A photograph of the Royal Barge of the King of Siam. Rows of men sit inside the barge holding their oars upright in the backdrop of a Thai village. The hull and bow of the barge are ornately decorated; dragons' heads project from the bow. Towards the rear of the barge is an empty, covered throne.
The barge was part of Thailand's Royal Barge Procession, or Krabuan Phayuhayattra Chonloamak. The ceremony has been taking place for nearly 700 years, but Westerners first witnessed the procession in the 18th century. During the procession, oarsmen keep rhythm by the beating of drums accompanied by music.
