The Royal Photographic Glass Plate Negatives and Original Prints Collection

The Royal Collection holds almost 35,427 glass plate negatives and 50,000 prints, covering a long and continuous period from 1855-1935, which were previously preserved in 3 separate royal libraries of the original owners--&column; King Chulalongkorn, King Vajiravudh, and Prince Damrongrajanubhab. The nominated Collection are historical evidence featuring social, cultural, political changes and foreign relations activities of Siam, and its relations with the world.  The Collection depicts national and international important personalities, places, and events, from the age of western colonization in Asia which prompted Siam to examine its national identity and to reform its society, -- through the years of the First World War when Siam sided with the Allies and shared the victory, and the aftermath of the war including the worldwide political, social and cultural changes -- affecting Siam and leading to the dawn of its constitutional monarchy. In 1977, they were given into the care of National Archive in Bangkok. Currently, 24,800 plates have been scanned for digital use, and 4,149 plates have been included in the National database.