Citroen DS in Thailand

Thailand

A surprisingly high number of DS in various conditions can be found throughout
Thailand. This may be explained by the relative prosperity of the country since the
50s, compared to its immediate neighbours, and by the presence of classic car
enthusiasts, from both the Thai and foreign expatriate communities.

Cars

I can't help but start with what is probably one of the most beautiful DS
examples in Thailand. Even elephants seem to be watching with
admiration... this I know for sure, for the reason that this DS was
formerly mine. The car now belongs to my friend Pascal in Bangkok,
who gives it the best possible care. Full story and more pictures

This 1969 DS21, shown together with other classic cars in Bangkok
last April, 2006, has the distinction of having been the car of choice by
no less than former Prime Minister of Thailand, HE Pote Sarasin. More
pictures

Prior to finding its final resting place in 1976, this 1969 DS21 had
covered... 762,000 km. Its former driver, Khun Manit, whom Pascal
met, still has many fond memories. Full story and more pictures

A tad dusty of course, but this 1963 ID19, found by chance at a repair
shop, is full of charm. Pre-1967 models are a rarity in Thailand.. Many
other pictures

There are simply too many DS in Thailand to fit in one page; pictures of
several other cars are gathered

A Super5, dating back to between 1973 and 1975, found by chance
one evening on the way back from Lopburi, in August 2002. It was
spotted in the rain and in the dark by my friend Heiner, who shouted
"DS" and made our car screech to a grinding halt. More

I was told there was a strange object resembling a DS at the horse-
riding center of Khun Vamchart, in the suburbs of Bangkok. Indeed, a
DS there was, but in what condition... The funny thing is that the wreck
remains there, with nobody seeming to really care about it. Yet, the
famously comfortable seats are still in use... More pictures

A vey nice-looking ID19, for sale on a Club site for 420,000 baht (that's
about 11,000 USD), dating from between 1964 and 1967. It was posted
on the forum section of the Classic Car Club of Thailand's site (see
below).

Peter had a DS23 in Germany and missed it so much that he found
another one in Thailand, where he now resides. When I last saw it in
July, 2006, the engine was under repair in the hands of Martin, the
almighty mechanic from Switzerland. Many more pictures

An abandoned DS found in the backyard of a country house
somewhere in Thailand, and posted by a tourist on his site a few years
ago. Now a nice playground for kids and cats. More pictures

Garages

It seems I am not the only one to bring my DS for repair or
maintenance at Khun Pod's garage on Rama IX Avenue in Bangkok.
See

Cinema

"Invisible waves" is the name of a 2006 movie by thai director Pen-ek
Ratanaruang, shot in Hong-Kong, Macau and Thailand, and featuring...
a DS, in the paradisiac set of Phuket island. The film won applause at
the 2006 Bangkok Film Festival. More info and links

Clubs

There is an active Citroen Club of Thailand, with a few members with a
DS it seems, and they have a website. Link (Thai):

The Classic Car Club of Thailand started in 2004 a very nice site, with
many information and pictures, including a few DS in the forum section.
Link (English and Thai):

Page creation 20/05/2006, revision 16/12/2012

here

http://www.thaiclassiccar.com

http://www.citroenthai.org/

here

Fabrice Mattei, a Frenchman living in Bangkok, is a true Citroen
fanatic, and he has an impressive collection, which currently includes
a Traction Avant, a pair of 2CVs, and a DS. And no ordinary DS: she
is a beauty contest prize-winner. More

here

Here we have an Italian DS, modified to run on LPG, in Bangkok ?!
Yes... Alvaro missed la bella so much that he decided to bring her to
Thailand with him, back in 1988. After all these years, and in spite of
countless difficulties, they still live together. Story and pictures

here

Another fine example of a Super5, owned by Kees, a Dutch classic car
amateur stationed in Bangkok. This car participated in a local rallye in
2006. Gorgeous pictures, more details and the link to Kees' site

here

A DS in Thailand is rare enough; but what about a DS in Thailand
driven by... a Japanese DS enthusiast ? That's a "DS in Asia" that
counts double ! Shingo-san, or should I say Khun-Shingo, explains
the whole thing

here

A DS21 for sale in the North-Eastern region of Ubonratchathani, last
February, 2007. Not really in pristine condition alas. Some more
pictures

here

Many Citroens in Khun Suthin's garage "SP Cars Service", close to the
Rawai beach in the Phuket area, including two DS the day Per Norberg
went there. Per's photo album is

here

Could that be a convertible ? In Thailand ? Well, not really. But there
are many sleeping DS waiting for a Charming Prince in this Bangkok
suburb. More pictures

here

A DS restoration project discussed and illustrated in a Thai classic car
site forum. More pictures and the original link

here

The body colour may not be original, but Khun Vat's DS was
nevertheless a prize-winner at a classic car show held in Bangkok last
May, 2008. More pictures

here

Noooooo ! How could they ! Beware: some photos of this, er, car, may
hurt sensitive persons. Now if you really insist, go

here

Another page for a few more siamese DS,

here

Documents

"From Bangkok to Malaya by Car" is the title of the report of one of the
very first attempts to drive overland from Thailand to Penang, on the
Malay peninsula, published in the Bangkok Post in April, 1958. The car
was... yes, a DS19. What else. The story is right

here

A nice-looking DS, the day I visited this Bangkok garage, specialized in
classic cars. Photos

here

Jacques Paris was sent by Citroen to Bangkok in 1957 with a mission:
help introduce and sell the DS in Thailand. Siam Motor Supplies,
already Citroen's local importer and distributor, did its best. But It has
not been easy, to say the least. See the Part 1 of the saga

here

Always a couple of DS and other weird cars in Khun Prasert's garage
in Bangkok. More pics

here

The very same car has been used for another movie, aired on Thai TV
in 2009, and again shot in Phuket, called "Dong Poo Dee" ("Blue blood
territory"). Here again the car features prominently, being driven by the
hero himself. Screen shots, trivia, and more about the car itself,

here

Khun Worasak is not your average Thai Citroenist; he actually even
owns a SM ! Too bad he does not live in Thailand anymore, I could
have started a "SM in Asia" site... From California where he now
resides, a few pics of the two DS his family used to own in Thailand,
together with some info about the SM in Thailand while I'm at it,

here

A DS for sale in Chiang Mai, the major city of Northern Thailand. And in
the background, another Citroen for sale... yes, a Traction. See

here

An amazing document: a convertible DS, used in rallies in Thailand in
1969 ! A former mechanic working for Air France in Bangkok, Khun
Vithaya Chuchat started his own garage specializing in Citroen.
Together with former Air France colleague Dick, he won the race that
day, but the car's engine blew off during another race. The car's
whereabouts are not known. One more photo

Expositions

One of Jesada's cars, the ID19, was one of the highlights of an
exhibition held in Bangkok during the summer of 2010, and called
"Icons of French Design". More pictures

here

Another early DS was again the only car in a permanent exhibition
titled "What is Design ?", taking place in 2010 in the TCDC (Thailand
Creative & Design Center) in Bangkok. More pics and the curator's
comments

here

A DS under restoration in a garage somewhere in Thailand. More
pictures

here

Nice shots of his DS21 by a Thai amateur, on the roadside, upcountry.
Photos posted on the Bangkok Classic Car website. See them, and
the link,

here

By 1966 it became clear that Siam Motor Supplies did not have the
financial means to develop the Citroen business by itself. Another local
trading company, Bara Windsor, gave it a try; but finally Jacques Paris
took over again, starting new companies for that purpose. See the
Part 2 of the saga

here

Somewhere in the middle of Bangkok, an incredible collection of old
cars houses no less than nine DS, never restored, sleeping under
plastic covers and a thick layer of dust. The owner stubbornly refuses
to show them to anyone, but I finally managed to have a glimpse. See
this unique collection

here

The only "Prestige" in Thailand, recently imported in the country by a
rich amateur, spotted in a Bangkok classic car garage. More

here

In the '60s and '70s, Vithaya Chuchat, a mechanic specialized in
Citroen, loved to take his family for trips upcountry in his DS "break"
station wagon (estate). His sons Wichaiyot and Wirasat kindly opened
the family album for me. They kept not only the photos, but also...
Surprise, surprise... See it all

here

Books

Four Citroens in a Thai book titled "108 classic cars": a 2CV, a
Traction, a SM, and a DS, in convertible body. The full article is

here

Races & rallies

It had to be done: a DS-only rally in Thailand ! Perhaps even the first of
its kind in Asia, it took place in January 2012 and gathered 12 cars
and more than 40 participants for a return trip from Bangkok to
Ayutthaya, the former capital. Not a very long trip, but everyone was
so happy to meet for the first time so many other DS fellows. See

here

The Jesada Technik Museum is not only the sole automotive museum
in Thailand, it is also one of the largest and the most extraordinary
ones in Asia. Amongst its 650 cars, several Citroens, including no
less than six DS, two of them already restored. Pictures, details and
links

here

A very popular 1976 Thai gangster film titled in English "The bug man"
features a DS in a few shots, between the usual scenes of fight,
kidnapping and treason. Screen shots and more details about the
movie

here