Dara Rasami: Princess of Chiang Mai and Consort to King Chulalongkorn

Dara Rasami was born in Chiang Mai on August 26, 1873, to King Inthawichayanon and Queen Thipkraisorn Rajadevi. She later became princess consort to King Chulalongkorn (Rama V). She played an influential role in shaping the perceptions of Chiang Mai identity within the Siamese palace, and served as both hostage and diplomat for her home kingdom. The following images are from the National Archives of Thailand, Bangkok. I discovered them through the excellent dissertation: A “Foreign”Princess in the Siamese Court: Princess Dara Rasami, the Politics of Gender and Ethnic Difference in Nineteenth-Century Siam, by Leslie Ann Woodhouse. The full text is available for download on Scribd.

Thai Women Through the Ages

Thai women are some of the most beautiful women in the world. But it hasn't always been that way. Long ago, Thai woman had short cropped hairstyles, chewed betel nut and were shorter than their modern counterparts. Here are a few images showing the changing styles - and faces - of Thai women.