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Ekachai Hern Hao (Great Victory Flying in the Sky) and

Ekachai Laothong (Great Victory of Gold-hollow Spear)

These twin barges are decorated with gilded lacquer with the tapering
column figureheads of a hera, the mythical dragon-headed naga. The
names of these barges appeared since the reign of King Narai The Great of
Ayutthaya Kingdom.

In the Rattanakosin period, the two barges were originally built in the reign of
His Majesty King Buddha Yodfa Chulalok The Great but were badly damaged
by aerial bombing during the Second World War. In 1965, they were rebuilt
using the original prows and sterns by the Royal Thai Navy and the Fine
Arts Department.

They were initially used to tow large barges that resemble floating pavilions
accommodating the King in the procession. Subsequently, the royal court
came to prefer a smaller but less lumbering royal barge for the King with
its own oarsmen. However, Ekachai Hern Hao and Ekachai Laothong
could still be used to tow the Suphannahong Royal Barge in case of a strong
current when it demands extra driving power.

The length of Ekachai Hern Hao is 29.76 metres and the width at the beam
is 2.06 metres. Its depth at the hull is 60 centimetres. Ekachai Laothong
is 29.64 metres long and 1.96 metres wide at the beam. The depth of the
hull is 60 centimetres. Each barge is manned by two officers fore and aft,
two steersmen, 38 oarsmen, one standard bearer, and one signalman.

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