Pranee Sakulpipatana
Chinese emigrated to Phuket during
1853 -1932 because of the food shortage and political events in their
country. Most of the Chinese emigrants were Fukeinese from Fujian the
Southern district of China. Some of them became tin mine owners, merchants
and holders of a government monopoly.
Khaw Su Jiang, the founder of Na Ranong clan, was also one of the
well-known governor in Ranong the southern border state of Siam. Khaw
Sim Bee, his youngest son, was the most outstanding regional governor
of the western coast provinces of Thailand during A.D. 1901 - 1913. He
had been appointed to be Phraya Rasdanupradit, the Governor of Monton
Phuket (The State provinces of Phuket) in 1901.
He was named "The Jewels of The Ralanakosin Riegn" from the
ministry of the Interior Affairs because of his wisdom in administration.
During his time as the governor of Monton Phuket, he success fully solved
many of the problems Monton Phuket had.
Even though Phraya Rasdanupradit had passed away for nearly ninety years,
his working techniques in civil works, agriculture and tin mining business
is always discussed on how he could manage it due to the lack of money
and manpower.
Though, be didn't have an opportunity to study in class. His father Khaw
Su Jiang, accompanied him to the nearby provinces and foreign countries
especially the Straits Settlement.
He learned the new knowledge, the Westernizing thinking and technology
from the State of Malaya. He dreamed of changing Monton Phuket into a
modem state.
One of his dreams is the Government's House of Penang that can be seen
as the Phuket Government's Hall, the 99 doors European Style architecture
mansion which was built in 1907 and finished in 1913.
The wide canal of Bang - Yai in the center of Phuket, which connected
with the Phuket Bay is now difficult to trace because of the lack of the
vision of the next governor.
We owe a lot to his vision to start the Para Rubber Plantation, the economic
plant which dated back 100 years ago and it still plays an important role
in an exporting goods for Thailand.
He learned from his experience that most of the Chinese emigrants were
the main disease carriers especially "Plague". He ordered to
build a big quarantine station at the Bay of Phuket (Na-res Bay). All
the emigrants had to be kept there at least three days. 'They should have
their hair shaved and burned all their own clothing. Monton Phuket at
that time was really in need of tin-mining labors. Therefore, Phraya Rasdanupradit
tried his best to draw attention of the Chinese emigrants to work here
in Phuket with some special conditions.
This is a prove that he learned the modern ways of
living from the neighbor country.