Batman villain info: Two-Face

HARVEY DENT aka TWO-FACE

Harvey Dent was Gotham City's district attorney, but after being scarred for life, turned to a life of crime.

Origins
Maverick Gotham City District Attorney Harvey Dent was nicknamed "Apollo" by the media, because he was charming, good-looking and seemingly untouchable. He was dedicated to his job of upholding law and order, and became one of the first supporters, allies and even friends of the Batman. At the time of his job as D.A., the worst criminal threat in Gotham was nigh omnipotent mafia boss Carmine Falcone, "The Roman." He forged a triumvirate with Batman and Commissioner James Gordon to bring the man down within the law, no matter what the cost. His slightly angrier temperament led Batman and Gordon to distrust him slightly, believing there was a possibility he might be the mysterious "Holiday" killer who was gunning down mob members at the time. Some of the Internal Affairs agents gave him the nickname "Harvey Two-Face". The alliance ended tragically when Sal Maroni, believing Dent to be responsible for the death of his father, threw acid in his face during a trial. Harvey was horribly scarred on the left side of his face and his left hand.

Harvey escaped from the hospital and descended into madness. He became obsessed with duality and opposites, and developed a second persona, the villainous Two-Face, to compliment the law & order-obsessed Harvey Dent. As Two-Face, his trademark was crimes involving the number two. His obsession even shows in his clothes, which are usually composed of two halves made out of very different materials. He carries a double-sided coin, with one side smooth and the other side scarred.

Analysis on Criminal Insanity
Two-Face is not consistently evil; every time he contemplates a crime, he flips his two-headed coin. Only if the coin came up scratched-side did Two-Face go ahead and commit the crime, never questioning the result of the toss. This compulsion is a compromise between Dent's evil "Two-Face" personality and his former, law-abiding self. Over the years, he has been shown to rely on the coin to different degrees. Sometimes to decide whether or not to commit a crime, sometimes to decide whether or not to do something good, like save someone. He will even go out of his way to do good deeds if the coin mandates, like donate huge sums of money to charities.

Over the years, various attempts have been made to repair his facial scars, but none have successfully cured his insanity long term; although he has briefly returned to his Dent persona, he has ended up simply destroying one side of his face and becoming Two-Face once again.
http://batman.wikia.com/wiki/Two-Face

Portrayals in live films
In the 1995 film Batman Forever, Tommy Lee Jones portrayed a slightly campier Two-Face alongside Jim Carrey's Riddler and opposite Val Kilmer's Batman. "Harvey Two-Face" plays up the "two" gimmick to the point where Two-Face even refers to himself in the plural (we, us, our) almost all the time (except for one instant when he says to Robin, "I'll see you in Hell"). Here in this film, Two-Face is also responsible for Dick Grayson's origin as Robin, having murdered the latter's parents and brother in an attempt to blow up the circus (in the original comics, it was Boss Zucco who was responsible for the death of Dick's parents). Two-Face joins forces with The Riddler and the two gain knowlege through the box and discover Batman's true identity; following this they travel to Wayne Manor and Two-Face's thugs kidnap Dr. Chase Meridian while The Riddler goes on to destroy the Batcave. Two-Face was about to kill Bruce, but Riddler intervened, sugeesting that he solve one last riddle, and then they head back to Claw Island. Two-Face perishes at the end of the movie: He flips his coin to decide if he should kill Batman, giving the Dark Knight the opening to toss a handful of identical coins into the air. Two-Face panics and tries to find his coin, slips from the beams and falls into the watery bed of spikes at the bottom of Claw Island. His real coin then falls into his open palm, good side up.
http://batman.wikia.com/wiki/Two-Face_%28Tommy_Lee_Jones%29

In The Dark Knight, Harvey Dent is portrayed by Aaron Eckhart. He has been elected District Attorney of Gotham City. His election takes place during the viral marketing campaign that lead up to the film. He is supported by his girlfriend and assistant DA, Rachel Dawes. The Joker engineers a plan to corrupt Dent by having his gang kidnap Dent and Rachel, and transport them to opposite ends of the city, such that only one will be saved, and the other will die. While trapped in an explosive-rigged warehouse, Dent, in an attempt to free himself, falls on his left side and knocks over a large can of gasoline, which spills onto the floor and goes across the left half of his face. Batman, being fooled by the Joker into saving Rachel, finds Dent instead, but nevertheless goes on to drag him out of the place. As the building explodes, a fire catches on the left side of his face, disfiguring it. Driven into grief and insanity by the death of Rachel, as well as by his own disfigurement, Harvey evolves into the vengeful vigilante known as Two-Face, setting off to judge the corrupt cops and mobsters by the toss of his coin, seeing this as the only way to 'make things fair' (given the 50-50 situation that Dent survived and Rachel did not). Even Batman and Commissioner Gordon are not being spared; Gordon's family are being taken hostage at the very place where Rachel died. In the end, Two-Face meets his end at the hands of Batman; as he tossed the coin to decide the fate of Gorodn's son, Batman delivered a scissors kick to him, resulting in Two-Face falling off the ledge and breaking his neck. Knowing that the Joker would really win if the public were to ever know about Dent's corruption, Batman tells Gordon to place all of Dent's crimes onto him, in order to preserve Dent's reputation and vision for a safer Gotham.

http://batman.wikia.com/wiki/Two-Face_%28Aaron_Eckhart%29

Batman villain info: The Joker

THE JOKER

The Joker is a fictional character, a DC Comics supervillain widely considered to be Batman'sarchenemy. He was first introduced in Batman #1 (Spring 1940) and has remained consistently popular since then.
The Joker, whose real name is unknown in most adaptations (he is known simply as Jack in "The Killing Joke"), is a master criminal with a clown-like appearance. Initially portrayed as a violent sociopath who murders people for his own amusement, the Joker, later in the 1940s, began to be written as a goofy trickster-thief. That characterization continued through the late-1950s and 1960s before the character became again depicted as a vicious, psychopathic killer. The Joker has been responsible for numerous tragedies in Batman's life, including the paralysis of Barbara Gordon (Batgirl/Oracle) and the murders of Jason Todd (the second Robin) and Jim Gordon's second wife Sarah Essen.
Interpretations of the Joker in other media include Cesar Romero's in the 1960s Batman television series, Jack Nicholson's in Tim Burton's Batman (1989 film), and Mark Hamill's in Batman: The Animated Series and other DC Animated Universe shows. Wizard magazine listed him the #1 villian of all time in 2006. As played by Nicholson, The Joker ranks #45 in the American Film Institute's list of the top 50 film villains of all time. Heath Ledger signed to play the Joker in July 2006, for director Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins sequel, The Dark Knight.

Analysis on Criminal Insanity
From the Joker's first appearance in Batman #1, he has been willing (and eager) to wreak as much havoc as possible upon innocent people in order to claim the mantle of Gotham City's greatest criminal mastermind. Throughout his decades-long war with Batman, he has committed crimes both whimsical and inhumanly brutal, all with a logic and reasoning that, in Batman's words, "make sense to him alone."
The Joker commits crimes with countless "comedic" weapons (such as razor-sharp playing cards, acid-spewing flowers, cyanide pies, and lethally electric joy buzzers) and Joker venom, a deadly poison that infects his victims with a ghoulish rictus grin as they die while laughing uncontrollably. This venom, which the Joker is immune to, comes in many forms, from gas to darts to liquid poison, and has been his primary calling card from his first appearance till the present. The Joker is also very skilled in the fields of chemistry, genetics, and nuclear engineering; he is shown to be very computer literate.
Joker's skills in hand-to-hand combat vary considerably depending on the writer. Some writers have shown Joker to be quite the skilled fighter, capable even of holding his own against Batman in a fight. Other writers prefer portraying Joker as being physically frail to the point that he can be defeated with a single punch. He is however consistently described as agile.
The Joker has cheated death numerous times, even in seemingly inescapable and lethal situations. Though he has been seen caught in explosions, been shot repeatedly, dropped from heights, electrocuted, etc, the Joker always manages to return fully alive and unscathed to wreak havoc again.
http://batman.wikia.com/wiki/The_Joker_

Portrayals in live films

The 1989 Batman film, directed by Tim Burton, offered a somewhat different origin for the Joker, portrayed by Jack Nicholson, and at the same time made him part of Batman's origin (being the crook who killed Bruce Wayne's parents). The Joker's real name in the movie is Jack Napier, the narcissistic right-hand man of Boss Carl Grissom Following his disfigurement, the Joker kills Grissom, takes over the gangster's empire, engaging in a violent, chaotic crime spree, the motive being to "outdo" Batman, who he feels was getting too much press. The name Jack Napier is a quadruple pun, on the word "jackanapes"; and the historic criminal Jack the Ripper; possibly a reference to a Spanish term for playing cards, "naipes"; and also the surname of actor Alan Napier, who had played Alfred in the 1960s series.
http://batman.wikia.com/wiki/The_Joker_%28Jack_Nicholson%29

A Joker playing card is shown at the end of Batman Begins, where it had been used as a calling card by a costumed criminal who was not explicitly named.
The Joker (portrayed by Heath Ledger) appears as the main villain in The Dark Knight. He possesses no origin story or clearly defined past; his clown like appearance is the result of make-up and Glasgow smile-like scars. He offers two different accounts of how he came to possess the scars (child abuse and self-mutilation), but it is not known whether either one is true or if he merely made up these stories. The Joker is also responsible for the origin of Harvey Dent's fall from grace and transformation into Two-Face.
Though a unique portrayal, this Joker interpretation maintains much of his comic personality, such as his refusal to kill Batman. His philosophy that people are all insane and Two-face's origin story in the film mirror the themes and plot of The Killing Joke, as well as his unreliable memory. Heath Ledger described the Joker as a "psychopathic, mass murdering, schizophrenic clown with zero empathy".
Ledger has been greatly praised for his role as the Joker in The Dark Knight, which was released on 24 July 2008 in the United Kingdom. Sadly, Ledger's unexpected death on 22nd January 2008 (from a supposed drugs overdose) meant that he was unable to receive this almost unanimous praise. He is now being considered for a posthumous Oscar for his role, an honor never before granted to a comic book adaptation.
http://batman.wikia.com/wiki/The_Joker_%28Heath_Ledger%29

Batman villain info: Scarecrow

JONATHAN CRANE AKA SCARECROW

The Scarecrow (Dr. Jonathan Crane) is a DC Comics supervillain, an enemy of Batman. Created by Batman creators Bill Finger and Bob Kane, he first appeared in World's Finest Comics #3 (Fall 1941). His scarecrow costume, lanky appearance and surname were inspired by Ichabod Crane of the horror fable The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

Origins
In his first appearance in World's Finest #3 during the Golden Age of Comic Books, the Scarecrow is first introduced as Jonathan Crane, a professor of psychology, who turns to crime after he is fired; an expert in the psychology of fear, he had fired a gun in a classroom full of students to illustrate a point. The only thing revealed about his early life is that, as a child, he had liked to frighten birds. Ostracized by his fellow professors for his appearance and reclusiveness, Crane turned to crime to make himself part of the social elite.
In the Modern Age version comics, Crane's origin story is being expanded: he becomes obsessed with fear and revenge from being bullied throughout his childhood and adolescence for his lanky frame and bookish nature. He commits his first murder at the age of 18 by brandishing a gun in his high school parking lot during the senior prom. Dressed in the ghoulish scarecrow costume that would later become his trademark, Crane causes the head bully, Bo Griggs, and his girlfriend, Sherry Squires (who had rejected Crane), to have an automobile accident which paralyzes Griggs and kills Squires. From this, Crane discovers a savage delight in literally frightening people to death.
The 2005 miniseries, Batman/Scarecrow: Year One, expands upon the earlier origin story. The novels explains that Jonathan Crane was born out of wedlock and also suffers terrible abuse from his fanatically religious grandmother. His father took off before he was even born, and his mother did not show any love or affection towards him at all. He developed a taste for fear and an affinity for crows when his grandmother locked him in a dilapidated church full of birds. Later Crane kills his grandmother, and runs away from home, not before finding out that his mother had bore him a younger sister.

Analysis of Criminal Insanity
The Scarecrow is a mentally unstable former psychologist who uses a variety of drugs and psychological tactics to use the fears and phobias of his adversaries. He does not commit his crimes for wealth, but rather as a form of "research" to further study the effects of fear on humans, making the innocent citizens of Gotham his unwilling guinea pigs. His modus operandi is to use his Scarecrow persona and threaten his victims into doing whatever he wants. In terms of his costume, he merely wore ragged black hat, trenchcoat, mask, and sometimes wielded a Tommy gun; in other occasions, he would carry a long sickle staff for close-range combat.
http://batman.wikia.com/wiki/Scarecrow

Film Portrayal
Cillian Murphy portrays the live version of Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow in the 2005 film "Batman Begins". The Scarecrow appears much like his comic counterpart, this version of the Scarecrow is a corrupt, sadistic psychiatrist specializing in psychopharmacology at Arkham, secretly allied with Ra's al Ghul and Carmine Falcone, smuggling the former's hallucinogenic drugs into Gotham to create fear gas to use upon his patients in cruel experiments. He first appears in the film as Dr. Jonathan Crane, testifying in court that Victor Zsasz, one of Falcone's assassins, is legally insane and should be moved to Arkham for rehabilitation. This enrages Assistant District Attorney Rachel Dawes, who later accuses him of being corrupt. Crane then meets with Falcone to discuss having her murdered. When Falcone later attempts to blackmail Crane, Crane dons his Scarecrow mask for the first time in the film and douses Falcone with his fear gas, driving the mob boss insane and leaving him repeatedly uttering "scarecrow". Crane is subsequently arrested by Sergeant James Gordon for intoxicating Rachel with his fear gas, but later escapes in the mass release of Arkham inmates prompted by Ra's Al Ghul as part of his plot to destroy Gotham. As Ra's Al Ghul unleashes Crane's fear gas on Gotham's slums, Crane, now calling himself Scarecrow, pursues Rachel and a boy through an alley on a horse, dragging a dead mounted police officer from its stirrups. To the boy, who was affected with the gas, Scarecrow appeared as a deep-voiced monster riding a fire-breathing horse. Rachel eludes Scarecrow by shocking him in the face with a taser. Scarecrow aimlessly rides off into the night, screaming in pain. In the film's final scene, Gordon reveals to Batman that Crane is still at large.

At the beginning of "The Dark Knight", we see a meeting of armed mobsters over a deal gone wrong, and we realize that one side is actually led by the Scarecrow. The meeting is interrupted by multiple 'Batmen': normal civilians armed with automatic weapons and homemade Batsuits, who want to fight crime as inspired by the real Batman. Batman himself arrives and subdues all the criminals, Batmen, and Scarecrow.

http://batman.wikia.com/wiki/Scarecrow_%28Cillian_Murphy%29

Batman villain info: Ra's Al Ghul

RA'S AL GHUL

Ra's al Ghul, sometimes written Rā's al Ghūl (Arabic: رأس الغول), is a DC Comics supervillain and an enemy of Batman. His name is Arabic for "the ghoul's head" (the Demon's Head, see Algol). Created by writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Neal Adams, he was introduced in Batman #232's "Daughter of the Demon" (June 1971). He has also come into conflict with Superman and other DC Comics superheroes.

Character Overview
Ra's al Ghul is an international terrorist and assassin whose ultimate goal is a world in perfect environmental balance. He believes that the best way to achieve this balance is to eliminate most of humanity. Ra's usually tries to assault the world's human populace with a biological weapon, such as a genetically-engineered virus. He is aided in this quest by the Lazarus Pits, reservoirs of rejuvenating chemicals that restore the dying to life; these pits have granted him a lifespan of several hundred years.
He considers Batman his worthiest opponent, and has frequently sought to make the Dark Knight his successor. He is one of the few criminals in Batman's rogues gallery to have deduced his secret identity as Bruce Wayne. For his own part, Batman's opposition to Ra's is complicated by his love for the villain's daughter, Talia.
http://batman.wikia.com/wiki/Ra%27s_al_Ghul

Film portrayal
In the film Batman Begins, Ra's al Ghul is the head of the centuries-old League of Shadows, an organization that is dedicated to keeping order and justice in a world which it views as decadent and corrupt. As played by Liam Neeson, who for the first half of the film goes by Henri Ducard, Ra's acts as a mentor to a young Bruce Wayne, teaching him the martial arts that he will one day use as Batman. During this time Ducard hides behind a decoy disguised as the real Ra's al Ghul. The decoy, played by Ken Watanabe, is killed while battling Bruce in the first half of the movie. Bruce sets fire to the League's temple, rescues Ducard from the burning ruins and returns to Gotham.
http://batman.wikia.com/wiki/Ra%27s_al_Ghul_%28Ken_Watanabe%29

Months later, Ducard unexpectedly reappears, and reveals that he is actually the real Ra's al Ghul. In the ensuing confrontation, Ra's boasts of the League's exploits throughout history. He explains that the League plans to use a fear toxin invented by their partner Dr. Jonathan Crane (the Scarecrow) to infect the city with mindless panic and watch it destroy itself. He claims that the League of Shadows once attempted to use economics as a mean of destruction, but had underestimated men like Bruce's father, who used their wealth to restore the city (having aligned with Carmine Falcone briefly, Ra's Al Ghul was indirectly responsible for the murder of Bruce's parents). He explains that the destruction of Gotham City is merely another mission by the League to correct humanity's recurring fits of decadence. Ra's then orders his henchmen to burn down Wayne Manor, saying, "Justice is balance. You burned down my house and left me for dead. Consider us even."
With the aid of Alfred, Bruce survives the fire, and confronts Ra's al Ghul as Batman. Ra's scornfully comments that Batman has taken his advice of "using theatricality" too literally. He escapes and goes on with his plans. Batman follows him, however, and teacher and student have a final showdown on a runaway train. Ra's' arrogance is ultimately his downfall when he fails to notice that Sergeant Gordon has used the Batmobile to derail the train. Batman tells Ra's, "I won't kill you, but I don't have to save you." Batman then escapes the doomed train, leaving Ra's behind to perish as the train plunges into a car garage and explodes.

http://batman.wikia.com/wiki/Henri_Ducard_%28Liam_Neeson%29

Intro to List of Batman villains

In accordance to the current screening of "The Dark Knight', I have decided to create a few posts on the villains featured in the Batman films. I purposely chose not to include the main heroes, since many people know about Batman, Robin and Batgirl.

The first week will start off with villains featured in "Batman", "Batman Begins", "The Dark Knight" and "Batman Forever"...
July 28th entry- Ra's Al Ghul/Henri Ducard
July 29th entry- Jonathan Crane aka Scarecrow
July 30th entry- The Joker
July 31st entry- Harvey Dent aka Two-Face
August 1st entry- Edward Nigma aka The Riddler

The second week will feature villains featured in "Batman Returns" and "Batman & Robin"...
August 4th entry- Oswald Cobblepot aka The Penguin
August 5th entry- Selina Kyle aka Catwoman
August 6th entry- Victor Fries aka Mr Freeze
August 7th entry- Pamela Isly aka Poison Ivy
August 8th entry- Bane

Info on King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX)

Bhumibol Adulyadej is the current King of Thailand under the Chakri Dynasty era. Publicly acclaimed "the Great" (Thai: มหาราช, Maharaja), he is also known as Rama IX. Having reigned since 9th June 1946, he is the world's longest-serving current head of state and the longest-serving monarch in Thai history, having reigned for more than 60 years.

He was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts on 5th December 1927, the younger son and youngest child of H.R.H. Prince Mahidol, who died when Bhumibol was barely two years old. The family moved to Switzerland following Prince Mahidol’s early death, and had been cut off from their homeland by the second World War. Bhumibol had a relatively normal youth, displaying notable talents in both music and engineering, and becoming fluent in three European languages, as well as feeling at ease in a variety of cultures. He succeeded his elder brother Ananda following his untimely death on 9th June 1946, and then went back to Switzerland to complete his studies, switching from science to political science and law in recognition of his new role.

While finishing his degree in Switzerland, Bhumibol visited Paris frequently. It was in Paris that he first met a distant relative, Mom Rajawongse Sirikit Kitiyakara, daughter of the Thai ambassador to France. Bhumibol became a regular visitor to the ambassador's residence. A quiet engagement in Lausanne followed on 19th July 1949, and the couple were married on 28th April 1950, just a week before his coronation. They have four children: Princess Ubol Ratana, Crown Prince Maha Vajirlongkorn, Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn and Princess Chulabhorn.

A billionare, Bhumibol has used part of his great wealth to fund over 3,000 development projects, particularly in rural areas. He is immensely popular in Thailand, and is revered as a semi-divine figure by a number of Thais.

Bhumibol attended public ceremonies, toured the provinces and patronised development projects. Although Bhumibol is a constitutional monarch, he has several times made decisive interventions in Thai politics, including the 2005-2006 Thai political crisis. He was credited with facilitating Thailand's transition to democracy in the 1990s, although in earlier periods of his reign he supported some military regimes. He endorsed the military junta which had overthrown the elected government of Thaksin Shinawatra during the September 19 2006 coup.

On June 1996, Thailand celebrated the Golden Jubilee, marking 50 years of King Bhumibol's reign. Ten years later in 2006, Thailand conducted the 60th Anniversary Celebrations of His Majesty the King's Accession to the Throne, a series of events marking King Bhumibol's reign. On 16th January 2007, the junta officially declared the end of the 60th anniversary celebrations and commenced year-long celebrations of King Bhumibol's 80th birthday.

For info, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/60th_anniversary_of_the_accession_of_Bhumibol_Adulyadej

Info on King Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII)

King Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII) is the eighth King of Thailand under the Chakri Dynasty era. was born in Heidelberg, Germany on 20th September 1925, the elder son and second child of H.R.H. Prince Mahidol Adulyadej, Prince of Songkhla and a son of King Chulalongkorn.

Since the kingdom was now governed under a constitution, it was the Cabinet who would decide who would succeed King Prajadhipok. Opinion was split on the right to succession of Prince Chulachakrapongse. A key figure was Pridi Phanomyong, who persuaded the Cabinet that the Law should be interpreted as excluding the Prince from succession, and that Prince Ananda Mahidol should be the next king. It also appeared to be convenient for the government as well to have a monarch who was only 9 years old and was attending school in Lausanne, Switzerland. On 2nd March 1935, Prince Ananda Mahidol was elected by the Thai parliament and government to succeed his uncle, King Prajadhipok.

At that time Ananda was still a young boy schooling in Switzerland, so he was represented in Bangkok by a regency comprising of Colonel Prince Anuwatjaturong, Lieutenant Commander Prince Artit Thip-apa, and Chao Phraya Yommaraj (Pun Sukhum) Except for a brief visit in 1938, Ananda did not return to his homeland until after the second World War. Only after the end of World War II did Ananda and family return to Thailand. He returned for a second visit in December 1945 with a degree in Law. Despite his youth and inexperience, he quickly won the hearts of the Thai people, who had continued to revere the monarchy through the upheavals of the 1930s and 1940s. He was a handsome young man and Thais were delighted to have their King amongst them once again. One of his well-remembered activities was a highly successful visit to Bangkok's Chinatown, which was calculated to defuse the post-war tensions that lingered between the ethnic Chinese and the Thais. Foreign observers, however, believed that Ananda Mahidol did not really want to be King and felt his reign would not last long. At a public function, Lord Louis Mountbatten wrote that "Ananda's nervousness increased to such an alarming extent, that I came very close to support him in case he passed out."

Tragedy ensued in the morning of 9th June 1946, Ananda was found dead in his quarters at the Grand Palace, only four days before he was scheduled to return to Switzerland to finish his doctoral degree in Law at the University of Lausanne. Ananda was only 20 years old at the time of death; he was shot in the head by a pistol. It is not known whether he had been murdered or if it was suicide. Given that it is over 60 years since Ananda's murder, it seems unlikely that it will be solved. King Ananda was never crowned and so shortly after his death, his young brother and successor, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, posthumously altered his regnal title and raised him from seven to nine levels of royal umbrella, as fully crowned and anointed sovereign.

Info on King Prajadhipok (Rama VII)

Prajadhipok was the seventh king of the Chakri dynasty. He was the last absolute monarch and the first constitutional monarch of Siam. Prajadhipok's reign was the shortest, and probably the most controversial, in the history of the Chakri Dynasty. On the one hand, the short history of this reign is the story of the movement of great historical forces—of political aspirations, public opinion, social and political mobilisation, and economic modernisation—while, on the other hand, it is very much the story of individuals and personalities and their effect upon historical events. He is to date the only Siamese monarch to abdicate.

Prince Prajadhipok was probably one of the least likely candidates for the throne at the time he was born. His mother, Queen Saovabha, was the youngest sister of Queen Savang Vadhana, who was the mother of Crown Prince Maha Vajirunhis. Vajirunhis' untimely death caused Chulalongkorn to name Prajadhipok's eldest brother, Prince Vajiravhud, the new crown prince. According to the Law later enacted by King Vajiravhud, this gave the princes born to Queen Sri Patcharindra higher priority to succession than the princes born to his father's other royal wives. In addition, because she was then mother of the crown prince, Queen Sri Patcharindra was appointed Queen Regent when King Chulalongkorn embarked on his tour of Europe. As her sister, Queen Savang Vadhana, mother of the deceased crown prince, remained just Queen Consort, Queen Sri Patcharindra's status was thus considered higher and her sons would also automatically have higher claims on that ground alone. As it turned out, none of Prajadhipok's elder brothers survived by the time King Vajiravhud died, leaving Prajadhipok as the immediate heir. Had Vajiravudh’s consort given birth to a son, that son would have succeeded his father as Rama VII; the birth of a daughter took place 2 days before Vajiravudh’s death, and so Prajadhipok succeeded the throne on 26th November 1925.

Unprepared for his new responsibilities, all Prajadhipok had in his favour was a lively intelligence, a certain diplomacy in his dealings with others, a modesty and industrious willingness to learn, and the somewhat tarnished, but still potent, magic of the crown.

The initial legacy that Prajadhipok received from his elder brother were problems of the sort that had become chronic in the Sixth Reign. The most urgent of these was the economy: the finances of the state were in chaos, the budget heavily in deficit, and the royal accounts an accountant's nightmare of debts and questionable transactions. That the rest of the world was in deep economic depression (particularly the Wall Street Crash) following First World War did not help the situation either. He was personally committed to the idea of a constitution and, given more time, would undoubtedly have granted one without external pressure.

Two months after the celebration of the sesquicentenary (150 years) of the Chakri Dynasty, a group of civil servants and military officers staged a coup d’état on 24th June 1932 and demanded constitutional government. King Prajadhipok granted a constitution to the Thai people in a simply-worded document as historic as any composed by his distinguished forefathers, and thus ended 150 years of absolute rule by Chakri Kings.

The change, however, was felt principally in Bangkok, and even there within a relatively narrow segment of the population. In 1934, King Prajadhipok went to England for medical treatment, and on 2nd March 1935, disillusioned by the undemocratic nature of the regime, he abdicated the throne. He was succeeded by his nephew Ananda Mahidol, whose father Prince Mahidol Adulyadej was a half-brother of Prajadhipok.

Following the abdication, Prajadhipok spent his remaining days with his wife Queen Ramphaiphanni in England. The couple had no children, but adopted the infant son of one of Prajadhipok's deceased brothers. He died from heart failure in Compton House on 30th May 1941 during World War II, and his ashes were brought back to Bangkok by his widow, Queen Rambhai Barni, in 1949. Written only up to the point when he was 25, the King's autobiography was left unfinished.

Info on King Vajiravudh (Rama VI)

King Vajiravudh was the sixth ruler of Thailand under the Chakri Dynasty. He was born in Bangkok on 1st January 1881, the son of King Chulalongkorn by Queen Saovabha. Following the death of his elder half-brother Crown Prince Maha Vajirunhus, in 1895, he was appointed Crown Prince, and he eventually succeeded his father King Chulalongkorn on 23rd October 1910. He was educated in England and his great love for literature and poetry in both Thai and English together with his scholastic abilities was later to manifest itself during his reign.

When King Vajiravudh ascended to the throne, he was the only hope for the people of the famine and plague stricken country. However, some were disappointed to see that the new king could barely manage the tasks that were essential for the country. Among his lasting achievements were devising a system of transliteration of Thai into English and of translating William Shakespeare’s works into Thai. Vajiravudh continued to modernize the country by laying the foundations for self-government and establishing Thailand’s first university. He also established the 1924 Palace Law of Succession, which governs succession to the Thai throne to this day. However his most notable contribution was the focus on nationalism. King Vajiravudh is considered the father of Thai nationalism, which was later built upon by Field Marshall Phibunsongkhram and Sarit Dhanarajata. He introduced the practice of using the name Rama for the Chakri kings in deference to foreign practice.

Besides being a well-renowned poet, Vajiravudh was also known to be a great warrior; he had led the Thai troops to fight alongside the Allied Forces against the German troops during the latter part of World War I. He died of gustatory disease in Bangkok on 25th November 1925 at the early age of 44, just 2 hours after the birth of his daughter. Without a direct male heir, King Vajiravudh's younger brother Prajadhipok became the new monarch.

Info on King Chulalongkorn (Rama V)

King Chulalongkorn was the fifth king of the Chakri dynasty of Thailand. He is regarded as one of the greatest kings of Siam, as he is also called by Thais as "The Great Beloved King". His long reign of 42 years was at that time the longest reign for a Thai monarch, until his grandson King Bhumibol broke that record on July 1988.

Chulalongkorn was born in Bangkok on 20th September 1853 as the oldest son of King Mongkut (Rama IV) and Queen Debsirinda. His father gave him a broad education, including instruction from European tutors such as Anna Leonowens. Chulalongkorn succeeded his father on 1st October 1868, but the chief minister Chao Praya Si Suriyawongse served as regent for four years, as Chulalongkorn was still too young to rule. During this time he traveled to neighbouring western colonies including Singapore, Java and India, to study western politics, administration, lifestyle and colonialism. Later during his reign he also visited Europe twice, in 1897 and 1907, which makes him the first Thai king to visit Europe.

King Chulalongkorn was responsible for a broad range of reforms that transformed almost every aspect of life. He abolished slavery, expended the country’s communications system and reorganized provincial administration through skilled personal diplomacy. Like his father King Mongkut, Chulalongkorn made a point of travelling extensively within his own country, often incognito, to get to know ordinary people and understand them better. Not only was he the first Thai king to travel aboard (he made several visits to the Straits Settlements, the Malay States and the Dutch East Indies), he also sent his sons to study in different parts of Europe.

He successfully managed to cultivate the idea of Siam as a buffer state between the colonial possessions of the European powers in South-east Asia. The price he paid for losing certain border territories was amply rewarded, for Siam was never colonized- the only country in the region to maintain its sovereignty throughout the period of colonial expansionism.

Much beloved by his people, Chulalongkorn died on 23rd October 1910, and he was succeeded by his second son Vajiravudh. The date of his death is commemorated as a national holiday, known as King Chulalonrkorn Day. Chulalongkorn University, founded in 1917 as the first university in Thailand, was named in his honour.

Info on King Mongkut (Rama IV)

Mongkut (October 18, 1804- October 1, 1868) was king of Siam from 1851 to 1868. Historians have widely regarded him as one of the most remarkable kings of the Chakri Dynasty. For his role in introducing Western science and scientific methodology to Siam, Mongkut is still honored to this day in modern Thailand as the country's "Father of Modern Science and Technology".

Prince Mongkut was born on 18th october 1804, the son of King Rama II and his first wife Queen Srisuriyendr, whose first son died at birth in 1801. Prince Mongkut was five years old when his father succeeded to the throne in 1809. According to the law of succession, he was the first in line to the throne; but when his father died, his influential half-brother, Nangklao, was strongly supported by the nobility to assume the throne. Mongkut entered a monastery shortly before the ascension of Nangklao and spent about 27 years in the Buddhist priesthood, before mounting the throne as king; this was an experience unique in the history of the Thai monarchy which, in turn, gave him unique insights into the lives of ordinary people.

He was the first Thai king to learn the English language and entered into correspondence with foreign rulers, in particular Queen Victoria, the Pope and the American President. He ordered the nobility to wear shirts while attending his court; this was to show that Siam was no longer barbaric from the Western point of view. Mongkut's tactful diplomacy and unique personality left its stamp on his country- his keen mind and his quest for knowledge led him into encounters and situations which no Thai king had experienced before. He conducted theological discussions with American missionaries living in Bangkok, delighting in argung with them about the differences in belief of the Christian and Buddhist religions. King Mongkut periodically hired foreign instructors to instruct his sons and daughters in the English language, one of them being an English woman named Anna Leonowens.

Mongkut himself undertook the study of Western science, his favorite subject being that of astronomy. He invited Sir Harry Or, the British Governor of Straits Settlements from Singapore, as well as a party of French astronomers and scientists, to watch the total solar eclipse of 18 August, which King Mongkut himself had calculated two years earlier, at (in his own words) "East Greenwich longitude 99 degrees 42' and latitude North 11 degrees 39'." The spot was at Wakor village (Sam Roi Yad) in Prachuap Khiri Khan province, south of Bangkok. Mongkut's calculations proved accurate, but the choice of site proved to be infested with mosquitoes, and thus Mongkut and his oldest son Chulalongkorn were infected with malaria. Mongkut's condition worsened upon his return to Bangkok, and he died 6 six weeks later on 1st October 1868. He was succeeded by Chulalongkorn, who survived the malaria.

Info on King Nang Klao (Rama III)

Jessadabodindra or Nangklao (Rama III, March 31, 1788 - April 2, 1851) third of the Chakri dynasty, was king of Siam from 1824 to 1851. The name Nangklao was given to Rama III posthumously by his successor, Mongkut. Rama III was the last traditional monarch of Siam. Though his successors were also traditionalists, they modernized the kingdom to an extent.

Jessabondindra was born in Bangkok on March 31st, 1788. He was the son of King Rama II by a junior wife Chao Chom Reim (Queen Sri Suralaya). At the time of King Rama II’s death, his supposed heir Prince Mongkut had entered monkhood, and so Jessabondindra was chosen as king by the Accession Council. He proved to be a capable ruler, devoting much effort to the founding and upkeep of Buddhist monasteries, especially in Bangkok. His tolerance and open-mindedness also paved the way for the establishment of the first Protestant missionaries, who introduced Western medicine to Thailand, as well as the start of limited trade with Western powers to avert possible foreign invasion. During his reign, trade prospered and territorial advances were made as the vassal states of the north and east came more firmly under the rule of Bangkok.

Although Jessabodindra had over 50 children, he had no queen and thus none of his children were of Chao Fa rank, and so, at the time of his death on April 2 1851, his half-brother Mongkut succeeded him as King.

Info on King Buddha Loet La (Rama II)

Phuttaloetla Nabhalai, now known as Buddha Loetla Nabhalai (February 24, 1767–July 21, 1824), was a King of Siam during the period (1809–1824). Son of King Rama I and Queen Amarindra, he was born Issarasundorn at Rajaburi in present day Samut Songkhram Province. and immediately given the rank of Somdetch Chao Fa. His reign brought in a renaissance of Thai arts and culture, which flourished during his reign. This is especially the case in literature, where the period saw the publication of epics and stories that are basic elements of Thai high culture and popular folklore today. The lakhon nok drama Sang Thong, the Ramakian, and Sunthorn Phu's poem Phra Abha Manee are all examples. Rama II had 103 children by his various wives.

Rama II also encouraged his family members to take on active political roles in the government, and Rama II's reign saw many princes and their kinsfolk taking on important posts in different departments of state. Rama II's oldest son, Jessadabodindra, who was later to become Rama III, served as a superintendent in the Ministry of foreign affairs and trade.

Info on King Buddha Yodfa (Rama I)

Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke the Great or Phutthayotfa (1737 – 1809), posthumously titled Rama I, was King of Siam (now called Thailand) from 1782 to 1809, and the founder of the Chakri dynasty which rules Thailand to this day. Publicly acclaimed "the Great" (Thai: มหาราช, Maharaja).

Early Life

Phutthayotfa was born Thong Duang on March 20, 1737 in Ayutthaya, the son of Phra Aksorn Sundara Smiantra, a minor noble of the Kingdom of Ayutthaya of Mon descent, and his part-Chinese wife. Phra Aksorn later assumed the title of Chao Phya Chakri Pitsanuloke following the fall of Ayutthaya.

After receiving his education in a Buddhist temple, his father sent him to become a squire for King Uthumphon, and it was at this moment that he met his childhood friend Taksin, who would become King Taksin, Phutthayotfa's future predecessor. At the age of 25, Phutthayotfa became the Governor of Ratchaburi province and later became one of Taksin's six ministers. After the fall of Ayutthaya, he rejoined the ranks of King Taksin under the name Chao Phraya Chakri, and together with Phraya Pichai were they were regarded by Taksin as his two most valuable generals.

King of Siam

Following the deposition of King Taksin in 1782, Phuttayodfa was chosen as King, becoming the founder and first ruler of the Chakri Dynasty. His coronation date, April 6th, has since become a public holiday in Thailand, the Chakri Memorial Day. He restored economic and political stability following the disastrus defeat of Ayutthaya by the Burmese and also strengthened the social order through the introduction of new laws, the Book of Three Seals. He also moved the capital from Dhonburi to the opposite bank of the Chao Phraya River, thus founding the city of Bangkok. It was during that reign that the Grand Palace was constructed and he installed the Emerald Buddha in the Chapel Royal following its completion.

Death and Legacy

Rama I died on September 7, 1809 after a short but sharp illness. By then the kingdom had been consolidated and the threat of invasion by traditional enemies had receded. Upon his demise, he was succeeded by his son Prince Isarasundorn, who assumed the throne name of King Buddha Loetla Nabhalai (now posthumously titled Rama II). He was later given the name Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke posthumously by his grandson Nangklao, who later became King Rama III.

Info on the Chakri Dynasty

The Chakri dynasty has ruled Thailand since the founding of the Ratthanakosin era in 1782 following the end of Taksin of Thonburi's reign, when the capital of Siam shifted to Bangkok. The Chakri which provides both name and emblem to the house of Chakri, is composed of the discus (Chakra) and the trident (Trisula), the celestial weapon of the God Narayana (an avatar of Vishnu) of whom the Siamese King is seen as a personification. The coined name Chakri thus denotes the transcending force of divine strength and stability upon the physical realm.
Prior to the founding of the dynasty, Buddha Yodfa Chulalok (Rama I), held the title of Chao Pharaya Chakri for over 10 years. This title was held by the greatest warlords of Ayuthaya and was meant to reflect the prowess of the holder on the battlefield. In the founding of the dynasty King Rama I himself chose both name and emblem for the dynasty.

List of Kings
1) Buddha Yodfa Chulalok the Great (Rama I) พระบาทสมเด็จพระพุทธยอดฟ้าจุฬาโลกมหาราช (6 April 1782 - 7 September 1809)
The great warrior and founder of the Chakri Dynsaty.

2) Buddha Loetla Nabhalai (Rama II) พระบาทสมเด็จพระพุทธเลิศหล้านภาลัย (7 September 1809 - 21 July 1824)
A philosopher, literary genius, artist and musician.

3) Nangklao (Rama III) พระบาทสมเด็จพระนั่งเกล้าเจ้าอยู่หัว (21 July 1824 - 2 April 1851)
A pioneer on overseas trading and architecture.

4) Mongkut (Rama IV) พระบาทสมเด็จพระจอมเกล้าเจ้าอยู่หัว (3 April 1851 - 1 October 1868)
The Father of Thai Science and medicine.

5) Chulalongkorn the Great (Rama V) พระบาทสมเด็จพระจุลจอมเกล้าเจ้าอยู่หัว "พระปิยมหาราช" (2 October 1868 - 23 October 1910)
He is credited for having aboished slavery and modernized the nation.

6) Vajiravudh (Rama VI) พระบาทสมเด็จพระมงกุฎเกล้าเจ้าอยู่หัว (23 October 1910 - 26 November 1925)
The Nationalist King and an accomplished writer-cum-poet.

7) Prajadhipok (Rama VII) พระบาทสมเด็จพระปกเกล้าเจ้าอยู่หัว (26 November 1925 - 2 March 1935)
The first Constitutional King who traded his absoluted power for democracy.

8) Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII) พระบาทสมเด็จพระเจ้าอยู่หัวอานันทมหิดล (2 March 1935 - 9 June 1946)
Although his reign came to a tragic end, the young king is well remembered for his concern of his subjects of all races.

9) Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great (Rama IX) พระบาทสมเด็จพระเจ้าอยู่หัวภูมิพลอดุลยเดชมหาราช (9 June 1946 - Present)
He is the world's longest-serving current head of state and the longest-serving monarch in Thai history, having reigned for more than 60 years. He is immensely popular in Thailand, and is revered as a semi-divine figure by a number of Thais.

Returning to The Lion City...

Happy Birthday to...
11th July- Jackson Koh, Kelly Poon (yes, the Shakalaka Baby), and Cheryl Desiree Chan (yes, the pretty babe from "I Not Stupid")
12th July- Topher Grace (Venom!!), Tommy and Caiyun

By the time you read this, I would have already been on the flight back to Singapore. You don't need to know the full details on what I did yesterday and today; all I can say is that I certainly had a great time on either day. I have certainly seen a lot of things and learnt a lot during my 28-day stay in Thailand. I would love to stay longer, but I'm afraid I have to return to my real home, which is much cleaner and safer than the roads in Chonburi. And I won't need to worry about being harassed by crazy dogs or step on dog poo... I'd rather spend an hour with any cat than with a dog (except Kundam's pet dog, ha!).
Please pray that I have a safe journey back to Singapore... right now I shall put up a song in dedication to everyone I've missed. Til then, see you all in my main blog!! ;-)

Westlife- Home (The Michael Buble hit)

Another summer day has come and gone away
In Paris and Rome, but I wanna go home
Mmmmmm
Maybe surrounded by a million people
I still feel all alone, I just wanna go home
Oh I miss you, you know

And I’ve been keeping all the letters that I wrote to you
Each one a line or two
“I’m fine baby, how are you?”
Well I would send them but I know that it’s just not enough
The words were cold and flat
And you deserve more than that

Another aeroplane, another sunny place
I’m lucky I know, but I wanna go home
Well I’ve got to go home

Let me go home...
I’m just too far from where you are
I wanna come home
Let me go home...
I've had my run, baby I'm done
I wanna go home

And I feel just like I’m living someone else’s life
It’s like I just stepped outside
When everything was going right
And I know just why you could not come along with me
Cause this was not your dream
And you always believe in me

Another winter day has come and gone away
In even Paris and Rome
And I wanna go home
Oh, I miss you, you know

Let me go home...
I’ve had my run, baby I’m done
I gotta go home
Let me go home...
I'll be all right, I’ll be home tonight
I’m coming back home

Day 25 and Day 26

Happy Birthday to...
9th July- Ichigo, Afiqah
10th July- April Sim, Ong Weisen

Day 25, July 9th

It's free and easy baby... have lunch with Kundam, visit Uncle Nam, watch the Purge movement towards Thaksin's regime, refill water bottles, mad jog across the park, and shifting of stuff to Pa's room. Most of the time I was busy reading the Study Bible... the verse for the day is Phillipians 2:1-11

If there is any encouragement in Christ, any solace in love, any participation in the Spirit, any compassion and mercy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing. Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for his own interests, but (also) everyone for those of others. Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus,
Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped.
Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.
Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Day 26, July 10th

Pa and Pastor Saeksan went to that same university, then we're off to Bangkok to fetch Uncle Paul and Uncle John from airport. I think I'll stop here cos I seriously need some private time... I am starting to get a little homesick right now.