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Foreword

In ancient times, construction of roads and The second volume, published to commemorate

highways did not fall under any particular government the 84 anniversary of the Department, was produced
th
agency. It was up to the royal command, ordering when Mr Sanan Srirungrot was the director.

someone to supervise the construction until com- Mr Phichian Charoenkonlakit, Chief Editor. An excellent
pletion. Constructing a highway was thus very publication, the book presents well-researched
difficult since day one, from the survey of the route, biographies and achievements of each director of

the gathering of labors and tools. For long roads the Department in great details, making it a fasci-
and inter-city highways which passed through wild nating read, learning about each director’s educa-

jungle or watershed areas with rivers and canals, tional background and work at the Department of
road-making process was even more difficult. Highways. There were also interesting essays by

On April 1, 1912, the Department of Ways former directors and staff, giving details on the

was established; it later grew into present-day hazardous surveying trips, the risk of lives of the
Department of Highways. Department of Highways staff. Profusely illustrated,

Since its inception, the Department of the essays are accompanied by biographies of

Highways has published a number of commemorative authors, as well as a gallery of the Department’s
books to record its history and progress. The 60 th work in 1996, when the book was published. This
anniversary, B.E. 2515, and the 84 Anniversary, book was co-authored by Dr Chayathan Phromson
th
B.E. 2539, are two of the most commendable one and Mrs Anchalee Nipatsiriphol, two long-time staff
for useful reference information. of the Department of Highways.
In any case, most of the Department’s
The first volume, published when Mr Chaliao publications are largely text-based. Photographic

Watcharaphuk was the director, includes the history illustrations are minor, with either small sizes or
of the Department that was written for the occasion, mixed quality. What is needed is a systematic

photographs of directors, articles on construction and compilation of high-quality photographs, an
maintenance of highways, surveying and mapping, archival visual database of people, events, places,
types of rocks, as well as about 75 black-and-white and other topics for publication or exhibition. This

photographic images. is why photo albums are needed.

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