Debsirin School ( th, โรงเรียนเทพศิรินทร์, ) is a
boys' secondary school in
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
. Founded by King
Chulalongkorn
Chulalongkorn ( th, จุฬาลงกรณ์, 20 September 1853 – 23 October 1910) was the fifth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri, titled Rama V. He was known to the Siamese of his time as ''Phra Phuttha Chao Luang'' (พร ...
in 1885, its alumni include King
Ananda Mahidol
Ananda Mahidol ( th, พระบาทสมเด็จพระปรเมนทรมหาอานันทมหิดล; ; 20 September 1925 – 9 June 1946), posthumous reigning title Phra Athamaramathibodin ( th, พระอั ...
, Malaysia's founding father
Tunku Abdul Rahman
Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj ibni Almarhum Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah ( ms, تونكو عبد الرحمن ڤوترا الحاج ابن سلطان عبد الحميد حليم شاه, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset; 8 Febru ...
, more than 70 cabinet members, including 5 prime ministers, and numerous military leaders and dignitaries. Debsirin School participates in
Jaturamitr Samakkee
The Jaturamitr Samakkee ( th, จตุรมิตรสามัคคี, , pronounced ) is a traditional secondary school football competition played by the four oldest boys' schools in Thailand: Suankularb Wittayalai School, Debsirin School ...
, a biennial traditional football competition between the four oldest boys' schools in Thailand.
History
The fifth Abbot of Wat Thep Sirin Thrawat had donated land for a school as early as 1702.
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
Anna Harriette Leonowens (born Ann Hariett Emma Edwards; 5 November 1831 – 19 January 1915) was an Anglo-Indian or Indian-born British travel writer, educator, and social activist.
She became well known with the publication of her memoirs, be ...
. As
Bangkok
Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estima ...
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;
In 1885, he founded the school, naming it in honour of his mother,
Debsirindra
Queen Debsirindra of Siam ( th, เทพศิรินทรา, , ), formerly Queen Ramphoei Phamaraphirom ( th, รำเพยภมราภิรมย์), born Princess Ramphoei Siriwong ( th, รำเพย ศิริวงศ์; 17 ...
Queen Ramphoei Phamaraphirom (Thai: รำเพยภมราภิรมย์). The school opened with 53 pupils.
During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
Thailand, under Field Marshal
Plaek Pibulsongkram
Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram ( th, แปลก พิบูลสงคราม ; alternatively transcribed as ''Pibulsongkram'' or ''Pibulsonggram''; 14 July 1897 – 11 June 1964), locally known as Marshal P. ( th, จอมพล ...
, was allied with the
Axis powers
The Axis powers, ; it, Potenze dell'Asse ; ja, 枢軸国 ''Sūjikukoku'', group=nb originally called the Rome–Berlin Axis, was a military coalition that initiated World War II and fought against the Allies. Its principal members were ...
and declared war on the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
and
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
when the Japanese
attacked Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, j ...
. 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.
![Debsirin School IMG 7327](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/71/Debsirin_School_IMG_7327.jpg)
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.
Facts
*School Abbreviation : D.S.
*Type of School : Government Boys' Secondary School
*School Motto : (
Pali
Pali () is a Middle Indo-Aryan liturgical language native to the Indian subcontinent. It is widely studied because it is the language of the Buddhist ''Pāli Canon'' or ''Tipiṭaka'' as well as the sacred language of ''Theravāda'' Buddhism ...
) (Be not a useless person)
*School Vision : To be a leading organization of learning to international standards. Develop learners for excellence. Have virtue, morality and gentleness. Have the skills to live, aware sense of
Thainess
Thainess or the Thai identity ( th, ความเป็นไทย, ) is a conceptual identity regarding the quality of being Thai, i.e. characteristics seen as distinctive to the Thai people, their culture, and those belonging to Thailand as a ...
and be a world potential citizen.
Surrounding Place
Wat Debsirindrawas Ratchaworawiharn
Wat Debsirindrawas Ratchaworawiharn is a second class royal temple built at the command of King Rama V as a dedication to Queen Debsirindra, and named Wat Debsirindrawas.
Debsirin Network
Notable alumni
King of Thailand
The monarchy of Thailand (whose monarch is referred to as the king of Thailand; th, พระมหากษัตริย์ไทย, or historically, king of Siam; th, พระมหากษัตริย์สยาม) refers to the c ...
*
Ananda Mahidol
Ananda Mahidol ( th, พระบาทสมเด็จพระปรเมนทรมหาอานันทมหิดล; ; 20 September 1925 – 9 June 1946), posthumous reigning title Phra Athamaramathibodin ( th, พระอั ...
; Rama VIII King of Thailand
Thai Royalty
*
Birabongse Bhanudej
Prince Birabongse Bhanudej Bhanubandh ( th, พีรพงศ์ภาณุเดช; ; 15 July 191423 December 1985), better known as Prince Bira of Siam (now Thailand) or by his ''nom de course'' B. Bira, was a member of the Thai royal ...
; Prince Bira of Siam, Formula One racing driver
Prime Ministers of Thailand
The prime minister of Thailand ( th, นายกรัฐมนตรี, , ; literally 'chief minister of state') is the head of government of Thailand. The prime minister is also the chair of the Cabinet of Thailand. The post has existed si ...
*
Khuang Aphaiwong
Khuang Aphaiwong (also spelled ''Kuang'', ''Abhaiwong'', or ''Abhaiwongse''; th, ควง อภัยวงศ์, ; 17 May 1902 – 15 March 1968), also known by his noble title Luang Kowit-aphaiwong ( th, หลวงโกวิทอ ...
; 4th Prime Minister of Thailand
*
Seni Pramoj
Mom Rajawongse Seni Pramoj ( th, หม่อมราชวงศ์เสนีย์ ปราโมช, , ; 26 May 190528 July 1997) was three times the Prime Minister of Thailand, a politician in the Democrat Party, lawyer, diplomat and pr ...
; 6th Prime Minister of Thailand
*
Thawan Thamrongnawasawat
Thawan Thamrongnawasawat (also spelt ''Thawal Thamrongnavaswadhi'' or ''Thawal Thamrongnavasawat''; th, ถวัลย์ ธำรงนาวาสวัสดิ์, ; ), born Thawan Tharisawat (, ; 21 November 1901 – 3 December 1988), w ...
; 8th Prime Minister of Thailand
*
Chatichai Choonhavan
Chatichai Choonhavan ( th, ชาติชาย ชุณหะวัณ, , ; 5 April 1920 – 6 May 1998) was a Thai army officer, diplomat and politician. From 1986 to 1991, he was the chairman of the Thai Nation Party and served as the Prim ...
; 17th Prime Minister of Thailand
Prime Ministers of Malaysia
The prime minister of Malaysia ( ms, Perdana Menteri Malaysia; ms, ڤردان منتري مليسيا, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset) is the head of government of Malaysia. The prime minister directs the executive branch of the feder ...
*
Tunku Abdul Rahman
Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj ibni Almarhum Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah ( ms, تونكو عبد الرحمن ڤوترا الحاج ابن سلطان عبد الحميد حليم شاه, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset; 8 Febru ...
; 1st Prime Minister of Malaysia
Politician
*
Chuvit Kamolvisit; Politician
Writer
*
Kulap Saipradit
Kulap Saipradit ( th, กุหลาบ สายประดิษฐ์; 31 March 1905 – 16 June 1974), better known by the pen name Siburapha ( th, link=no, ศรีบูรพา; also romanized as Sriburapha or Sri Burapha), was a ...
; or Sri Burapha Thai novelist
*
Bhanubandhu Yugala
Prince Bhanubandhu Yugala ( th, พระเจ้าวรวงศ์เธอ พระองค์เจ้าภาณุพันธุ์ยุคล; , born 27 November 1910 in Songkhla Province, Thailand, died 5 February 1995 in Bangko ...
; Thai film director, producer and screenwriter
*
Sombat Metanee
Sombat Metanee (; 26 June 1937 – 18 August 2022) was a Thai actor and film director, who was honored as National Artist in the performing arts branch (movies-television drama) in 2016.
At one time, he held the Guinness World Record for most ...
; Thai Actor and film director
*
Prabda Yoon
Prabda Yoon ( th, ปราบดา หยุ่น; ; born 2 August 1973 in Bangkok) is a Thai writer, novelist, filmmaker, artist, graphic designer, magazine editor, screenwriter, translator and media personality. His literary debut, ''Muang Mo ...
; Thai Writer, graphic designer
References
*
External links
Debsirin Alumni Association Official Page
{{coord, 13, 44, 49.2, N, 100, 30, 57.2, E, type:landmark_region:TH-10, display=title
Boys' schools in Thailand
Schools in Bangkok
1885 establishments in Siam
Pom Prap Sattru Phai district