Vajiravudh (Rama VI) was the King of Siam who reigned from 1910 to 1925. Accompanied by his concubine, Suvadhana, Vajiravudh visited the Federated Malay States in 1924. The visit was reported to allow Vajiravudh to acquaint himself with the railway system of the FMS, especially when both nations are now linked by rail. Vajiravudh had a stopover in Kuala Kangsar where he was greeted by Almarhum Sultan Iskandar Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Idris I. Following this stop, the King of Siam continued his rail journey to Singapore, stopping at Ipoh where he met a few prominent residents including Leong Sin Nam, a well-known tin miner.
Footnote: In 1910, Vajiravudh founded an all-boys boarding college, Vajiravudh College, in Bangkok. He also introduced rugby as the college’s main sport so that the college boys would learn the virtue of sportsmanship. Interestingly, 36 years after Vajiravudh’s visit to Kuala Kangsar, an annual friendly rugby match between Vajiravudh College and Malay College Kuala Kangsar has become tradition.
Reference:1. Wikipedia. Rama VI.
2. Our royal visitor. King Rama VI of Siam. Malayan Saturday Post. 1924 September 27.
3. Wikipedia. Leong Sin Nam.
Article from: SembangKuala.
Ms Deng Yu of NUS is writing a thesis on the Chinese Consul General of Singapore. She did some research and found some pictures of LSN with Mr Kao, the Chinese Consul General of Singapore. I searched my archive and found these other photos which I wish to share with her and you during this Cheng Beng.
Deng Yu's message on examining this photo collection: "In British Malaya(1930-1940s), we only have one Chinese Consul General, and two Chinese Consuls. All of them came to Mr. Leong Sin Nam's funeral."
