Debsirin School

Debsirin School
โรงเรียนเทพศิรินทร์
Address
1466 Krungkasem Road, Wat Thepsirintharawat Subdistrict, Pom Prap Sattru Phai District, Bangkok, Thailand
Information
Type State school
Motto Na siyā lokavaḍḍhano (Be not a useless person)
Established 15 March 1885
Founder King Chulalongkorn
Director Anan Subwaree
Color(s)          
Song Ahogumara
Website debsirin.ac.th

Debsirin School (Thai: โรงเรียนเทพศิรินทร์, pronounced [tʰêːp.sì.rīn]) is a boys' secondary school in Thailand. Founded by King Chulalongkorn in 1885, its alumni include King Ananda Mahidol,[1] Malaysia's founding father Tunku Abdul Rahman,[2] more than 70 cabinet members, including 5 prime ministers, and numerous military leaders and dignitaries. Debsirin School participates in Jaturamitr Samakkee, a biennial traditional football competition between the four oldest boys' schools in Thailand.

History

King Chulalongkorn (Rama V)

The fifth Abbot of Wat Thep Sirin Thrawat had donated land for a school as early as 1702.[3] King Mongkut had tried to modernize Siam, enabling it to stand up to the European powers. He was succeeded by his 15-year-old son, Chulalongkorn, who reigned as Rama V, now known as Rama the Great. Rama V was the first Siamese king to have a Western education, having been taught by a British governess, Anna Leonowens. [4] As Bangkok developed as the capital of the new nation of Siam, Rama V's government began several nationwide development projects, despite financial hardship. New roads, bridges, railways, hospitals and schools mushroomed throughout the country, all funded from the national budget.

In a speech at a student award ceremony in 1884, the King said;

"... Academic subjects have been acceptable and admirable because they have been precious subjects for leaders like the kings. All citizens deserve to know because they enable everything to be successful. "

"... The princes, royal family members, bureaucrats and all citizens will have equal educational opportunities. Therefore, education will be the first priority which I will try to develop to become prosperous. "[5]

In 1885, he founded the school, naming it in honour of his mother, Debsirindra Queen Ramphoei Phamaraphirom (Thai: รำเพยภมราภิรมย์). The school opened with 53 pupils.[3]

Debsirin School in 2016
Ananda Mahidol on a stamp

World War II

During World War II Thailand, under Field Marshal Plaek Pibulsongkram, was allied with the Axis powers and declared war on the United Kingdom and United States when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Bangkok suffered heavily in the subsequent Allied bombing raids and Debsirin School, strategically located near the railway, was not spared. Most of the teaching buildings (Maen Naruemit and Choduek Laohasetthi) were destroyed. They were later rebuilt by the alumni and the Ministry of Education. The main building, renamed Maen Suksa Stan Building, was built in the Gothic style.[6]

Today, Debsirin School has a strong alumni network (Debsirin Alumni Association) under Royal patronage, several Prime Ministers of Thailand and members of the Royal Family. The school also operates as a living museum, containing exhibits on the history of the school and the development of Thai education.[7]

Debsirin Network

List of Debsirin School Network
No. Name Address
1. Debsirin School 1466 Krungkasem Road Watthepsirin Pom Prap Sattru Phai District Bangkok
2. Debsirin Romklao school 2 Soi IDC 8 Klong Prawet Lat Krabang Bangkok 10520
3. Debsirin Klong 13 Pathumthani 37 Moo 4 Lam Luk Ka Pathum Thani 12150
4. Debsirin Nonthaburi Bang Kruai Muang Nonthaburi Nonthaburi 11130
5. Debsirin Phukhae School 175 Moo 1 Phukhae Saraburi 18240
6. Debsirin Lat Ya Kanchanaburi 279 Moo 1 Lat Ya Kanchanaburi 71190
7. Debsirin Khonkaen School 361 Moo 9 Khonkaen 40000
8. Debsirin Chiang Mai School 248 Moo 2 Chiang Mai 50120
9. Debsirin 9 School Royal Project under Royal Patronage Moo 5 Chiang Mai 50320
10. Debsirin Samutprakan School 799 Moo 6 Muang Mai Samut Prakan 10270

Notable Alumni

References

  1. ↑ Nicholas Grossman and Dominic Faulder (eds.). 2011. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, A Life’s Work: Thailand’s Monarchy in Perspective. Singapore: Editions Didier Millet P.63
  2. ↑ Mohd Haikal Mohd Isa (29 August 2016). "Tunku Abdul Rahman Remains Pride Of 131-Year-Old Debsirin School, Bangkok". Bernama. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
  3. 1 2 "Our History". debsirin.ac.th. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  4. ↑ http://www.heliograph.com/trmgs/trmgs4/siam1.shtml
  5. ↑ "ASEAN Debsirin Knowledge Camp 2015". Go to know. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  6. ↑ "Gothic Splendour, Wat Thepsirin (Debsirin) School, Bangkok". Flickr. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  7. ↑ "The Debsirin Living Museum". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  8. ↑ Scott-Clark, Cathy; Levy, Adrian (21 February 2004). "The brothel king's reveng". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
  9. ↑ Birabonge, Princess Ceril (2000). The Prince and I; my life with Prince Bira of Siam. Poundbury: Veloce Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1845845579.
  10. ↑ "Tunku remains pride of 131-year-old Bangkok school". FMT News. 29 August 2016. Retrieved 30 November 2016.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 12/1/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.