situated at the confluence of three rivers; the
Chao Phrya (Menam), the Lopburi and the
Pasak. Under King Ramatibodi's (P'ya U-Thong)
reign the state began to be ruled as an absolute
monarchy much the same as Sukhothai. The
region was strong and increasing in strength
during the 14th, and 15th centuries The
kingdom had developed an administrative
system with Great Officers to help rule, and gave
these people power through the establishment of
proclaimed laws and punishments for breaches.
The state of Ayutthaya extended its boundaries
in the customary manner, by fighting battles
with neighbouring dominions and provinces
like Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Cambodia (Angor
Wat and Angor Tom), Molucca, Burma
(Myanmar) and so on. The favours were often
returned, especially by the troublesome Chiang
Mai and Burma.
Ayutthaya became one of the wealthiest and
greatest cities in Asia, and attracted the interest
and awe of Europe. In the 16th century, visitors
from Europe were arriving in Thailand, for trade
in both goods and Christianity. Visitors, traders
and missionaries from Portugal arrived around
1511, from Japan around 1690, from Holland
around 1605, England around 1612, Denmark
around 1621 and France in 1662. Many of these
foreign missions were allowed to settle as
‘embassies’ and it is from many of these
travellers that the historical details of
Ayutthaya can be discovered. The glory of the
city was reported widely in Europe, and most
visitors claimed it to be the most splendid city
they had seen.
For example: ...We never saw a Fabrick no not in
France, where Symmetry is better observed,
either for the body of the Building, or the
Ornaments about it, than in this Pagod. The
Cloister of it is flancked on the outside on each
hand with sixteen great solid Piramids, rounded
at the top in form of a Dome, above fourty foot
high, and above twelve foot square, placed in a
Line like a row of great Pillars, in the middle
whereof there are larger niches filled with gilt
Pagods. We were so long taken up with the sight
of these things that we had not time to consider
several other Temples close by the Post within
the same compass of Walls (Guy Tachard, 1688,
in Smithies, 1995).
In time, the Burmese once again conquered the
Kingdom of Ayutthaya, this time burning the
city to the ground in 1767 following two years of
battle. Ayutthaya did not rise again, and the
capital of Siam moved to Bangkok. As a result,
all that really remains of the greatness of
Ayutthaya are the chedis, prangs and defaced
418
statues of the temples; all of the timber
buildings, the palaces and the houses are gone,
In addition, apart from a few selected areas,
modern Ayutthaya infects the historical city
with roads, shops, houses, condominiums, cars,
trucks, dust, mud and exhaust fumes.
3. THE PROJECT
The aim of the overall project is to create, as
realistically as possible, a three dimensional
computer based model of the Ancient City of
Ayutthaya as a foundation for an animated
visualisation of life in the City some 300 years
ago. This will incorporate architectural models
of buildings, structures and decorations, models
of trees, models of animals and people, models of
boats and carts, and so on. Much of this can be
provided by adopting the technique of
photogrammetry to record the existing
architectural features, but other data sources are
also required. The visualisation will also
incorporate live video sources of traditional
dance and music, and sounds of life typical to the
period.
This may appear to be out of the domain of the
traditional heritage photogrammetric recording
program, but in this case it is an essential part of
the ‘cultural record’. Here the photogrammetry
is the tool required to achieve the desired end
product, it is not used for its own sake.
In general, the project will involve:
e the creation. of CAD models of existing
cultural monuments using photogrammetry
as the basis;
e investigation of early travellers reports as to
the form and decoration of the missing
monuments;
e reconstruction in the computer of the missing
architecture;
e recreation of the other attributes of
Ayutthaya like the canals, the elephants, the
barges and carts;
e sampling sound and video for use in video
production and post-production;
e compilation of the animations into a video-
based product; and
e development of an interactive computer based
Ayutthaya experience.
4. THE PHOTOGRAMMETRIC RECORDING
PROCESS
In order to create the 'virtual' reconstruction of
the city, there needed to be a starting point from
which to venture. Because of the well
established three dimensional recording
possibilities offered by photogrammetry (Ogleby
International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXI, Part B5. Vienna 1996
1995,) it v
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