Princess
Ubol Ratana
Princess
Sirindhorn
Current King
1951 - Present
18xx
Princess
Chulabhorn
1955 - Present
1957 - Present
1952 - Present
Tamra Maew Mural
Old Thai language
Wat Pho Library
Rama X
King Vajiralongkorn
There are currently 15 different Tamra Maew manuscripts preserved in the National Library of Thailand. Martin Clutterbuck has studied these manuscripts in great detail and has published an in-depth analyses of these poems in his book "Siamese Cats : Legends and Reality". Despite popular belief that these manuscripts are from the Ayutthaya Period (1351 - 1767) we have found no evidence dating the manuscripts prior to the early 1800s. However, a newly discovered manuscript provides some evidence that these poems (not the manuscripts themselves) may date back to the 12th century during the Khmer (Cambodian) empire.
Two new manuscripts have been discovered in 2014 which are in the possession of Wat Bowonniwet Vihara. Wat Bowon is not your typical temple, it is a royal Buddhist temple. Prince Mongkut arrived at Wat Bowon in 1836 where he was ordained and become the abbot for 14 years. In 1851 he ascended the throne and became better known as Rama IV, the fourth king of Thailand. All subsequent kings of Thailand were ordained at Wat Bowon, making it truly a royal temple. The newly discovered manuscripts were written by the second abbot of Wat Bowon, Somdet Phra Maha Samana Chao Krom Phraya Pavares Variyalongkorn who studied closely with Prince Mongkut. One of these manuscripts is in Khmer script, suggesting it may have originated from an ancient Khmer stone inscription. We are currently looking into possible connections with the Khmer Empire.
1737 - 1809
1737 - 1826
Queen
Amarindra
Rama I
King Buddha
Yodfa Chulaloke
Somdet Phra Maha Samana Chao Kromma Phra Paramanujit Jinorasa Srisugatakhatiyavamsha
( Son of King Rama I )
1790 - 1853
Tamra Maew Boran
Modern Thai language
In Honor of Phra Khru Wiboon Yanakij
Tamra Duu Laksara Maew
Modern Thai language
Somdet Phra Puttajan
2014
1787 - 1851
Rama III
King Nangklao
1770 - 1837
Princess
Sri Sulalai
1767 - 1836
1767 - 1824
Queen
Sri Suriyendra
Rama II
King Buddha
Loetlad Nabhalai
1181 - 1218
Example Stone Inscription
(Not related to cats)
Khmer Script and Language
Author Unknown
Samut Thai - Tamra Maew
Khmer Script
Second Abbot of
Wat Bawonniwet
Samut Thai - Tamra Maew
Old Thai language
Various Monks in Bangkok
Thailand's history has been documented in ancient stone inscriptions and more recently written on paper made from the khoi tree (Streblus asper). These folding books are referred to as Samut Khoi, or Samut Thai. While many of these books were burned in the Ayutthaya war with the Burmese (1765 - 1767), some survived and were moved to the new capital in Bangkok and copied at various temples. Others are believed to be translated from the stone inscriptions which survived the fire. The fourth king of Thailand, Rama IV (ruling 1851 - 1868) is well known for his knowledge of Khmer and Pali script / language and is responsible for translating many of these stone carvings into Thai language which were recorded in Samut Thai folding books. Thousands of these books exist, many of which are preserved in the National Library of Thailand. One such book describes good luck and bad luck cats. These books are referred to as the Tamra Maew (or cat poems).
Somdet Phra Maha Samana Chao Krom Phraya Pavares Variyalongkorn
1809 - 1892
Monks
1905 - 1993
Phra Khru
Wiboon Yanakij
18xx - 1xxx
Queen Sirikit
1932 - Present
Princess
Roengchitcharang Apakorn
Kim Apakorn
Na Ayutthaya
Princess
Srinagarindra
1900 - 1995
1922 - 2014
Princess
Galyani Vadhana
1923 - 2008
1892 - 1929
Prince
Mahidol Adulyadej
1927 - 2016
1925 - 1946
Prince
Abhakara Kiartivongse
1880 - 1923
Rama VIII
King Ananda Mahidol
Rama IX
King Bhumibol
Somdet Phra Puttajan Phutthasaramaha Tdaera
1864 - 1956
Mod Bunnag
Queen
Savang Vadhana
Rama V
King Chulalongkorn
1862 - 1955
1862 - 1932
1853 - 1910
1838 - 1904
1834 - 1862
Princess
Piyamavadi
Queen
Debsirindra
1804 - 1868
Rama IV
King Mongkut