HTMS ''Maeklong'' ( th, เรือหลวงแม่กลอง) is a retired Royal Thai Navy escort vessel (classified also as a

corvette A corvette is a small warship. It is traditionally the smallest class of vessel considered to be a proper (or " rated") warship. The warship class above the corvette is that of the frigate, while the class below was historically that of the slo ...

sloop A sloop is a sailboat with a single mast typically having only one headsail in front of the mast and one mainsail aft of (behind) the mast. Such an arrangement is called a fore-and-aft rig, and can be rigged as a Bermuda rig with triangular sa ...

) and training ship, built at the Uraga Dock in Yokosuka,

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. Her sister ship was . The ''Maeklong'' is preserved in concrete in

Chulachomklao Fort Phra Chulachomklao Fort (; also known as "Phra Chun Fort") is a water fortress in a sub-district in Khlong Bang Pla Kot, Phra Samut Chedi District, Samut Prakan Province. With no evidence of the date, approximately in March 1884, King Chulalo ...

Phra Samut Chedi District Phra Samut Chedi ( th, พระสมุทรเจดีย์, ) is the westernmost district (''amphoe'') of Samut Prakan province in central Thailand. Geography Neighboring districts are (from the west, clockwise) Bang Khun Thian and Thung ...

, Samut Prakan Province, Thailand. The ship is named after a river, the Mae Klong.

Construction and commissioning

HTMS ''Maeklong'' construction along with four other warships was ordered and signed by the Royal Thai Navy on 13 August 1935 and Phra Prakobkollakij was assigned as the general overseer of all the five warships, where Luang Chanchakrakij was to overseer the detailed construction of HTMS ''Maeklong'' and HTMS ''Tachin''. Royal keel-laying ceremony for HTMS ''Maeklong'' was held on 24 July 1936, at the Uraga Dock Company, Japan. HTMS ''Maeklong'' has delivery and returned to Thailand on 10 June 1937 and arrived at Ratcha Woradit Pier on 26 September 1937. The Ministry of Defense organized a welcoming ceremony and enrolled in the ship on the day the ship arrived in Thailand. At the ceremony Prince

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, President of the regency council of King Rama VIII, presided over the ceremony at the Rajakij Winitchai Pavilion. HTMS ''Maeklong'' commissioned in 1937, served as a training ship for naval officers until the age of 60 is considered the longest active warship in the history of the Thai navy and the second longest in the world.

Service history

During World War II, HTMS ''Maeklong'' patrolled the Thai territories to protect the Gulf of Thailand until the war was over and used to be a royal ship in many times, for example, when King Rama VIII went to study in Switzerland on 13 January 1938, or when the King returned to Bangkok on 2 December 1951 and used in royal proceedings to inspect the Naval Parade and Observing the landing of the marines at Bang Saen Beach, Chon Buri Province on 20 November 1954. In addition, it was organized as a ship to bring bone ash of King Prajadhipok to Tha Ratchaworadit on 20 May 1949.

HTMS Maeklong Museum

Later, King Bhumibol Adulyadej asked the Royal Thai Navy that should preserve the old warships and make them into a museum of military history to disseminate knowledge to the public. Therefore, in the auspicious occasion of King Bhumibol will ascend the throne for the 50th year in 1996, the Royal Thai Navy built the Thai Warship Museum in honour of the Golden Jubilee Year of King Bhumibol by conserving the Mae Klong Luang boat and creating a warship museum in the navy's outdoor museum project.

Gallery

File:HTMS Maeklong, Command Bridge - panoramio.jpg, Command Bridge of HTMS ''Maeklong'' File:HTMS Maeklong, Chulachomklao Fort Museum - panoramio.jpg, On the HTMS ''Maeklong'' File:HTMS Maeklong, Chulachomklao Fort Museum - panoramio (3).jpg, Stern of HTMS ''Maeklong'' File:HTMS Maeklong, Chulachomklao Fort Museum - panoramio (1).jpg, As museum ship in 2012 File:Naval Museum - HTMS Maeklong Model - panoramio.jpg, Model of HTMS ''Maeklong''

Citations

References

* * Mikesh, Robert C. and Shorzoe Abe. ''Japanese Aircraft 1910–1941''. London: Putnam, 1990. .

External links

HTMS Maeklong Conservation Project
{{DEFAULTSORT:Maeklong Museum ships in Thailand Ships of the Royal Thai Navy 1936 ships Buildings and structures in Samut Prakan province Tourist attractions in Samut Prakan province Ships built by Uraga Dock Company Japan–Thailand military relations Royal and presidential yachts World War II frigates Training ships of the Royal Thai Navy