Francis Chit

He contributed significantly to the photographic record of Siam, and the originals of his works now form part of the National Archives' royal collection, which has been inscribed in the UNESCO's Memory of the World Register.

[2][3] Chit probably learned daguerreotype photography around 1847 from the French missionary priest Louis François Larnaudie, who had introduced photographic equipment to Siam in 1845, or the bishop Jean-Baptiste Pallegoix.

[1] Other from royal portraiture, major works he produced in this official capacity include an expedition to photograph the ruins of Phimai (now Phimai Historical Park in Nakhon Ratchasima Province), as well as photographing the total solar eclipse of 18 August 1868, in which he was part of the royal entourage observing the phenomenon at the village of Wa Ko (now in Prachuap Khiri Khan Province).

[2][3] Mongkut died shortly after the eclipse, possibly due to malaria contracted during the expedition, and Chit continued to serve under his son and successor Chulalongkorn.

[3] In addition to portraits, which he produced on commission and had those of royalty and dignitaries for sale, Chit also maintained an inventory of prints of scenic views of palaces, temples and landscapes, though these did not extend beyond the Bangkok region.

[4] Over 2,000 of his original glass plates and large format negatives are preserved at the National Archives of Thailand, donated to the Vajirañāṇa Royal Library by his son Sa-at.

They form part of the Royal Photographic Glass Plate Negatives and Original Prints Collection, which was inscribed on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register in 2017.