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2204211 Thai History
Key Terms Short Answers
Ram Khamheang
- Ram Khamheang (1240-1298) First Thai great king
- Theravada Buddhism was introduced to their society => Singhalese Theravada
focusing on giving and meditation from high class to low class easy to
understand
- Invention of Thai alphabets
- Expansion of political power up to Mekong river down south to Singapore
all directions)
- Freedom in commerce people can freely trade
- Paternalism A bell in front of the palace (this strategy can only use in small
town)
Sukhothai Inscription I (Ramkhamheang Inscription)
- The inscription is the basis of the beginning of Thai history out of cultural
context for local people
Khunnang
- Elitist; Nobility; collective term for the old service bureaucracy.
- They have become rich so the court released the law to control them.
- Control phrai as manpower; more phrai = more power. However, the king has
no phrai, so the khunnang can use them to overthrow the king
- They dont have to pay tax. They get annual salary from the king.
- They were given Sakdina. 400 fields = high level
Chakravartin
- Ideal that helps people reach Nirvana
- Ideal of Buddhist King
- Supports Thai church, Buddhism; Sanka by Thai king
- The universal emperor in Buddhist cosmology
Buddhist state
o Buddhist concept which is responsible for the war between
Thai and Burma
- The kings tried to claim themselves that they have better teaching than others,
also, guiding state to Buddhism ideal state.
- It caused 43 wars between Thailand and Burma (330 years) because the idea
of being the only king in this world.
- 2 duties
1) Spreading Buddhism and protect religion
2) Conquering this world in Buddhism ideology
Phrai
- In the traditional order, a freeman commoner bound to corve.
- Phrai is the majority in society important human resources of administrative
status people
- Phrai collect agriculture products, building for public, enforcement
- They were the wealth indicator of elitist especially in Ayutthaya period
- Phrai ended in the reign of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V)

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Phrais wrists were tattooed in order to indicate the department which they
belong to
- King and elitist, sometimes, competed for them
- 3 kinds of Phrai
Phrai Luang: directing authority of the king but Khunnang controlled
them, building public properties and being a force in the army,
receiving no money from the administrative.
Phrai Som: work for royalties and khunnang because being given by
the king due to amount of Sakdina
Phrai Suay: live far away and send valuable things
Sakdina
- Sakdi in Sanskrit means power
- Power over fields; traditional system of numerical ranks; sometimes used as
referent for Thai equivalent of feudalism.
- Each man in Sakdina system will be assigned in ranks which is the social
statue.
- Most of them are Phrai (serf) 23 numeric marks
- Numeric marks will increase due to goodness they have done if you reached
400 = nobleman
Chinese junk trade
- Started in 18th century (Since Ayutthaya, resume in Taksins period) to build
the relationship between Thailand and China. Later on, Thailand became the
tributary state. Siam sent tributes and gain back 3 times or higher.
- Trading with Chinese, Siam had to use Chinese junk ship, put Chinese crew
and captain, set Chinese governors to take care of junk trade.
- Thailand has been limited trading to outside world. However, foreigners were
allowed to stop at the Chinese port (only when using junk)
- Chinese junk trade was glorious in the early Rattanakosin period, especially
during the King Rama III period. King Nangklaos nickname is jao sua.
However, it faded in the late King Nangklaos period.
Narai
Narai (1656-1688)
- The most colorful period
- The period of commerce with other countries (middle east and western). First
time to officially trade with the western as well as the diplomacy
- Be more open to accept outside culture more foreigners, not only the Malay
and Chinese
- Employed foreign advisor (Constantine Phaulkon)
- Welcomed new knowledge from western (architecture)
- First entrance of Missionary
- Had freedom in religion; even proselytization (It made the French and Persian
believed that they could convert the king to Catholic)
- Exchanged embassies with western and imported them to work in the court

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1688 coup - Glorious Revolution (King is under the law by parliament) and
started to be aware of the foreign influence. They began to fight and caused
the Western to leave the country

Constantine Phaulkon
- A Greek adventurer, who became prime counselor to King Narai of Ayutthaya.
- Phaulkon came to Siam as a merchant in 1675 after working for England's
East India Company. He became fluent in Thai in just a few years and began
to work at the court of King Narai as a translator (he was also fluent in
English, French, Portuguese, and Malay). Due to his experience with the East
India Company, he was soon able to become a prime counselor of the king.
- Phaulkon's closeness to the king naturally earned him the envy of some Thai
members of the royal court, which would eventually prove to be his undoing.
When King Narai became terminally ill, a rumor spread that Phaulkon wanted
to use the designated heir, Phra Pui, as a puppet and actually become ruler
himself. As unlikely as this was, it provided an excuse for Pra Phetracha, the
foster brother of Narai to stage a coup dtat, the 1688 Siamese revolution.
Without the king's knowledge, Phaulkon and his followers as well as the royal
heir were arrested and executed on June 5, 1688 in Lopburi. When King Narai
learned what had happened, he was furious -- but was too weak to take any
action. Narai died several days later, virtually a prisoner in his own palace.
Phetracha then proclaimed himself the new king of Siam and began a
xenophobic regime which expelled almost all foreigners from the kingdom.
Lanna
- Lanna (1259-1317) was the longest-lasting (northern) state. (Lasted longer
than Sukhothai)
- The state was sponsored by Chiangmais king during the 15th century to write
the Tripitaka by Lanna monk 500 years old. It was the center of the Buddhist
study, even more glorious than Ayutthaya (15th-16th century)
- Center in the northern part of Thailand Chiangmai as capital has their own
language and culture

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Autonomous state, center of Buddhism and Sankayana

Conquered by Mangrai had Buddhism ideology build many temples
expand in every directions: Hariphunchai, Payao, Ngeon Yang by making
fellowship
- Strongest kingdom in era of Tilokraja
- Later weaken and fall under Burma back in the reign of Taksin (1774)
1) Mangrai (1259-1317)
2) Tilokaracha (1441-1487) means The king of the 3 worlds
Western Imperialism
- Industrial Revolution leads to Western Imperialism 19th century by
missionary
- It led to new political practice
- Engaged in local trades spices, ceramics, tea were needed but no products to
offer to Asian market
- Intercity trade better profit if they could ship back
- No need to occupy high land to monopolize productions
- Industrial revolution cheap garment/ceramics, better quality and cheap
1) Western became superior: port city was occupied as well as whole land
raw materials and product (increasing demand of raw materials, SEA is the
best cheap and many)
2) Monopolization of market: raw materials, goods, cheap labor Its no use
of producing but no one buying
- Not using the old style but using education, transportation, political system to
conquer (scientific and rational way)
- They seek colonies for raw materials, finding market to trade, labor
- The western provided security for their colonies in order to produce the benefit
for them and to create the market in colonies. They avoided self-sufficient
economy and stimulated the greed to change the religious worldview to
secular worldview for surviving in competitive world
- Even though we were not the colony of our worldview was also changed into
the secular worldview due to new technologies that was introduced to Thai
society
Christian Missionary
- The king encouraged people to follow the five precepts as civil law.
- The neighbors were conquered by Western according to The Age of
Imperialism while Thailand is never be conquered because the elitists
accepted the change of world. Also, understand what happen so they adjusted
themselves to the world among Southeast Asian countries.
- There are 3 changes
1) Changing them to survive from being religious to being more scientific.
2) Arrival of Christian Missionary in 19th century
3) Arrival of Western Imperialism
Effect of Christian Missionaries
1) 16th -17th - First wave
- The emergence of protestant in Europe
- Portuguese and French are Roman Catholic
2) 19th Second wave

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Motivated by the success of the industrial revolution (successful because of

believing in god propaganda)
The difference of the 1st wave and 2nd wave = not only Catholic but also
protestant
Tributary System
- The burdensome and ritualistic way which early modern China treaded with
other nations. It helped creating market and demand for exotic luxury goods as
well as the trust and loyalty among trading partners for many years brings
stability and security to an otherwise volatile market.
- Tribute system (Tribute) or Jin echoes the tradition of Chinese relations with
other countries in ancient times. Because the Chinese have believed for a long
time under the influence of the ideas of Confucius's ideology. "China is the
Middle Kingdom (be Goa or Middle kingdom) is the center of power and
civilization of the world.
- If a European wanted to trade in China, he had to have a gift to offer the
Emperor. The Emperor, in turn, would give the European a gift.
Religious Worldview
- In pre-modern period
- Spiritual
- Peoples worldview in pre-modern ideal ways: nothingness, life after
death, and natural disaster.
- Behavior dictation (karma) did not care much of this world
- Oriented to exclusively spirituality
- Produce enough to live
- They believed in God (Lord Buddha)
People were controlled by religious idea
Culture intervention
Next life was the most concerned
- Buddhism making merit will lead to better living condition in the next life
- Taxes by government = making merit = building temple
- Main purpose: reaching Nirvana doing good things for being born in good
place in next life (good karma = good life)
- Nirvana way of true happiness
Sila discipline/control desire
Panya knowledge/get enlightened
Dana giving/alms
- Merit can be transferred via water
Secular Worldview
- Dominant in King Loetla
- In modern period
- Believed in material happiness and reality of the world
Controlled by secular ideal capitalism
Aspect of life = better life in this world via material
This life was the most concerned
Facilities provided by government School, health care, transportation
- Government concerned about physical needs

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People started to work for being earned for material happiness reality of this
world
- Dedicate for what they are doing (be rich)
- Its the effect of the arrival of Western idea (technology, education, culture)
Thai people changed the worldview starting to attach to this world idea
but the idea of the next world idea still left
Bowring Treaty
- Entered in the reign of King Mongkut (Rama IV)
- Brought by Sir John Bowring, the governor of Hong Kong from Britain
demanded Britain
- 1820 negotiations => 1830-1840 trading practice => 1855 launched
- Impact of the treaty
Extraterritorial right privilege for British citizen
o British had the right to own the land
o British was the only one who can judge British crime
Imported tax = 3% - low to the max most states collect high taxes
from foreigners its the easiest way to get money from the state
o Didnt want people to buy imported goods
o Exported local stuff
o Better quality, much cheaper price
- Reasons Siam for giving in
1) Fear of British power
2) King Mongkut wanted to modernize the country for better quality
- Reason for Britain
1) Wanted to have equality like Thai did to Chinese
- The cause of Bowring because of capitalism and free trade trend in western
Minimum rule
Lesser tax = good flow in trading
- The treaty allowed free trade by foreigners in Bangkok, as foreign trade had
previously been subject to heavy royal taxes. The treaty also allowed the
establishment of a British consulate in Bangkok and guaranteed its full
extraterritorial powers, and allowed Englishmen to own land in Siam.
- Officially a Treaty of Friendship and Commerce, it is nonetheless claimed to
be an unequal treaty as Siam was not in a position to negotiate, considering
that Britain had demonstrated its military might during the First Opium Wars
with China, thereby discouraging any attempts to prevent Western trade.
Approaching mid-century, there was growing tension within the elite over the
linked issues of the economy, social order, and handling of the west. Traditionalists
wanted to keep the west at arms length, and preserve the old social order, especially
traditional controls on unfree labor. Under King Nangklao, this faction remained
strong. The king shifted from royal trading monopolies to tax-farming, but refused
westerners entreaties for more liberal trading. He relied heavily on traditional
conscription for his eastern campaigns.
Reformers believed that more western trade, freer labor, and access to new
technologies would stimulate economic growth to the benefit of both government

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revenues and private fortunes. The leaders of reform were the patriarchs of the
Bunnag household, and the group of aristocratic intellectuals around Prince Mongkut.
In 1842, Britain humbled China in the Opium Wars, showing the consequences of
defying British demands for free trade. The impact of the war ruined the Siam-China
junk trade, and persuaded Siam to look to westerners for a substitute. The British
victory also meant that both India and China, sources of so much of Siams old
culture, had fallen under western domination. Increasingly, the elites gaze swiveled
westwards.
In 1851, the Bunnag maneuvered Mongkuts succession to the throne.
Members of the reform faction were rewarded with promotions and increased power.
They argued that it was senseless to continue defending the junk trade by differential
duties in the face of the economic superiority of western shipping. They also urged
that earlier attempts to block opium imports had only created super-profits and gang
wars. In 1855, Mongkut invited John Bowring, the governor of Britains opium
capital of Hong Kong, to negotiate a trade treaty. This treaty abolished the remnants
of royal monopolies, equalized the dues on western and Chinese shipping, granted
extraterritorial rights to British citizens, and allowed the British to import opium for
sale through a government monopoly. Bowring promoted his career by claiming a
victory for the principle of free trade. The court made the opium monopoly into the
single largest source of revenue. The treaty marked Siams reorientation away from
China, which had been focus over the prior 150 years, and towards the west.
Modernity
- Using education, transportation, political system
- Technologies were brought by Western Imperialism
- Dominant (clearest) in the period of great reform (King Yodfa)
3 aspects
o The governing system: decentralize centralize had many
department but ruled/controlled by center, king over king
tactics: kings relative was the head of department
o The economic system: self-sufficient market economy
(capitalize) exported more rice, people work for getting earn
o Worldview: Religious => Secular
Thai-Burmese Wars
- There had always been wars between Thai and Burmese approximately once
in 7 years before the 1st fall.
1st fall of Ayutthaya ~ 1569 (16th century) = King Mahachakkrapat (1548)
1) Because we lost in the battle but the Burmese didnt destroy the city as
they wanted us to be tributary
2) Political conflict: wanted to weaken the rival and destroy resources
3) 7 white elephants were requested by Burmese but we refused
4) King Naruesuan liberated the country
- It is caused by Chakravartin. It stopped because of the arrival of western
imperialism/ colonization.
Pax Britannica

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Pax Britannica means peace by British. Its purpose is for British to increase
their production and gain more income in colony as well as the demand of
people.
- Occurred because of British invention to trade with Siam due to Siam = center
of SEA
- Issue: Thai vs. Burmese conflict misfocusing on trading
- Resolutions: British got Burma and its resources, keeping peace in Siam Our
production and resources benefit the British, not only Thai-Burmese but also
Thai with other civil war
- Neighbor were colonized by western peace in SEA
- Side benefit: End of Thai-Burmese was after 300 years
The Great Reform
- Absolute Monarchy
- Pro-modern Thai monarchy
- Secular worldview
- Change from Pre-modern => Modern due to the cause of secular worldview
for better living conditions, people had rights to sell and get money for
themselves for comfort lives
1) Legal concept law school, expansion of political power, law publishing
into the books for normal people
2) Trading way from water base to land base (river => road, train), house
facing street
3) Traditional society 4 great transitions were birth, puberty, marriage,
death
4) Education temple (studying at school Suankularb Wittayalai School),
monk played a role as teacher, new science, math from western was taught
establishment of vocational college; boys got more education while girls
had chances to study; establishment of Chulalongkorn University in 1917
5) Modern bureaucracy: working in real office, working hour, official
building
6) Technologies and facilities: trains (instead of using horse) = Hua Lum
Pong later taken out in year 1960 due to obstacle in transportation on
road, electricity was built, hospital better health care by government
- 1897 Monthon
o Composed of province, city, village
o End of local dynasties centralize administration (central authorities)
- 1905 Ending of corve system via military conscription first time of
having standing army, navy Ending of slavery system
Essay Part
Chris Baker and Pasuk Phongpaichit. A History of Thailand.
Conclusion page 26-46
The long war against Burma in the late 18th century initially froze the trends of
social and economic change, and brought back the traditions of militarism and control
of people. But from the early 19th century, the pace of change resumed. The
aristocracy now became much more dominant. In the capital and provinces they

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established virtually hereditary shares in the practice of government and its profits.
The monarchs were reduced to a more limited role.
With growing Chinese trade and immigration, the market economy expanded in
the Chao Phraya heartland and down the peninsula. Under its impact, the social order
began to shift. More people slid free of old systems of labor control. A new cadre of
great Chinese jao sua families joined the ranks of the elite. Within old elite families,
more turned to enterprise. Mentalities changed in parallel.
The return of westerners brought apprehension about colonial designs, but also
intrigue about their science, gadgets, and ideas of progress. By mid-century, reformers
within the elite wanted to turn to the west, increase Siams trade, and free more labor.
The enthronement of Mongkut by the Bunnag in 1851, and the Bowring treaty four
years later, signaled the reformers rising influence.
After the treaty increased Siams exposure to the west, the critical issue for the
elite changed: how to reform the polity to cope with social changes of the market
economy and the treat of colonialism.
Conclusion page 47-80
The last quarter of the 19th century saw massive changed arising from the
social strains of the market economy, the new bourgeois mentality of the elite, and
the threats and opportunities of contact with the west. Siam avoided colonial rule. In
part, this was due to geography and timing: Siam became a buffer between French
and British ambitions as the era of colonial land-grabbing came to an end. In part, it
was because the Ayutthayan-era practice of absorbing foreigners into the government
could be adapted into a semi-colonial compromise. In part, the Siamese elite
embraced the ideas of progress and history, and the technologies of mapping, colonial
bureaucracy, law codes, and military conscription.
In the traditional framework, the kings power extended over all who sought
the royal protection. The duties of the royal state were to provide shelter against
external enemies, and allay internal disorder by policing and by settling disputes. The
relations that structured the state were all personal ties the phrais subordination to a
nai, the patron-client links within the official bureaucracy, the fealty of a subordinate
ruler or provincial jao to the king, expressed in ritual displays such as drinking the
water of allegiance. Tax revenues, forced labor, and exotic goods flowed up this
personalized pyramid to support and glorify the upper levels. People transacted with
the court on a limited range of matters (tax, corve, dispute settlement), and mostly
through intermediaries such as the tax-farmer and local recruiting agent.
The new political unit was defined by a territorial boundary. All those
enclosed within the boundary, and granted nationality, were members of the nation
and subjects of the state. The duty of the state was not only to provide protection but
also to achieve progress. TO that end it built telegraphs and railways, organized
religion and education to improve the citizens mentality, and patronized public health
to improve the citizens physical capability. This extended purpose of the state
legitimized an enlarged interference in the life of the citizen. People dealt with
centrally appointed officials who taxed, counted, taught, policed, recruited, examined,

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and much besides. They were submitted to programs of religious instruction,
schooling, and education in citizenship.
In practice, the scope of this new Leviathan was initially limited by funds and
human resources to the major towns. Besides, old structures and ideas lingered.
Personal connections and family networks remained important both inside and outside
the new bureaucracy. Old attitudes of dominance based on social rank were
reproduced in the relations between bureaucrat and peasant. But all survivals now had
to compromise with the power vested in the state. The principles were laid, and the
reach of the state gradually expanded over future decades. The process was far from
smooth. Throughout Chulalongkorns reign, there were rumors of coups in the capital
by both traditionalists and disappointed reformers. Some parts of the Sangha showed
quiet displeasure at trends of secularization and westernization. In the outer territories,
some resistance continued after the turn-of-century revolts. In Lanna, Khruba
Siwichai down to the 1920s. But most resistance was passive exploiting the lacunae
of an uncompleted nation-state.
The people were bystanders at the creation of the Siamese nation-state. The
territory of Siam was defined as a residual of colonial expansion. The nation was
imagined to fit this space and encompass whoever was inside it. The administrative
structure was adapted from colonial practice and imposed from above. The creation of
the nation and nation-state went hand-in-hand with an increase in royal power and a
reconceptualization of the monarchys ideological foundations. The nation was
conceived, not as an expression of its people in all their variety, but as a mystical
unity symbolized by the ruler an absolutist nation.
Appendix
King in Rattanakosin period
1) Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke (6 April 1782 7 September 1809)
2) Buddha Loetla Nabhalai (7 September 1809 21 July 1824)
3) Nangklao (21 July 1824 2 April 1851)
4) Mongkut (1 April 1851 1 October 1868)
5) Chulalongkorn (1 October 1868 23 October 1910)
6) Vajiravudh (23 October 1910 25 November 1925)
7) Prajadhipok (25 November 1925 2 March 1935)
8) Ananda Mahidol (2 March 1935 9 June 1946)
9) Bhumibol Adulyadej (9 June 1946 present)