and as unit headquarters for enlistment and record keeping. The members was also to as a social hall, as a gathering place for in and as a site for indoor games. clubhouse would then develop the kind of social atmosphere that the oyalty and esprit that Siam, atmosphere of camaraderie, of group he felt, so house, located near Dusit Palace, was opened on July 22, 191, with a benediction by the Prince Patriarch and other followed by he contribution by His Majesty dinner party for officers and motion picture show for all 37 The principal activities of the Wild Tigers were to learn and put into practice proper discipline, to learn how to march and dril participate in various ceremonies and fetes and to practice field exercises on maneuver The rules of discipline laid down by the King in several orders were precise and rigorous. They covered modes of attire, modes of requesting leave, and modes of saluting They also prescribed the penalties for infractions, which varied from payment of fines to expulsion from the corps. Ten ''tardy" notices a month, for example, resulted in a fine not to exceed ten baht (about four dollars at the a second similar offense resulted in demotion to the suspended time member category Great stress was placed on military drilling and marching. The wild Tigers were expected to meet daily at 4:00 PM, and, on most 40 other drills apparently also took days, drill for two hours or so. anxious to join the place; officials of the Ministry of the Interior ng in July 1911 from seven to nine Corps," had preparatory dr every morning.4i Drill masters with experience were borrowed from military units. Before special events, drilling was particularly inten sive. An inspection of the Chiangmai unit was preceded by dr very morning and evening," and as a result, it was reported, "many of the members feel their bones aching one provincial official of the time, who praised the wild Tigers recalled in his autobiography an incident that shows the seriousness of the King's interest in drill and the burden it put on civil officials The official entered the corps early and soon became an officer. In 1913 he led his troop to a large Wild Tiger gathering in the capital He marched his unit proudly before the King at the royal parade grounds. Vajiravudh, visibly upset, stopped the troop. He ordered the official to repeat his march and correct the error. The march was repeated. It was repeated over and over, but never to the King's satisfaction. The official was about to faint. The King, still angry. the faul told the official that was not that of the troop, but of its eader. He ordered the troop dismissed and then commanded the official to drill by himself Commented the official If anybody had been there to see, they would have thought me out of my mind Finally, in sheer exhaustion, the official said m just not able to do it and beg your leave. The King relented and told the official of his error: he had been taking three steps too many. That evening, to show that his anger was not personal, the King came to the official's uarters, drove him to a shop, and asked him to choose some clothing t the King's expense 43 Marches and parades of properly drilled wild Tigers were held frequently. The first public march, on June 17, 1911, was led by the Royal Bodyguard Band, followed by the standard bearer. Heading the Royal Tiger Company was His Majesty. This parade attracted 44 A similar parade on June 29, in which some of onlookers thousands 800 men marched "smartly," again attracted thousands 43 Important ceremonies, such as the coronation and celebrations of the King's ncluded parades of wild Tigers as well as of birthday, regularly the regular military A special effort was made during the coronation days to give prominence to wild Tiger participation. An all-out effort was to bring as many Tigers to the capital as possible. Reportedly some 46 The Wild Tiger day was December 9 4,230 officers and men came and the field display before foreign and local guests began at 3:00 P.M. with marches and flag presentations. At 4:40 the King made his entrance on horseback, accompanied by the mounted company of Wild Tiger Guards Salutes, flag raising, music, and speeches followed rush-up" to attend the King, and a royal Enthusiastic cheers, a presentation of a pin ofremembrance ofthe day concluded the affair mportant Wild Shortly after the coronation, there were two Tiger fetes: the final coronation party on December 10 and a historical pageant of Wild Tiger traditions early in January The Wild Tiger party was held in the clubhouse grounds, w hich were converted into "a veritable enchanted land" with numerous booths, stalls, and entertainments.48 one booth, the product of the Fourth Royal Bangkok company, was fashioned in the form of a large tiger's head; its open mouth was the entrance, its stomach a cafe and its sides the exits. 9 At the stalls, besides food and drink, Wild Tiger souvenirs of handkerchiefs, badges, and booklets w away. The evening closed with a fireworks display in which the outstanding set pieces were the King's monogram and a tiger's head with the motto of the corps.