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The Oriental Bangkok, the world-renowned luxury
hotel, is the oldest hotel in Bangkok, has a
legacy of famous writers and a long and famous
history. She celebrates her 130th anniversary this
year.
Two Danish sea captains founded the Oriental in
1865 during the reign of King Rama
IV when Thailand opened up to trade as a result of
the Bowring Treaty signed ten years earlier.
The founders saw the need for a hotel by the
Chao Phraya to cater for the seafarers and traders
who sailed upriver. They didn't realize then that
the hotel they started would one day be a
celebrated luxury hotel graced by the rich and
famous.
Unfortunately the original building is no
longer standing. The history of the Oriental
Bangkok, the first hotel in the city, is taken
from 1876 when the old wing was
built. This building is still there.
The tradition of famous writers dates back to
1888, when Konrad Korzeniowski, a Polish merchant
navy officer, sailed up the Chao Phraya and docked
next to the Oriental Hotel. Nicknamed "Polish Joe"
by his shipmates, he later became known to the
literary world as Joseph Conrad.
Others were to follow in Conrad's footsteps. In
1923, Somerset Maugham, an English writer stayed
at the Oriental Bangkok and wrote the children's
tale, "Siamese Fairy Tale" while sitting in the
river terrace gazing out at the Chao Phraya.
Noel Coward, another English writer, stayed at
the Oriental Bangkok in 1929. Conrad, Maugham,
Coward and the American, James Michener, four
literary giants, became the founding fathers of
the Authors' Wing.
The Oriental suffered damage, disrepair and
looting during World War II, when it was taken
over by the Japanese army. After the war, Allied
officers waiting to return home made the hotel
their living quarters.
In 1945, another legendary figure entered the
scene. Jim Thompson, the American who later made
his name in Thai silk, became one of the owners of
the Oriental and a resident as well.
Thompson with five others, foreigners and Thai,
pooled their funds in an attempt to revive the
hotel. Owing to personal differences, Thompson
left the group a year later.
The hotel went through a second major
construction when the Garden Wing
was completed and opened in 1958. In
1967 there was another change in ownership. It was
then that Kurt Wachtveitl became General Manager.
The turning point came in 1974 when Jardine
Matheson set up the Mandarin Hotels Group and
bought a 49% stake in the Oriental Bangkok. This
provided the impetus for a major expansion with
the new 376-room wing, ballroom and multi- level
car park.
The new River Wing opened in
1976, with suites honoring Barbara
Cartland, John le Carre, Gore Vidal, Graham Greene
and Norman Mailer. John le Carre was said to have
finished "The Honourable Schoolboy" here.
In 2006, after another major facelift, the
Oriental Bangkok celebrates its 130th anniversary
with Kurt Wachtveitl still at the helm after 39
years, backed by his faithful and long-serving
staff.
At a 130, the charming grand dame still holds
court by the Chao Phraya. The tradition of
famous writers famous writers lives on.
About the Author
The
Oriental Bangkok first appeared in
Tour Bangkok Legacies, a historical travel
site on people, places and events that left their
mark in the landscape of Bangkok. The author, Eric
Lim, is a free-lance writer who lives in Bangkok
Thailand. |
