

With Queen Sunandha,  the king had a daughter, born on 12 August 1878 and named Kannabhorn Bejaratana.

And she was expecting another child who was to be a boy and therefore first son and future king, when tragedy struck on May 31, 1880.

A trip to the royal palace of Bang Pa-In

While she was en route with her daughter in a royal boat that was to take them to the royal palace of Bang Pa-In (also known as the "Summer Palace"), the boat capsized and the queen and her daughter fell into the water.

Bang Pa-In Royal Palace

There were many spectators who witnessed the capsizing, but they were unable to help them.

Because in fact it was forbidden to touch the Queen under penalty of death, even if it meant that they could not save her life.

Not only was there this law, but also a guard on another boat ordered them to do nothing.

The Queen was almost twenty years old, her daughter Princess Kannabhorn was barely over a year and a half old.

The guard was later punished for his too strict view of the law in such circumstances; the king accused him of the murder of his wife and children and had him imprisoned.

The story went around the world

Then, the story of this macabre event spread to the rest of the world and many journalists criticized Thailand, judging the country as spiritually unevolved and inhumane.

How could these people have let a young pregnant woman and her little girl, who were also calling for help, drown in front of their eyes without reacting!

However, it was rarely noted in these articles and accounts that the guard was obeying an ancient and strict Thai law that forbade any commoner from touching a person of royal blood, as the punishment was immediate death.

It is also worth noting that accidental drownings on the Me Nam River (Chao Phraya River) were so widespread that a strange superstition developed in response.

It was believed that by saving someone from drowning, the water spirits would call to account and later take the rescuer's life, hence the stoicism and indifference in Siam regarding the rescue of drowning."

And so the guards obeyed the law and superstitions on the Chao Phraya River to the detriment of the queen, the life of her only daughter and her unborn son.

The Great Sorrow of Rama V

After this, the king's relatives said that he "fell into deep sadness."

His great sorrow was demonstrated by the swift cancellation of his long-awaited trip to the United States of America for an indefinite period.

The king, so overwhelmed by the loss of his favorite wife, his only daughter, and his heir apparent, began to organize funeral ceremonies, described as the most "elaborate and costly ever known in Siam," costing, it is said, half a million dollars or more.

“The king directed all his efforts to complete the construction of the Royal Summer Palace, where his wife was to go that fateful May morning.

He then had a marble monument erected at the back of Bang Pa-In Palace to honor them.

Monument to Queen Sunandha and her children in Bang Pa In Palace

In addition to completing the construction of the Summer Palace and the marble memorial, the king erected several temporary buildings to conduct cremation ceremonies.

The king, so devoted to properly commemorating his beloved wife, kept her body for about seven months before cremating it.

It was reported that his remains and those of his children "were embalmed and placed in a seated position" on gilded thrones inside the Pramene (main crematorium).

They "remained in this state for months" surrounded by "rich and costly jewels, gold and silver vessels, and other precious things, insignia of royalty, which had belonged to the dead during life."

After attending to all the details of the preparation, the king began the grandiose funeral ceremonies on March 9, 1881, in honor of his queen and her children.

A funeral attendant describes in detail what was seen and heard during the twelve days of cremation ceremonies.

“The blowing of trumpets and conch shells, wailing women from the palace came to the quartets four times a day to weep and mourn, to sing funeral hymns and sing the excellencies of the deceased…

Buddhist priests preached every day and chanted through the night…”

Finally, on March 21, 1881, the King laid the Queen's ashes to rest, after more than six months of dedication to building memorials and planning her funeral.

Statue of Queen Sunandha erected under Rama V in Namtok Phlio National Park in Chantaburi

King Chulalongkorn was a great king who brought a lot to Thailand and is therefore still highly revered by Thais today.

His photo is often present in Thai homes, on altars, with that of Rama IX , who died in 2016.

King Rama V (Chulalongkorn)

See also:

The 10 Ramas: the kings of the Chakri dynasty of Thailand

Source: misfithistory.com; photo of the statue of the queen: กสิณธร ราชโอรส ; photo of the monument in tribute to the queen and the two children in the Bang Pa In palace: ScorpianPK