- £450.00
Thailand. (Thai Navigation Company) Circa 1951. Envelope written on board the 'S.S. "Bandon" addressed to 'The Manager, Adelaide Steamship Co. Ltd. Sydney, Australia' bearing Thailand SG 331, 20s brown and SG 336, 5s bright purple tied by oval 'Thai Navigation Co. Ltd/ Bangkok/ "M.S. Bandon" hand-stamp in violet.
The M.S. "Bandon" built by 'Higashi Nippon Jukogyo, Yokohama, Japan' in 1951 for the 'Thai Navigation Co.' The 'M.S. "Bandon" foundered on a reef of Patani in heavy weather on '25th October 1962.'
The Company was formed as the 'Danish East Asiatic Company' in 1897. The Company had a steamer calling port to port from Bangkok down the Malay Peninsula with passengers, goods and had a contract to carry mail. More vessels were added until the 'Siam Steam Navigation Co.' was founded in 1909.
In June 1939 the 'Siam Steam Navigation Company' changed its name to the 'Thai Navigation Company Ltd.'. At the same time Siam changed its name to Thailand. Then in June 1940 the Thai Government purchased ships of the of the 'Thai Navigation Company' and established its own company.
The steamers would carry mail from port to port in the ships mail bag. Loose letters were cancelled by the Purser's fancy rubber hand-stamp and mail cancelled on board ship is very rare indeed.
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