Mandarin Oriental Bangkok History

Hey, heritage hotel lovers. Here is another legend we will write about, simply because it is a landmark on its own. After all, this is one of the oldest still operating hotels in the world. Of course, we are talking about the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Hotel, which is situated on Chao Phraya River banks for almost 140 years. Please enjoy our Mandarin Oriental Bangkok History article and find out more about this legendary hotel.

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The old name of Thailand was the Kingdom of Siam and here is a map from 1686. In that era, HM King Narai Ramathipodi III, the most famous Ayutthayan King, began to establish diplomatic relations with Europe. [1]

Early Days: 1862-1893

The land where this hotel stands used to be a royal land and royal family has an important role in this hotel. Anyway, on the today's lobby spot, was in 1850 a royal palace of Rama III, Prince Rajasihavikrom. Next to this palace, in 1860, Captain James White opened a boarding house. It stood on the grounds of today’s East Asiatic Company (Oriental’s neighbor to the South). Captain died in 1863 and his boarding house was taken over by two Americans – Atkins Dyer and William West. They turned it into the first hotel of Bangkok – Oriental Hotel. A year later, the partnership of the hotel was changed to Atkins Dyer and Barnes, another American. Sadly on 11 July 1865, this hotel was burned down together with 69 nearby buildings.

King Chulalongkorn - Rama V coronation in 1868. Under his lead, Bangkok grew into a trading port and Oriental Hotel became the official guesthouse of the palace. [2]

German and Then Danish Ownership

A German, C. Falck took over the remaining of this unlucky hotel and restored it for new guests. Flack’s Hotel was opened in 1866 and had a novelty – bowling alley. At the same time, Bangkok got gas street lighting, which was a great deal for that era. After all, German ownership ended in the 1870s and his successor C Salje, a Danish seaman did great improvements. He moved this former guesthouse one step higher, closer to what may be considered a western hotel. He offered family accommodations, bathrooms, billiards room, and American Bar. 

Old adds for a new established Oriental Hotel Bangkok. Owner C Salje had 12 rooms, American Bar, Billiard Salon, and a dining room. In 1887 S Cardu and Rossi designed a completely new main building, today is known as the Authors' Wing. [3]

Salje and his fellow Dane, H Jarck owned not only hotel but also mineral water filling station. In 1881 they retired and have sold their business to another Dane, Hans Niels Anderson. Andersen and his partners, P Andersen and F Kinch established Messrs Andersen & Co. They owned the Oriental Hotel, the Oriental store and ship chandlery, the Oriental factory, the Oriental bakery, the aerated water filling station, and the Koh-Si-Chang Hotel & Store.

Mandarin Oriental Bangkok History: A new Oriental Hotel has been completed in 1887. Its predecessor still stands to the right, advertised as the Ship Chandlery & General Store. [4]

Here Comes the Fame

Straightaway, the Oriental Hotel was in all news. On the west, it was advertised as the only place in Bangkok where one could go. The hotel was known as luxury and their business was wide. The French Ambassador, the Hotel’s next door used hotels catering service for their receptions. Prince Rajasihavikrom’s successor, Prince Prisdang suggested building a new Oriental Hotel on his father’s land.

This photo was taken from the first floor of the first Oriental Hotel's verandah. H N Andersen, P Andersen, and F Kinch, the new owners of the Oriental Hotel, posed in front of the new building. [5]

That was an important reaction to a new hotel on New Road, called Bangkok Hotel. This Hotel was offering all amenities, from ‘First Class Family Residence’ to ‘Ladies Drawing Room’ and ‘Dining Room’. Andersen commissioned a team of local Italian architects, S Cardu & Rosi, to design a completely new building. The Italian architects created an astonishing structure, still stands at the heart of the hotel and is now known as the Authors’ Wing. The hotel becomes a shiny star in Indochina.

Chao Phraya River View in 1897. On the right, there is the Royal Yacht Maha Chakri [6]

HIH Crown Prince Nicholas of Russia as a Guest

Oriental Hotel became the venue to hold important parties. In fact, there was almost no bigger banquet, where Oriental Hotel wouldn’t be present. In December 1890, His Majesty King Chulalongkorn paid a private visit to The Oriental. The King was so impressed that he decided to accommodate in Oriental a Crown Prince Nicholas of Russia, who became Tsar in 1894. Crown Prince Nicholas was at The Oriental in April 1891 and this was the beginning of a long-lasting relationship between Oriental Hotel and the Royal family.

Mandarin Oriental History cant bypass the VIP people who were guests here. Back in 1891, the guest of King Chulalongkorn was the future emperor of Russia - HIH Crown Prince Nicholas of Russia [7]

Novelties

Every drop of liquor was consumed during the Russian delegation stay. That was a clear sign of well-being in that hotel. The same time the hotel got a new modern electric light, which was a great deal for that time. Important to realize, there were only two more places with electric lights; Siam Electric Light Co’s works and the Royal Palace.

This is one of the first places in Bangkok that were lightened by electric power. The hotel had light from April 1891.

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In 1893 H N Andersen sold hotel business to Franklin Bill Hurst for $22,000. Andersen was still the owner of neighboring the Oriental Store, which continued to supply the hotel with imports. Those goods were the most expensive wines in the world, like Château Mouton and Château Lafite Rothschild. Andersen returned to Denmark and founded the East Asiatic Company, along with the first director of the Landmans-Banken. Nowadays, it is the largest company in Denmark with worldwide branches.

King Chulalongkorn with Franz Joseph I, Emperor of Austria in Vienna. [8]

Here is the King Chulalongkorn with Otto von Bismarck, former chancellor of Germany. [9]

It is not clear why the hotel was sold, but I suspect there was a problem with the ‘chit method’ payment. A credit form, more often never paid. The same ‘problem’ was in the Eastern&Oriental with Sarkies. However Hurst hired American W.J. Palmer to manage the property, and he abrogated that paying system.

Famous Sarkies brothers - the hoteliers of the East

Paknam Incident

England and France were in their "Colonization Race" and pressure from French authorities was high. The climax was reached in 1893 in the so-called 'Paknam Incident'. While sailing off Paknam through Siam's Chao Phraya River to Bangkok, three French ships were fired on by the Siamese. As a result, Franch blockaded Bangkok and fired guns on the Royal Palace. French warships anchored directly in front of the French Embassy and the Oriental Hotel. The King of Siam avoided bloodshed but the price was high. It was included payment of a war indemnity of three million French francs and the cession of a certain territory, including a portion of the State of Luang Prabang, to France.

The climax of the Paknam Incident in 1893, the French battleships; Lutin, Inconstant and the Comete, anchored in front of the French Legation. In the Background is the Oriental Hotel, today's Mandarin Oriental Bangkok. [10]

Writers Dwelling

Joseph Conrad

Oriental Hotel was hosting many famous people, and surprisingly a lot of well-known writers. Imagine this Chao Phraya River bank in the shine of the full moon and small orchestra playing tender tones at the back… What better brain stimulation can you ask for? Yeah, yeah that small amounts of opium from China… Anyway, in 1888, the hotel was hosting the not yet famous Joseph Conrad. At that time he was a new captain of the ship Otago, where he got a lot of experience and material for his later writing work. One of the well-known works is also ‘Lord Jim’. As a matter of fact, that name we can find in today’s hotel seafood restaurant.

Feeling cute. Might write about something later. IDK

Joseph Conrad. Photo: public domain

Maxwell Sommerville

He was a guest in this legendary hotel in 1897. At that time he was the first and only Professor of Glyptology, the study of engraved gems and collecting artifacts of Buddhist worships. Maxwell was an inspired travel writer, travel blogger of that era ;). He arrived in Oriental Hotel with his wife and they were simply astonished by this place and left a rich writing history about the hotel at that time. Oriental Hotel was described as one of the noblest here on the East. For example, they were surprised by two sheets on the bed; that was a luxury they were often denied in India and Burma. He described also a fruit selection in this hotel. At dinner, they were serving mangosteens, bread-fruit, oranges, custard-apples, papaya, pineapples, mangoes, bananas and even durian with its unpleasant odor.

Maxwell Sommerville [11]

William Somerset Maugham

With 850 million books sold, he became the most read author of the 20^th century. In ‘The Gentleman in the Parlour’ he described also his first visit to Oriental Bangkok. ‘The hotel faced the river. My room was dark, one of a long line, with a verandah on each side of it, the breeze blew through, but it was stifling. The dining-room was large and dim, and for coolness’ sake, the windows were shuttered. One was waited on by silent Chinese boys. I did not know why the insipid Eastern food sickened me. The wats oppress me by their garish magnificence, making my headache. I took my temperature. I was startled topo see that it was a hundred and five. I could not believe it, so I took it again; it was still a hundred and five’.

Somerset Maugham wrote about the Oriental Hotel in his book 'The Gentleman in the Parlour'. Citation: "The hotel faced the river. My room was dark, one of a long line, with a verandah on each side of it, the breeze blew through, but it was stifling." [12]

Malaria

Maugham had contracted malaria while traveling. It was a bad attack. One morning he overheard a conversation between the hotel manager, Maria Marie, and the doctor. ‘I can’t have him die here, you know. You must take him to the hospital.’ The doctor decided to wait a day or two. Luckily Maugham recovered a few days later. Because he had nothing to do except look at the river and enjoy the weakness left by disease, he invented a fairy story. He was in the Oriental Hotel two times more. Once in 1925, when he stayed there for two weeks and the second time in 1960 to celebrate his 85^th birthday. This time he dined with legendary Jim Thompson. He reminisced: ‘I was almost evicted from the Oriental Hotel because the manager did not want me to ruin her business by dying in one of her rooms.’

Mandarin Oriental Bangkok History: Reception of King Chulalongkorn in London [13]

Collapse and Women Empower

The hotel was working fine and it was known as a high social hub. However, in 1899, Hurst decided to sell his interests in the Oriental Hotel to a syndicate of a Mr. W Downie. During the following three years the Oriental underwent further expansions and improvements. These times were also very turbulent for the hotel.

Oriental Bangkok Postcard: 1890-1920s [14]

In 1903, the hotel was taken over by F S Robertson, but not for long. A few months later he had to leave town in a hurry, due to his debts. The hotel was closed down temporarily till 1905 and was established back by Mr. Carl G Edwards, an American. Management was proposed to Mme M O Bujault. She engaged Viennese orchestra, revived the tradition of musical dinners and employed a new French chef – Monsieur Brier. From this time on the cuisine in Oriental Hotel was exquisite level.

Maria Marie as a new proprietor. [15]

Maria Marie

Anyway successful years of Madame M O Bujault lasted only till 1910. She was the first women manager of The Oriental, but certainly not last. Her successor was Maria Marie. She became a legend in her own right. The hotel was in its ‘golden era’, literally with its patron – Peter Carl Fabergé. He is a well-known jeweler known by Fabergé egg. It Oriental Hotel he did a few exhibitions, which were successful. The new King Vajiravudh – Rama VI became his valued customer.

Maria Marie [16]

The Oriental Hotel became a famous center not only for travelers but also for diplomats and businessmen. It even became the seat of a diplomatic mission. In 1913, the Imperial & Royal Austro-Hungarian Legation in the Kingdom of Siam established a chancery at the hotel. Good relationships lasted only one year. World War I started and even here far away from happening you could feel it. Austrian diplomats weren’t invited to a French garden party, for example. However, The Great War left a huge crisis all over the world. Luxury travels were out of the business and a hotel like The Oriental was affected. 

Advertisement from a guide to Bangkok, 1915 [17]

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1920 - 1940

The hotel was badly affected by the global economic crisis. In 1920, M Henri Cucherousset, correspondent of the Hanoi journal L ‘Evil Economique de l’Indochie came to Bangkok. He did an article about the Oriental Hotel, which wasn’t in its best form. He deplored its lack of ‘a drawing-room for ladies’ and a ‘proper bathing accommodations’. Worst of all he critiqued its generally rundown appearance. Henri Cucherousset had dared to attack a national institution. The response of the public can be described as frantic. The answer to this was a new firm raised capital of 60,000 Baht. The idea was Maria Marie’s, who became one of the shareholders and was appointed a managing director.

Oriental Bangkok Postcard: 1922, by Dan Sweeney [18]

Renovations went amazingly well, and the Oriental Hotel was back in its glory. In the city, new hotels opened their doors and started to compete with the Oriental Hotel. Guests mostly stayed in the Oriental Hotel, they recognized it as much more than only luxury accommodation. After all, this was the oldest hotel in Bangkok with a rich historical background and Royal appearance. After the renovation, Daniel C Sweeney, a seasoned illustrator, arrived. He drew posters for leading Asian hotels. Among them also the Grand Hotel Metropole in Hanoi and the Continental Palace in Saigon. His work for the Oriental Hotel is considered one of his finest pieces of art.

The Oriental Hotel Bangkok by Dan Sweeney

The Connections

Siam offered four aerodromes, in 1924. However, plains in that time were rare and mostly used by the military. Later in the 1930s was more common to travel by plane. At that time the travel from London to Bangkok lasted nine days and it wasn’t considered as safe travel. After all, first air hostesses were trained nurses. The first group of aerial travelers landed at Don Muang airport in 1931. Among them were also Oriental’s first air-borne guests.

Mandarin Oriental Bangkok History - The Oriental's old labels

The train connections became much more expanded as well. You could easily visit most of the Siam’s parts. Wealthy citizens of Bangkok traveled to Huan Hin, where it was the legendary Railway Hotel and only 5 minutes away, the brand new Royal Golf Club. This Club is the first golf course of international standards in Siam. It had been completed in 1924 and carved on over 240 acres of natural terrain. The course was designed by Arthur O Robins, who was a Scottish railroad engineer.

Oriental Bangkok Postcard: 1930s [19]

Maria Marie Retirement

A keen golfer at that time was also Oriental’s manager Maria Marie. She was the Siamese woman champion for a few years in a row. It looks like she wasn’t there only for golf. In 1928 she got divorced and married Arthur O Robins in London in 1932. However, after 22 years of managing the hotel, Maria decided to retire. Her son was planned as her predecessor, but after his wife’s death, the plans changed. After her son couldn’t take over, she put a couple, Lt Col and Mrs. Sylow, in charge.

Mandarin Oriental Bangkok History: The Oriental Hotel Bangkok by one of the best Australians portrait painters - Valerie Marie [20]

Political Instability

On 24 June 1932, occurred the most important political change of that period. The country’s educated ruling class, calling themselves as the People’s Party, staged a bloodless coup which finally brought to an end Siam’s days as an absolute monarchy. King Prajadhipok signed the nation’s first constitution in December that same year. Nationalism in the Kingdom was growing, the same as a friendship with Japan. In 1939, Siam’s name was officially changed to Thailand.

Oriental Bangkok Postcard: Christmas, 1996 [21]

At the beginning of World War 2, the Marie-Robins’ family received news that the manager of the Oriental Hotel had been killed in a car accident. Maria and Arthur went to Bangkok and were lucky to be able to formally transfer the hotel’s lease and sell all equipment and stocks. As British subjects, and after the Thai declaration of war against Britain, they were taken to a camp in the Jungle. Later they were managed to escape that place and return to Britain.

Wars are bringing destruction...

After WW2

Second Great War was at the doors. Japanese troops began blockade French Indochina. Thailand signed a treaty of friendship with the Empire of the Rising Sun and officially joined the axis side. Japanese armed forces requisitioned the Oriental Hotel. The average occupancy was 25 guests per night. In February 1942, the Japanese International Tourism Bureau requested that the Imperial, the most prestigious hotel in Tokyo, take over the management at Oriental Hotel. American forces regained their power in the Pacific and it became clear that American forces were heading for Okinawa and eventually for the Japanese mainland. On 14 December 1944, American aircraft bombed Rama VI Bridge across the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok. After the war, the hotel was requisitioned by American armed forces. Interior was already in a bad shape in that time

Oriental Bangkok Postcard: 1955 [22]

Correspondents and journalists used to sit on the terrace, drinking cold drinks and swapping the stories. Among them was also famous Colonel Jim Thompson.

Jim Thompson and Oriental Hotel

Jim Thompson was a close friend of Germaine Krull, a famous photographer. She reported the return of King Ananda Mahidol from his studies in Switzerland, took portraits of Jean Cocteau, Andre Malraux and Einstein, she took photographs of de Gaulle and Churchill during the liberation of Paris. Jim one day proposed to Germaine a partnership and idea of taking over the Oriental Hotel.

Mandarin Oriental Bangkok History: Germaine Krull and Jim Thompson in front of their Oriental Hotel. [23]

Krull decided to team up with the Thompson to revive the hotel. Their partners were General Chai Prateepasen, HRH Prince Bhanu, Mr. Pote Sarasin, and Mr. John Wester. On 9 May 1947, the Bangkok newspaper Liberty reported about Madam Germaine Krull as a manager of the Oriental Hotel. Madam Krull was busy restoring life to this remarkable institution. There was a lot of work needed to revive this “Old Lady”. Just a few weeks after she had taken over, she opened a Bamboo Bar. Bamboo Bar became Bangkok’s most fashionable hangout. The menu in the Bamboo Bar was quite simple, but for that time very “advanced”. American sandwiches, hot dogs, hamburgers and fried chickens were filling the guests, while live music established some nice atmosphere.

Thai Silk

Krull and Thompson didn’t agree over various things, one of them was architectural change and the reconstruction of a new wing. Thompson bailed out and sold his shares. Later he established his own silk company, which made Thai silk famous and brought him fame and wealth. To be honest, Tower wing (new wing, today is known as a Garden wing) is designed well. As we know Jim Thompson had a great taste for design and décor!

Jim Thompson's silk, Mandarin Oriental Bangkok and Vivi are a great trio.

TO BE CONTINUED

I hope you enjoyed our article about Mandarin Oriental Bangkok History. Next time we will expose the modern history of this heritage hotel.

Main Source is Andreas Augustin - The Most Famous Hotels in The World - The Oriental

[1] Placide de Sainte-Helene: Engraved by Claude Roussel, Published by Mille. Du Val, niesse de'l auteur 1686, Paris. In the Andreas Augustin - The Most Famous Hotels in The World - The Oriental, page 12.

[2] Andreas Augustin - The Most Famous Hotels in The World - The Oriental, page 22.

[3] Andreas Augustin - The Most Famous Hotels in The World - The Oriental, page 25.

[4] Andreas Augustin - The Most Famous Hotels in The World - The Oriental, page 33.

[5] Andreas Augustin - The Most Famous Hotels in The World - The Oriental, page 35.

[6] Andreas Augustin - The Most Famous Hotels in The World - The Oriental, page 45.

[7] Andreas Augustin - The Most Famous Hotels in The World - The Oriental, page 38.

[8] Andreas Augustin - The Most Famous Hotels in The World - The Oriental, page 49.

[9] Andreas Augustin - The Most Famous Hotels in The World - The Oriental, page 49.

[10]Andreas Augustin - The Most Famous Hotels in The World - The Oriental, page 43.

[11] https://archive.org/stream/appletonsmagazin04newy#page/58/mode/2up

[12] Andreas Augustin - The Most Famous Hotels in The World - The Oriental, page 43.

[13] Andreas Augustin - The Most Famous Hotels in The World - The Oriental, page 49.

[14] Andreas Augustin - The Most Famous Hotels in The World - The Oriental, page 78.

[15] Andreas Augustin - The Most Famous Hotels in The World - The Oriental, page 58.

[16] Andreas Augustin - The Most Famous Hotels in The World - The Oriental, page 67.

[17] Andreas Augustin - The Most Famous Hotels in The World - The Oriental, page 64.

[18] Andreas Augustin - The Most Famous Hotels in The World - The Oriental, page 78.

[19] Andreas Augustin - The Most Famous Hotels in The World - The Oriental, page 78.

[20] Andreas Augustin - The Most Famous Hotels in The World - The Oriental, page 100.

[21] Andreas Augustin - The Most Famous Hotels in The World - The Oriental, page 78.

[22] Andreas Augustin - The Most Famous Hotels in The World - The Oriental, page 78.

[23] Andreas Augustin - The Most Famous Hotels in The World - The Oriental, page 88.

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