King Taksin Shipyard |
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อู่ต่อเรือพระเจ้าตาก -
อู่ต่อเรือเสม็ดงาม |
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Address: |
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บ้านเสม็ดงาม ตำบลหนองบัว อำเภอเมือง จังหวัดจันทบุรี 22000 |
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Known as: |
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Samet Ngam Shipyard |
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Description: |
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Samed Ngam Shipyard is approximately 11 kilometres far from
Mueng District of Chantaburi province. The area was assumed to
be firstly used by King Taksin of Thonburi as a shipyard to
prepare vehicles for the battle against Burmese Army in 2310
B.E. According to
Chantanumat of the royal chronicle of Thonburi, King Taksin had
100 ships built in Chantaburi before moving the troops to battle
against Burma. Moreover, numerous stumps of Iron Wood trees were
found at the nearby Samed Ngam temple. Additionally, hearsay has
it that there was a man-made canal for transporting the timbers
to the dock. Therefore, this area is assumed to be used as a
shipyard of King Taksin before various ships had been found.
Not far from Chantaburi estuary, an ancient bark during King
Taksin era was found in the most perfect condition compared to
others discovered in Gulf of Thailand. Antique digger boat,
which was the important evidence indicating that this area was
an old marine commercial center, was also found. It is later
assumed that this area is one of important shipyards of
Thailand. According to archaeological evidence exploring the
first shipyard for the first time during 2524 to 2525 by
Underwater Archaeology Section, Archaeology of Fine Arts
Department, wreckage of rear-cut bark was found, by the method
of excavation and pumping water out of the embankment, at the
shipyard of King Taksin. It was assumed that the ship was a
small Fu Xian-style bark of China. The junk consisting of three
sails and a rudder was 7-8 metres in width and 24 metres in
length. Afterwards, the second exploration was taken place in
April of 2532. The process used in this exploration was the same
as being used in the first time. The discovered ship submerged
approximately 1.5-2.9 metres in the soil. After getting rid of
the mud, officers set up an automatic sprinkler in order to
maintain humidity around keels of the ship and to prevent
distortion and deterioration of the timber. Nowadays, buildings
with roofs are built to cover the ruined ship. Around the ship,
there are various rectangle-shaped basins, which are similar to
shipyards, along the coast. Samed Ngam ship is a rear-cut
bark being built with steel nails. Timbers used to compose
structures of the ship are softwoods in Gymnospermae (Pines
Family), indicating that Samed Ngam is a Chinese bark which has
similar features as Fu Xian junk. According to Professor
Pierre-Yves Mojang’s interview in 2532, by excavating to examine
the rear of the bark, several sizes of timbers had signs of
being barked and were in a proper state to maintain the ship
onto the beam for repairing. Therefore, this bark was certainly
left on the beam in the dry dock. Moreover, scraps of
containers, hemp ropes, steel axes and low-quality Chinese
crockery were discovered in the same area. Consequently, this
bark was believed to be created in China, using as a vehicle for
commerce in provinces along the Gulf of Thailand
during the 23rd and the 24th centuries B.E. Besides,
3-4 ancient digger boats were also discovered at the inmost of
the river. These ancient boats were made of Iron Wood trees. At
present, they have been kept in
a building near the place where Samed Ngam bark was
found. Interesting things inside King Taksin Shipyard are :
-King Taksin the Great memorial that townspeople in Samed Ngam
had it built in order to pay homage to King Taksin of Thonburi
-Ancient shipyard in the building where nowadays opens to all
visitors -Local museum of King Taksin shipyard where
permanent exhibition about biography and royal duties of King
Taksin the Great including history, archaeological evolution of
Chantaburi province, techniques about shipbuilding, pottery
creating, ship model creating and ancient equipment is held.
-Buildings for displaying large-sized barks and local
exhibitions -Buildings for demonstration and selling Ban
Samed Ngam’s local products -Harbor for displaying
decommissioned warships Visitors can use personal cars taking
Ta-Chalab, the same route to Samed Ngam village, heading from
Mueng District to Ta-Chalab harbor. One kilometer before leaving
Mueng District, there are the crossroads where you have to turn
left. You will then pass Chantaburi Technical College and Koh
Tanod temple. Three kilometer onwards, you have to turn right,
using Yothatikan road. It then takes six kilometres to the end
of road where you will find King Taksin Shipyard by the
riverside. |
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Province |
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Chanthaburi |
Direction: |
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District |
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Mueang |
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City |
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Nong Bua |
Comments: |
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Official Web: |
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Genre |
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Historic |
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Best exposure |
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Opening time |
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Entry fee |
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Free |
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Coordinates: |
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12.530339 N |
102.076680 E |
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