The Journal of the Siam Society Vol. LXIV, Part 1-2, 1976 - Khamkoo

MONKS AND HIERARCHY IN NORTHEHN THAILAND 127
monkhood continuously since ordination as a novice. Like all the
hierarchy members but one he is a native of the Province-in his case,
San Sai (born in 1903). He became a monastery boy at 9 years of age
and a novice at 12, being fully ordained at 20. He studied the Thai
Tbamma but could not pass the exams. Therefore be decided to move
to better educational opportunities at Wat Thungyu in Cbiengmai, where
he became a student under the abbot, who was District Head for his District
of San Sai. He succeeded in his studies there, passed, and returned
to his district to teach for a while. The District Head invited him to
return to help with administration and to teach. He passed more Thai
Thamma exams (Tho level) and then was appointed to his first administrative
post in 1927 as a member of the personal staff of the District
Head of San Sai.
He continued to study but failed to pass the Pali exams at the
Parian 3 level. Such difficulty with Pali studies is common in the biographies
of hierarchy officials: out of the 18 District Heads, only four
monks have passed Parian 3 (their grades are 5, 5, 4 and 3), and not one
of the Deputy Provincial Heads or the Provincial Secretary was successful
either.
Undoubtedly the explanation for the pattern is simply the
lack of adequate educational opportunities in Pali at the provincial level.
In any case, when his teacher became province bead, be remained a
member of his personal staff, and by 1939 his talents won him the
prestigious position of acting District Head for the city of Chiengmai
(Muang), followed two years later by achievement of the full office. It
will be remembered that this post is seen today as a key stepping stone
in the path to the position of Provincial Head.
After he had been made an ordinator (upatchaya) in 1944 and had
been given a special fan as District Head