Barge Sua Thayan Chon

           Barge Sua Thayan Chon
         The Thai terms Sua Thayan Chon, literally, a tiger jumping over water and Sua Khamron Sin, literally, a tiger roaring on water are the names of two leading barges in the royal barge procession. The barges took their design from the ancient war-boats (Thai: rue phi-khat; rue=boat or barge, phi-khat=killing, combat). Each barge was painted in with a polychrome stylized tiger; there is cannon installed and poised over the bow. The inside of the hull is painted red. They would be used as a protector of the royal barge procession. Thus, the soldiers’ commanders would be on board the barges. In the reign of King Narai the Great (reigned 1656 – 1688) the leading barges consisted of three rue phi-khat and five rue-sae; the common soldiers were on board the rue phi-khat and the high ranking soldiers the rue-sae. The names of the two barges are found in Lilit Krabuan Hae Phra Kathin Phayuhayattra Thang Thang Sathonlamak Lae Chonlamak (c.1844), but the date of their original construction is unknown. It is recorded that both were restored in 1991.
     They both have the length of 22.23 meters with a width of 1.75 meters at the beam and depth of 70 centimeters and a draught is 2.45 meters. In the cabin at the centre sits three high ranking officers. Each barge is manned by twenty-six oarsmen with two steersmen, two officers, and one signalman.