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

The Journal
of the
Siam Society
Volume 89. Parts 1 & 2
2001

The Journal of the Siam Society
Volume 89. Pans I & 2
2001
Contents
Abstrac ts
viii
Obituary fur Lch Tsan Kway
Obituary for 0. W. Wolters
XVI
Articles
RK:"'"" D. Ca.'u"'"· TRA,SOAm• "''" DAvto K. WYATT. Corrolt
Translaung Th31 Poclly: Cushman, and King Nnrai'~ "Long Song Prophecy for
Ayunhaya"
A TT AC"HAK SA TT ~ YANURM,
lntcllcc111nl Origins of Strong Kingship (Part 2) 12
l lERDERT R. SWANSO~
Origins of the Nineteenth Cemury Transfi)rmation oi'CosnHllngy m Northern Siam:
The Nun lnla·McGil vary Deba

vi
Comems
More on M. L. Manich Jumsai
Address by Sumet Jumsai, II October 2001 75
On Books from the Nineteenth Century
Address by Michael Smithies. I I October 2001
Bangkok Era Books
78
86
From the Archives
H.R. IJ. PRIKCE WA"N \VAtntAYAI

Contenls
vii
Martin Stuart-Fox
Historical Di

Ab.tlrllt:l.f
Yunn•nrse in Thailand: Pa'l and l're-;cnl
''"""lg thc Chinese or the monol'i1y people in Thailand, Yunnnnnc'c is one of the most rcmarknhlc
conuuuniues. Ethnicully Yu•lnnncsc includes Han and Hui (Mullion dunng the War
The C hiang i\lai Campai~n of 1787-1188: fle)ond the C hrunlculur Account
1·11 ~.: uflicaal Mya1UUa1· chroni..:lc, 1/mamJmJ ,\la11ueh a.• the plan of operntions and That SO\U'C I & 1 (2001)

EDITORIAL
E
'en a quick look at book,lllnd, in Bangkok
rc\caJs a \'ibrnnc publh.1une uulu~ll)' in
n1udand nut just in nmi btll nlso tn Lngh,IL
J\mrmg !he dozens ur items nn dii,play nre 00\­
cis and co1lec1ion:. of ~hon ~ toric!\, mnny of
which d!!al wllh \.Vcslcmers in the counu·y. AJ·
though quite a te'"' lbcu..' on a pnnicular group
ut' \Vc,temers who spend ~1gm lic:mt pomons
t)f thc1r live:-. on a privarcty·O\\ ned street con·
ncfBangk"k.
Bul 1hl!rc i.lfi! o1h..:r autlm~ thul .thn n! jungle but abo of gender rclJ.tinn' and 1h..:
dealt ngo.: l'l l tcalo. .t~s i~ta nh \\ 1Lh nm1hCIT1 1-h:\i
Wtilw.:n. Ahhnuyh gender is au unpOI'HUi t topic,
nnd lh.¢ Ht..:l that nurthcm Thai won11.:11 , laycd
,,,.ilh 1hc rn:11nly o;inglc l.:.uropcao teak \\UIIuh ~ i ~
""II kn I HI> been
done. 'I he ass,...tant.;;. mostly ~cause of the
disd:un the upper (and middk) crus! held
rcgardtng .. uc:h unions, ran:b dt)CU)~Cd
fonhrightly and all bUI never described lhem on
their no emu us (surh as reak Wullalr) 'However.
on th" bcd Juw1ly.
When I cak Wallah Denton goes 11 8Hn~k,, k he
f.-til::, lhr 1h..: hcauh~uu!) umJ somdU'>\-v :l\':1ilablc
t'vlr>. Fun,h:l\\c flo" he resoh·es 1hc tl llcmm:o
be tJcc~ rcgurdmg his housemate, Chnn Som.
nnd thc1r "'on ul the nt.'i"tb JS th~.: :-ubJ~o.·cL ,,r a he
book. ,\!though Campbell was a produ,·t or hos
)(lfmral o(r/w Siam Sodi/1' lN. I & ~ tJ:OOl)

Ellllt·u~nm deals with nn inc1den1 Lh·rt· Ro1ho1z
~lnnlh t:» lnu.·; a Scandina\'i;m fJmily hl.!corniug
"mc,phcnbly invo l v~c.i wtth u C.1l,._. nfinduqrial
c>piun.1gc hetweenfed .. of all place'] Bangkok
nud Sa1guu·· resulti ng m I he nrr~-.1 of several
fnnuly ml!mbo!rs.
Almost nothing hos lx:cn written about
luropc:ms able to 11lQ\~ .uountJ fn-cl~ m
(}.'ngkol at thts ume. There ''ere 'urely fe" of
them George- 0. McFariJnd who ran a
typt.'\\-111Cr ..;hop wa' 1he bc~llnuwn and a1mo~t
the Mly American (wiLh the Thai ti1le of l'hra
A• \Vithayakhom. and tlc~pi tc hcint:. a missionary.
he.: wu.-. ahove the de1eu1lon mosl Am..:ricuns
and Oritt,h suiTercd). OUter- wc 1·~ Vich) hench.
Ut.!rmnns and oilie-r nurlhcm Europeans. ns well
as \\'httc Ru by one '""h
dcsccnt.lanl. [)r lm Maung Kyt. Yet another
intcrcsttn,G ~t,pcct oiThaJ-l3unnan contactl'o ''in
lhf.• revenue tlocumem lTom the Sahnr;.ll I hcu
Doc-rn Pruvancc (as ChtangTun,g .. KcngtlmJ::}WilS
knnwn frnm 1 ()~2- 1 1)46 when it was under Tha1
control. 1-hi• urttclc. by Alan D. Comcruu and
Kenneth G C:lurk. " reproduced here by
pennis~iun of fl:e Burma Peacock. an cxccllcm
but littlc-kno"" JOUrnal dev01ed to the phtl•tci)
of that country. From further nonh. in Yunnan.
China. h.~, I! come: immigrants to Thonl3nd for
t"Cntu.ric' \Vnhom discussing the unJ:\in of th.:
Tat fK'Oph.:!-! und Lh..:1r movcmcn1 SOHih. po~'tbly
lhrough Yunnan, uno what is naw 11lai land,
thnc have hccn V~111nnnese imn HgnuH~ moving
south JOr ~:..:n t uri~!-1. Most accounl.) of thc'c
people~ htt\ c been fronl the poml ufv1c\V of non·
Yunnanc,c. In tht< pape1·. lie Pmg endeavo" hl
ptCSCnt their own pomt or \1C\\ and ntHtUd~
about li\ en~ m nonhcm Thall3nd.
.-\nothcr .uc:a not welt-stUdied 1:. the
mtclh;ctua.l ln~HH)' of ThaiJand. This is,ue
inc1udcr. t\\tl "nicl~s th:alin£ wnh tht' liclct
Hcrhcn It Swan

The Journal of the Siam Society

Patrons of the Slam Society
Patron
His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej
Vice-Patrons
Her Majesty Queen Sirikit
His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkom
Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakoi Sirindhom
Her Royal Highness Princess Galyani Vadhana Krom Luang Naradhiwas Rajanagarinda
Honorary President
Her Royal Highness Princess Galyani Vadhana Krom Luang Naradhiwas Rajanagarinda
Honorary Vice-President
Mom Kobkaew Abhakara na Ayudhya
His Serene Highness Prince Subhadradis Diskul
Council of the Slam Society, 2000-2002
President
Vice-Presidenrs
Leader. Nawrtd Hisrory Seer ion
Honormy Secretary
Honoraty Treasurer
Honorary Librarian
1-/onomry Ediwr, JSS
Honorary Editor, NHB
Members ofCozmcil
Mrs. Bilaibhan Sampatisiri
Prof". Krisda Anmwongse
Dr. Oiam Chaipmvat
Mr. Paul G. RusseU
Dr. \Veerachai Nanakom
Mrs. Monita Singhakowin
Mr. Kenneth White
Mrs. Sharon O'Toole
Dr. Ronald D. Renard
Dr. Warren Y. Brockelman
Dr. Woraphat Arthayukdi
Mr. Poomchai Lamsam
Dr. Dhir•vat ·na Pombejm
Mrs. Mira Kim Pracbabarn
Mr. John Reid
Mr. James Rooney
Mr. Vara-Poj Snidvongs
Dr. Chaisak Suwanirikul

The Journal
of the
Siam Society
Volume 89. Parts 1 & 2
2001

OBITUARY
Leh Tsan Kway
by Tim l'orsyth
L
cb Tsau Kway (slsu kno\vn as Jang\'-''ay. or
Laolu Saclii) wm; one or the highesr-rnnking
high pric"t> of the lu Mien (or 'Yao') ethnic
group 1iving iu TIH1iland. He was al ~o an
influentinl assist\lnl for ac ~demic research on
·hi II tribe~ ' 111 nonhcm Thailand for nearly 40
years. Some of the most famous anu authoritative
texts and monographs about highland culnn·c.
language, :md livelihoods in norihern Thail;m d
\VCrc compiled with lhe help and knowledge of
Leh Tsan Kway.
Leh was &orn in Laos in the northern
pruvinceoJ'Houci Xai in 1919. Lik~ mma Mien
villagers FH the time. Leh grew up in a renlOtl'
mo.untain village. and helped his fttmHy cultivnte
r i~.:c, com and opium, as wdl a:; raise pigs and
cows. lle married Juctso Saelii at the age of 16
(when she was 15) and over the nexl 20 years.
they rd!Scd 10 children. Fo!lo\VIng classic Mien
shining culti vation. Lch and tu!> village St)ughL
10 relocate vi lb ges every I 0 10 20 years in order
10 lind fertile soil. Because of this, and increasing
harassment fwm luwlanu soldiers in the 1940s,
they decided tO reloc a~ e 10 ThaiiMd itl 1947.
Their new village. named Phalae (laler Pha Dua),
was in Mac Chm1 District ( h-ttl·.r Amphoc tvhtc
Fah Lu

0 Jf It 'o/lf·n xi
Lt.:h 3nd hl:o. filmily in 19?l (Phvll.' b) Yoshiro Sbtr..uon•
l.ch ~nd wmc Yao \\Omen m Pha l)u..._ ootstdt> h1s hocne Cl'h,lh, h) Tun foc~ytht
.loumi:/ ol thf! Sir.m Soc·ictl' l

xii
OMtrwry
Jouma/ uftbl! Sianr Soc it'll' 89.1 & 2 f200 I}

0 W Jf o!tt:rs xiii
Lch :md his rtna ,.,Ire, Jut:L;;u, l ak~n in the 1 1 >-t()s when both \vcrc io thc1r ~Os .
.lounml o/lho· .\'i.un Sot'iito'Y 89.1 & 2 (200 l)

Xi\'
of the US Navy Scab..:c~ engine«.~~ who had
recently conslntctcd a road in d1c region. Vel
there \vas aJso olhl'r n:st":;.trcll on di fterent rhemes:
Leh's Wtfeand dflughtcrsasslstcd wuh.lacqudmc
Butler·~ Yao Design o(Nortlteru Thailand (The
S1am Society, Bangkok, 1970), which focus"d
oo the embroidery of ~ ... 1 icn women.
Much gencml work on uplau~ culiurcs unJ
life was conduclcd aLPha f}un. Yoshi ro ShinHOfl,
wich ft lt.:

XV
five year;., Lhesc, and some arldition:JI l.ahu,
vi II ages near Doi Tung had sgricultura1 lund
refores1ed wi!h pine plaLlUllions by 1he Royal
Forcsl DcpalimcnL It is possibly because ofthe
rcspeCI uiTordcd Pha Dua by lowland authorilics.
and !he posi livc image developed dut1ng Leh's
lime. that Ph~ Dua h:•s been able to :1void such
intervention.
Leh Tsan K way · s remarkable a mort Lhan any other
iufonnam-he conU'ibuted to a vast diversity of
written int0rma1ion about highJnnd life and
culturl's.
Jmrnw! of the Siam . 1 ion'el\' S9. 1 & 2 (100 I)

OBITUARY
0. W. Wolters (8 June 1915- 5 December 2000)
by Craig Reynolds
rofo!S>Or 0. W. WolterIOIY Emeri­
IU> at Cornell t;nin•rsity. dtcd olkra 'hon illnctl on his trips ro
Canberra. After graduaung from (hford
Uru,ersu> wtth a tirs1 cia(.' Honours t.kgrt."C m
1937. Wolters "as a~'Ccptcd tnlo rhe colonial
\Cr\'tcc. He was sem to ~talaya and scll..'cted to
work 111 the Dcpanmcnt of Chmesc A ITatrs. the
prcp,ration for which ncccssn:ucd the st\tdy of
CaniOnl:SC in Singapore. ,:.01ac~m uml Hung Kong.
In the middle of 1941 he returned l(l Singapurc
I work in the Labuur Dcptlrllllcnl. When dte
Japanese invaded Singapore Wolters was taken
prisoner and detained as a Cl\ ihan mh.:mc'l..' fur
three and a half)"""'· mo>t elf the ume in Changt
rmon \\'lute '" prison he read "id¢1).
cspcc•ally al>out central As1a •ml Buddhi rctumod 10 Malaya and was uppl>intcd
ASSJSiant (..'(.)mrnissioner of Labour Ill sct~ ngo r.
Duriog t h~ l:ntl~rg~:ncy, \Vhich bcg~lll With an
armed upnsm£! 111 l lJ4K \.\loiters's duties In·
eluded ncgOI13ttng \\ith strikers 111 Sclungorand
establislung u rehabilitation centre for coptun.-d
Commumst s~mpallu.crs m Taiping. I le brought
tu the negoua1ing tnble sympall1y '"th workerhip 01
SUAS. he wrote 10 several enuncnl ,.:hular. of
'"

0 W Wolters xvii
ancieot Southeast Asia. such as Gordon Lucc
and George C("Cdes, to seek their advice on his
future sLuclicS-. and on his way back to England
in l957 he toured a numbcroftht classJcal sites
or e-arly Sou1heast r-\sja,
In England he took up a lecture rshipnt SQ,\S
w ith Lhc encouragement of Professor D. G. E.
Hall. who was tO supervise his doctoral
disscnation. He bought a suburban house in
Surn:y ~ from whl·n..· he commuu:d to London.
planted a garden. and looked forward 10 settling
down rn his native land. Flm D. G. E. Hall. who
l..:tturcd from time to time at Cornel l University.
had been on the look-out for a full-titTle
Sou theas t Asian htstorian. l-Ie recommended
\Vohcrs to Lhc SouthL'::'.:tsl Asia Program there,
nnd a ftcr a trial teachmg stint at Com ell m l 962
Wolters and bis family moved 10 Ithaca where
he lOok up his appointment in 19(•4.
llis doctorate ou the bistory of the early
Malayan maritime power, Srivijaya, was
published hy• Com ell U ni vcrsi1y Pr

Ohituun
One of his most "tdd~ knwn puhlications
\\J." /Jiwory. CulTure mul Rt·~ion in Somlum .. tl
.4.vitlll l'l A,ia, and
wldl.: he lutd little. interest in \\o'l'i1ing n h~x1boo k
or nuempung t~ comprt:hcmHV\! rl} umes. Rcspondm~ m the mtd-l'I'JQcholarship
thai had appeared since th~ fi"t cdninn. llte
t)l'iguHl l volume.: wa!' rci lon~cr than
the ongmal text.
1\tthe rime of his death he had been wriring
:1 h1storical n0Ye1 about tlunccnth c.:ntury
Vietnam. He had been prcoccuptCctnncntaty evidence I k hnd read Mikhail
llJ"htin ~mel was reconsututing hh Vu:-tnamcsc
matcnul '"dialogoglc, pol ~ phonte form. l k lcfi
an unfinished manu>cnpl. :md h•~ literary
cxccutnN have yet to dectdc hO\\~ or mdccd if.
the manuscnptts to he forma II) t>ubh>hed.
\\'hen I first met \\nile"' in the North
i\mcncan autUmn of 1965 he had been lcachin£!
fttll-tnnc at Cornell li>T only n yenr. Out he had
lncali7cd himself suflioicu tly in American
cducn 1 i(lna l cuhul·e to be able to spc:.1k
enonlcssly the lanJ,'llage of lilx:r.\1 nl1> t fur whom
W(lrd~ were nf illlcnse i merest. A 1 one f>Ollll he
bef.iegc.."d c\ ~.:ryunc he knew with questions obom
the di fference bctw~:cn .. appcaruncc .. and
"countenance,'' 1crms he 'vas using a1 the ltn1c
to \Hilc ubout :1 li ftcemh-cenllll)' V u!tnnmc.S(!
histonan's Vtl!'w of good government. He wat;
alway~ alert 10 rlC\\1 ''a} s of n:adm~ und
mtcrpn:lm~ text~. whether semiotic. stnx:turJhM
or po>t$1TU impar1 to hi~ "'lltdcl'm;
the hi~tmi:m ''skills. In his very acLi\'c rctircl11cnt
h~ kepi these skills well-honed by 1\'TII int,t
memou'~ uf colleague:\, "hich cnt:Likd fOr him
the .:une kind of dedicated research as dtd the
most cllL\1\'C Sou1heast Asian wponym lltcsc
genre pu:cc:t. ''Inch locate the suhJCCIIn famil)
and )!CO)!raph> tlorough '1\'td dctatl. arc motlel<
of the h"torion ' olicn
lx:!!s•'ta to the
Fourteenth Ccntul) ., for a sC"tond ome, one
C'omell professor sat ll1rough llto cou"e three
tirm ..'~.
rhe \\'CC~Jy IW()·hvurttliOri~l l ~. in addiliuu
10 the kcturc course and required uf ni l h i~
doctoral :iludcnrsl were as h:genLiury lbr their
ngur us Lhcy wert! maddening for· thdr luck of
fonlHll ~y llubl. \Vol' w the uofortumth! mdividual
\\ ho had .. lone the readmg ob~lgnmcnt super·
lie tally or who h~d not done it at all

0 . W Wolters xix
h shottld he len to an intdkctu

•
Ric hard D. Cushman'. Tmnslator
David K. Wyan'. Editor
Translating Thai Poetry: Cushman, and King 'farai's
"Long Song Prophecy for Ayutthaya"
Thui has nt.•vcr bt•cn an c.tS) lungu~1gc H'l rrJn..;l;nt! .• m..t .m~ \\ ho hlJ\ ~:tried knuw lbiH I ba1 pQCLI)i
i> th< """! i.bllitulr of •II llll1l "· tt "dot1icult tf the tmn,l.ttor "Ucmpos to rcnd•r ilCcur:1ld>
the m"~rcr lind rhyme of Lhc ong.~nal n\c: mo~t !>Ut:ec~ful .. uch diOn lnm" n to me for more 1 h~u1
twenty ycul"; hn, hJ' I •>6X 121)
TI~a l ltu.: popular IC '!Um omc" .;pcctfiL".:tll; mcnuoned tht.> prt..,phecy and ascrib~d it ICI 1\.ing Nnrni
hfllh ~uppon~> tlw tc.'

2 R.rct-IARD D. C ~.;sl t\IA'\ .wo D.wm K. WvArr
it (Schwcisguth 195 1; Pluang 1967; FAD 1987: 299-317). The two n:p rod~c~d in the Fine Arts
Depam11ent's col.lection arc bot.h in khloug plrarit fonn, with 512 syllable.~ per line and four lines
per verse, wi th I \VO cxtnl syllables 011 lh(· fourth line of each \·erse.s
00000000 00000000)
00000000 00000000
'----- -' I
00000000 00000000
00000000 000. 0 00)
The "Prophecy" lo..:XI is dirfcn::ntly Mructurcd. Verse often would hovl! btl:'f) written dirtercntly
in old IOiding kh.?i~pap er manuscripls: but wc might conceive it here ilS having been \VI'illcn in prurs
of nine->yllabk lines, with a complicated fot'lll that might be rq>rescnted ns follows (with "o''
represeming syllables and the lines linking rhymes):
A I A2 A3 A 4 AS i\6 A7 AS Bl 132 B3 84 R< 136 137 138
2 C l C2 C3 C4 cs C6 C7 C8 Dl 02 D3 D4 D5 D6 07 D8
3 al ar a3 a4 aS a6 37 a8 bl b2 b3 b4 b5 b6 b7 b~
4 d c2 c3 c4 c5 c6 c7 cS dl d2 dJ d-1 d5 d6 d7 d~
(This diagram over-s-implifies Lhc uctual structure. fOr a full and dctajJcd rtn

Tv~,•e l ve in longue and wrung from every land.
Gladly com~ and stand, safe in ~ 1 is sire
Of cities. whose men nre Freed of danger dire.
Of sin. dL\.

Rlclt

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Jt.~unrul u(tht! Siam StJrret.~· R9.1 & 2 (2001)

Tlten n shall pass that perils will arise
To compromise all c.rc.l:Jlurcs with new ICars~
When virtues ten fa ll deaf on ki11gly ears.
So smash the spheres; si1>..'tccn disa.'\tl:rs ~mi le.
The moon. the st~rs. the earth a~d. yea. tho s ~-y
Arc knocked awry-in every re.idm tht blighc
While acctdcnls and portents stun the sight,
The clouds tlamc bright with world-devouring blaze.
Bird b-lood red the Ganges. gari:;.h. gushes.
rhe t..·.arLh rll:,hcs. The h e:t~veus-a yellow twze.
Forest fa i rie~ ensorcell urban w,ays
\Vhilc forest maze is ruled b}' city shades.
The very gu:·~rdian gmb then lllkt to night
And She of night. black flame. nnd doom invades.
ll1e sovereign soil in moiiLts face abrades.
Fusillades of fire consume time's breas1.
\VhaL h ~.!rt..·
1s proph;:sicd JS not mistaken;
Ln thought panaken, truth rewards the ques1.
The hcat 1
thougb not in season, scars the. (;best:
On vale and crest- the gale. though not wind's prime.
The cold, beyond all reason, treasotl shows:
Torrential llows the rain escaped from Lime.
So trees and clunlps of grass re'

Rtnt.\Mil 0 , Cusm.tAN A.l"o"D O.wm K w, Al l
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.f'

All m..:n of virtue, vanquished, lose c.ommand;
Throughout the land the lcamed lose men's trust.
The vety root1:iles bob and drift nonplllsSe·d
While in disgust the ~ourd' that Ooatcd-sink.
Noble Hncs die out 'vithout an heir
As uobles share tlteir lust-with outcasts Jjnk:
And men of vinuc lose their will to think.
Shrink not from false bt:liclS. bul .:.ourt illusion.
As lion·s rear is now no more the king's 1
No longer rings the counrty's fame. Con fusion
Spre renowned in every land;
Aroma1 ic woods for Ulcense sLand-
AIJ banned!-b}~ ageless custom undennincd.
Rice will be scarce, the price of Detel high.
Bone dty the world where smal lp

10 Rrcn .-.Ro D. CtJSH.,_t,._N "-'""D D~'v'u K. \\'vAn
.. :,o~ontfJJn>:11J1!1n111f
1\:1U11thl~~~rll4iU11D
':UhuiQ~lih4~u1n1~'unnl'a1U
t. .Jfll w-.: ~ ,, ~, o A·niDnUc
'
''iu•i'tR ~:m

Monks and laity will be distressed
HQITOI'S mamrc~l lhcm~h c~. PO:\ ~ut
Frcruicd slaughter. "a"' on an"" liol ...:nk,
,,, people fl3il and fall. a ,urkolh. '"nO>h. pa>' awn) from ,ogho,
Undone by Yam:1's world dc,lroymg blight
:-lo·onc 10 llgha os bailie·> linal bo\n.
Once A)"llth3ya Jc;cncd be,
The mys of al l Three Gems a1 Ia i, Lord of
1\opburi. predicts lhe future of the ('apllal.)
l'ranslaaed b) Rich"rd I) Cu>hman
F.ditcd by David K.. Wyall
Jotmwlo{Jir.,, SI

Allachak S ;~ H ayanurak
Intellectual Origins of Strong Kingship (Part 2)
Efforts to Rule as a "Grcut Kin~ , '"ith t1
Historknl Cun.1e i n u s n~ ss
Before ui

lutdh•cmll/ Origilro; o.fSmmg Kingship ( Prm 2) 1.1
~h ey please . . or follow thdr ._,,.,.11 dc~tiny "lthouL
l'c.ar hecau.~t the
nomml course of the hc-..avenly bodies. It is nol
anything sprukot l'hrura.ch(ll/wn Owm
Ka~ Plw.

I I
mc~tmg. .. every da~ d..""Citncd. II' ~~'"am affairs
lln"':~o~. they Cffilld be: dealt wllh m rn' OJ! I! t:c'c
included their sendmg tribute to lhnt:kok. sur·
portm~ anncd troops. and c-onducung censuses
of people in general. the moukhood und lomplo
sla\'CS. Other n:gul:.ttiuns were for people making
a ltv ins. for other':\ to drink the con~ecrmed
\~o-atcr- pledging loyalty 10 lh~ kmg twtcc annu·
ally. 11\i.III\Winmg. pc.~ce.. :~rr~Siing cnnunal:\. pro.
motm,g pronu:~omg tndtqdual!\. :md protcctmg
13uddh•''- from anack>.'' In addouon. Ktng
\1ongkut unprO\·cd the system by which cnmmnncr\
\:t'IUid nmkL' appeals to the king.
Ht!!o ~·I GJCM)' the Kmg will permit subject'i co
bnn,tt ta:ncv•tnccs lO hi:; anerttion by thctr nnachmg
:1 \'-Tttlcn S!n~vnm:e to a lh10k olt thl.! ..:nJ uf J.
rap: hJ.nkttng fmm a pole in front ot th\! lhnmc, '
Resides mnkmg 11 L'asicr tOr .;.uhJt.."Ct' to ap·
peal lhc ktng, King ~ 1ongkul actwtlly cncour·
oged lu' 'UbJcun~ whut lhcy snid
wns II'Uc. hi.! grnntcd :mo1her salung as a bonu
_\_1 The kmg sought out person.s wnh y n ~.c''\'•
who were unable lo c

4 4
16
hnngong progress to d1fferent ~roups oflus sub­
Jrt I ac1
us ::t ''Grcal King" in line \vilh tbe uew luswncul
cunsciousncss of Kmg :Vtongkul wn!-- carricU
out with~utoppo~i tioo. Afterthe Bowring Treaty
sanctu.mcll tfcc trade. effons 10 ama~ ''calth
hy the nob1ht) and ruynlty changed fr11m trutlitional
W3)., that W he tdcd which ondl\ 1dn.ll tax
fanner.. were 10 continue- m their pt\)o;IIIOn' , ~nd
forbade'"' ollicials from helping b1dders J'ortax
l~1nns. Anolhcr measure implcmcnlcd by 1l1c
king wal\ 10 J..c..:p the mon~y in Lhc rnyal n·cn$lli'Y
fr0111 J' .. lfing into :myone'S handS \\'llh

lmelh.?.r iual Orfg;ns of Stron~ Kir1gslup fPnn 2) 17
dcposi tc~ in the royal treasury and n(>t kepl
e-lsewhere- \VIlhout t.hc king's knowlcdg..:. Thus,
the king tried to keep tax farmers fi·om giving tax
money to govemment otlic i a l s. ~" If tax fa m1ers
refused tO give tax money tO tht!SC Ofiicials tbut
to the treasury inste

IH
t:tkmg another imponanl action that :ulCcted
1hc: new t)'pe of Matl· emerging at 1his tun~.
With the beliefthm the fir>l kmg in the dynasty
wn:, the '' lb unde.r of1he capiwl", tht kmg :tcted
in \\'flY'> that enhanced Lhc prcsugc of the mOll·
archy. Thts led 10 tbe belief. since the reign or
K111g Rarna I. that tho ktng should obtain '·the
royal proper!) as his inheritance" Tlus can b

lm~.-·Jic.•ctuul Orlgi11s oj'Strrmg King

20
king (but not daily) to discuss the affairs !tape ll1ai history. The ki11g believcJ that
o~cnthuu~b ~krc was a regent, he was obliged
to ·'maintain the kingdom" ~ a conviction I hal is
rcllccted in the following passage:
From when I became king. dh! bigg

lnwllcctual Orlgin.~ rifSrrong Kingship (Parr 2) 11
purpo~c of''improving" Thai land. Jo> This meaning
was broader Lhan '"refOnning the kingdom's
m le"'. When King Chulalongkum returned from
his li rsl overseas I rip. his desire lO " uuprov;:.
11Jadand·· resulted in vmious '·actions'". lie believed
lhat .. if h~ did noth ing on h is rc mm, he
would be admonished for taking wastoful pleasure
lrips o r be attac ked as havin g no
inrelligencc".YI 1-lowcvcr, becaLLsc the k ing (lt
thnt time hnd nol asstuncd fuJI royal power, he
could only ch:mge some praclices such as hav·
ing waiters ~e rv i ng him d ressed in a \Vestern
s1y l e. ·~ 1 llmtght be more iu.:cuntt~.:cto sar LlmL he
took these trips oversens for the purpose or
gaining 1he ubdtty to "act"" as lhe protagon ist of
h1story and have tht- -:ountry prog ress. As rhc
intellec tual lender of the country. King
Chulalongkom was a[ lenst as imponanL jf nol
more so Lh.sn King Nlongkut a$1he leader Of 1he
now stronger mooarchy. There were now rnany
pcro.;;ons hotding. the new conccpLion uf'timc and
who tavorcd pr'Obrress. They were pr~di sposed
towurds rh(; king acting as an agent of IJrogress.
From what was stated above. it tan he seen
1hat in ~'c lirst tlve years o f King Chulalongkorn's
reign, he was no! tdlc. The new
historical consciousness held by the kmg_ motivated
hi m 10 act cominua lly lo realize his
potential as a protagonist or histOI)'.
This active consciousm:ss together with whnt
the king's prepMarions a llowctl him tll begin
"auing" \vlLhin unc rnonth llf his ill.SWilation as
king afler commg of age. He ncled 10 remove
the I races of the '"old power .. basc in o rder to
ccmrnlizc L11is power in his own hands. l ie firsc
IOO.k (Onlml of lhc financial system. l-Ie CSlablishe-d
ao o01cc of the Lrt~asu ry in I S73 to ~crve
as a collection poi111 for 1ax income. 'l bat year
be also tssucd an edict calling for all wxes to be
paid 10 the central govcmm ~.: nt. ~= Effbrts such as
this tn control Lhc economy were an important
rndicator that the king wns ab le ro act fully as a
"great king' ', something he fell was csscntiHI.
This ~ h owed lhat he was able 111 act as a royal
benefactor in dispensing royal favor>. AJditiooally.
this showed that I he king was nble to
"detenuinc" lht course of history hy using these
roya l favors 10 "'createH anything lOr which
mom:y was needed.
At the same urne as the king was moving to
control the econOlll)', he was also trying to rcmove
the last vestiges of the old power. Durmg
the regcnc:y il i-s stgnit1cant th:u the gO\'Cm!11elll
was sti11 admintstered on a v~.: r_y personal hasis.
This can be seen in the patronage provided by
Lhe rcgtnt lOr th..:: royal household \Vhco government
meetings were hclJ at the. regent 's ()\'ll\
rc si d en ce .~ 1 ,\ l so the admillislt'aliooof the go" ..
crnmcnt still adhered to practices used du1·ing
the rdgn of Kmg :VlongkuL." l l 1is enabled the
rulers from the preVIOUS reign lo ~.:onti n ue lO
hold signific:un power. King Chuh1h:mgkom
began rcmo\·ing lhc old guard hy scuing up a
Council of State and a Privy Council. II has
bl·cn written 'hat these rwo councils rcprcscrncd
an elTon to create poltt1cal institUiions lh~l King
Chu lalongkont could usc ns part nf his e llort to
incrcnse ltis bold on the govtrmn cri t ':r~ This L'X ..
planation. althnugh nor in er'roJ, slill lca\'CS murh
unexplaioed.
The .. establishment ol' these twu L'(Htncils
clearly showed King Chulalongh.om·:-. hi:..tori ·
tal c.onsdousness. As has been noted ... King
Chulalongkorn was the g reat king in the Fifth
Reign

An .O"C'n word.
f\o\\. the: rc~pons1hility lnr J:'lw·m:lking J'ested
11\ the,e TWO t:Oum;ib uvcr ''hu:h the king prc­
..;u.h:d
lly c:~ t i.t blt!>hmg these two councals. the king
'lHI!.!ht tD resolv.: a politkal ~ontlict. AI first the
~tng l1nd inh:ndcd lhnt tlh! rt.:~Ctlt be ~t tncmbcrof
lh~ h\t) l:ounuls. llo,,e,cr. the regent declined
lih: utTer · Tht: rca5on fur "nnling to have
< 'h.sphra~ :1

,.
-·'
Kingdom of Sinm shall prog1 ess because h~.: Sl1:1ll
cuntmuc ~IS the supreme royal personage.'"
ex­
dependent stotes King Chul~longkom
plumed:
As stated above regarding the posilion of
the fnc1 ion whsch produc~d Klwnmowat. t.h i ~
posiLion \\'as based on the intponam imelleclllal
basis of th..: new historical cnnsciou~ n css accepted
by the suns of King Chulalongkom. They
had held th is l'iew from when the king d i~ nut
yet hold real pmv('r. Together with th ~ pvlitical
fucLion, n10~1 or whom were mcmhc~ of the
dynasty, tlte intellecmal Ioree of this new consciousness
gained even more srreng1h.
Despite Kmg: Ctmlalongkom 's dlorts It> ·'detcnnine
.. the course ofhjstol'y. and move it m a
p rog rcssh~c direccion. problems. were cncountcr~.:d
. In particular. his cfl{lrts lo ce ntr:11ize
economic po\\'er prcctpnau.::d Uisputcs with
members of the &overnmem anJ Chaophraya
SC;uriyawung. However. this did n0t CHUSe 1he
king to ceas~ "3ctmg". He conti nued LQ "act"
but wns caret\1 t"not to disturb th~ ulu guard. To
clu Lhi~ he bl.'gan to stress changes in educa1 ion.
For example. whe-n the king. founded lhe Suan
K ulap Palace School in 188 1 and i:l sun·t.~ymg
school m 1883, the people snw such ;~c:ti on s as
progressJVC.' 14
At th¢ sam!! tunc thai King Chul:llong_kom
was trying to remove the oJd guard from puwcr.
prvblcms urose ffom external sources. The new
tlu·eats posed by Europ(.:an ~upcr- p uwcrs were n
fact(lr in causing the king 10 avoiJ taldng action'
thm intensi tied i ntemal disputes. A s Dt~
king tol c..l hi~ stin, Prince Vajimnahit. t:xtcmal
affairs took precedence (JVcr dumcslu.: afllti r~ .r"'
Regional o!Tairs during the reign of Kmg
Chulalongkom had changed markedly. Westem
coumncs had coloulzcd most of the state~
SUITOunding Siam. Western colonial powers had
also bl!gun t(l movc into a r~as .. under royal Thai
power ... Th~ British, fur example. had expanded
forestry opera1ions imo th~i! nortltl!m Tb:u Sla te s
nnd mining effort~ into the south of Thailanu.
Combined with Lhc hi!\loric.:al consciousness of
the Thai elite. this caused l'hailand's .tmng
kingship to act in new ways, The cenll'al govt!rnrnc.nt
tb~,.·.n b~.:"gan lfl expand its control inlo
new areas.
Refore explaining th1s procl.!ss, 11 IS n~~essary
w wHJl~r.stund Lhe ''at1hude of 1he central
aulhorrt)' .. 10wards the distant province.s of I he
Tiu! kingd

'"II be protected from dangers ~nd that
[R•m~kok] "ill !. not
JUSt lor the benefit or Luart !_( l'rub:tng but also
lor tit~ bend it or B-angkok.
TI1csc efTore.o to extend power over th~: depcndcncaes
were part of a ~..:ric'
of C\ en IS
begmmng when Nllg Cltulalunj!knm assumed
rc::~l power on hi~ lx:coming ~I ye:u~ old. that is.
wlum he became :l "gre-at kms 111 his "'' n righf'_
As lhc 1-..ing who had w t.."M.!I'\;i'l: supreme power.
h~ felt obliged tu protect ~ II "rO)'lll prnpcrty"tha1
he had i nheri1~d fro111 hi> mynl lblhcr in order to
pn:St:l"\'l! ··unified nalc'', ~~,_,, 'I hi~ ~m:n n.:ICrs to that
0\ cr \\ hich t.hc klng ha:') supreme power and m
\\ hich the lang acted tor the purpo>e or bnngmg
J>n'e'I\.'S< In areas o• cr "h•ch the kmg dtd not
c\cn:i..c ~uprcme po\\-er or could nm enforce wti-­
tic-d rule. the king obsef\ed:
IInttctl his dmy to benefit c•cry gmup in
society nu~ the kingdom as a whole. ft c nuteJ
in thb rc~ord,
In utlh:t cmuHt ic ..., I he pcopk rcnnnd the ktng co
t.akc u~1ion In our coUtwy. it ~ the 1cins :~ l one
\\hO d,~e,lh~ actmg tOr the benefit ol th.: cuuntry
and th.: hilppule,~d·f the pooplc. nus ·~ why ht

Jnwlli!t-tual Or;gins o[Strrmg Kiugship (Purr 1) 25
oc1:; . . Nonnally. 1h1: people :m: willing to ucc~p
l 1hc l.:ing's ;h.:tmns winch tn\: more ju~ l and
mort: l~ nevol~mt.han aU oLhcr pcoplc.M
ln the belief that the king must create
progress fon he ·'state". the boundaries of which
arc equal Lu what he "IOh~ratcd.. and once
Chaophr'dyu Sisuriyawong and f>tince Racha·
\vangbowon had died giving Lhc king t.ruly sup
reme power. King ChuluJungkom extended
mor1..t eonLrUI over ~he provinces. He began by
de lining the areas of responsibiHl y for Lin: rvtioistrics
of Dctcnsc and lntl>n!•ld
benefits throughou~ the coun1ry. T11c gn\trnment
has taken on the n::,punsilulil)' to help bring rna·
lt:.naJ pi'OgteS~ 10 t.ht prO\'iRCCS, 3 share or \Vhit:.h
will benefit the national govcmmcnl tuv. ' 1 l
Based on such pri nciples. \;\'hen the fe:wpibau
provincial adrninis1raliOil system was
implcn1cntcd, the 1·esuiL was:
Thul wltcJ) Lhe income derived from .. t.:~u ing" the
ktngdom r undc.r the: tnu.litionlll 11m! ltibutal)
systcml was n

"'ale. ' These conc. ho"c,·er. led to !he
fonnatton of a new group '"lth ~-conomic power
lhnt '' n~ iu a pus-iliun to ch:1llengc the rcgmnaJ
due. \Jew group:, w ith !'-m:h ccon(lmic pow.;r
w~rc the Ch inese in l'hukct ur the Shans in rhe
nnnhl!rn ~ta les. At the s~me tunc. Lhcy moli­
\':Hcd 1he reg10naJ elite 1n the provtnccs and
Ucpcndencles co s~ek new :..uun;:c.,;; of c~sh income.
rht~ Jed to rheemergencc: ofu new kind of
ret;1onal rul~r who W3$ appoin1cd b~· l11c central
go\ cmmem and "as able 1u m:aint~in domestic
order. !)Udl as occulTed in the! south.''•
In the area or legal rcrorm. '"' impomnr
J~.:,·clopmc nl w~ chc- aucmplto m:-~ke 1he mon­
.rr ~hy the source of nuthorily. The newly
rcihl'med laws thul\ would 1hcn com\! under the
ruya I c.cntcr. TfH!) rhJnyc is c\ i dcnced in reltl\.lrk!'l
by the Prince Rmcbabun:
nn~ ~:t\\3 and dlrttii\C.\ ofche &0\'cmor. from
1he L.mgdom tu the subJeun·
cil of State, ln lh~l ~ear he i>>ucd a proclamation
ordering ,J:t \'CS owners to sul'\t')' how muny
they conti OIIcd. Beginning with limits on 1 h~
age of a person S Ubj~Ct tO slavchood, the prO·
ces;, pmcccdcd unril. at last. sla\'cry was ended
in 1905. 11 ' l'h..
The l.Jn.: h3s the abo.nlute J'K.n' Lt 1u I) rule: :t'> the
il'•nt ll\~oT I he l:tnd and IS the source of l'cfusc (or
nil tn iL~ ICITihlt)', 2) is the source of justice, 3 • 1hc
~ourcc of nil runks lind wh1u j., luW1 11nd what i!l
ll'lw in 1hc kingdom. and 4) th~ c(unnMndcr 111
chief (tt' th¢ nnnr:

lnti.•Jiuctuul Origins ofSJrrmg KingxJup (Part 2) 27
Notes
Nidhi A~;.~usri\'ongsc, Kammumg Samai Pltraclwo
Krung !'ltonlnwi, (Pob1ics in the rimes of King
llHUlhin}, p.1f;l .
1 King Moogkut, Phntrncimlwtleklw (Royal Cor·
rcspondcnccl. p. 203.
1
Prodwm Prakat Uulcltnktm 71:1 ./ Ph.S. 2405-
2108. (Collc"

Llmp.ln!:;.
· \'ajirananJlibrary. R4 (" S. 121 ·~ ( 1851}. l'rakaJ
1\lmmsabau Ruang },,:Jm Ra1..htl~t.l" /)ar Rap NampJuplwtunnsutaya
(Announcc;ntru Rcg:arding lhc
Sacrc'-' Omb of loyalty "l'ukcu by Government Offica:als)
:., l'nucc Onmwng RachanubhOI). A"/nmm Song·
oliam, pp 140-147.
•. lhld
Pru .. lwm PrtJknr Rmcltu4mt l'ht -1 rlt S. !4Q5-
!4tl!f. --Prakat Chalm:m /'hrarhOttnnJphafl'ru··
ICclcbrnung HIS M>Jy). pp. ~OS 109.
Kmg Mon_g.kul Phmrndtahotlc~kh~l. -PJtrararhahurh•J.hu
Tlu "' P01 rem~ I t.~n~Jirathc•t' (O"c:rscas
n.)rrc,pondcn("c). pp. 646- 69:!
11
Aliklwraphithun.rnlwn Tlranwium l'lrrrlf'41t'ltm• anJ.! Phr-u­
' htmpltaenrfin'' (rcUmg Ah4xu Thm.· Aspcru ot'Tradnions
of the Kingdom), K.Jnl! to.tongl.ut, Prarlrum
JlruJ.ut Rat.~hr.kt.m Tlu' 4 Plt.S. !.f(JI 1·1n5 "Rwmg
. fJ.m• Tao Sura TIJJ Knwl!. 1\rw" (Abom lhc Liquor
l'ax Ill 1\yu1thaya). Pl' 11 13. Ktng lvlongkut,
Jlrm:lmm Pmkm Rotcllaknn I hi./ Nt S. 2401-1·105
"l 1 mkm RIHIIIK Plwsi JJJtfu'' (1-\nnnuncemcm on the
Sor

lmelfecrual Origins of Strong Kingship (Part 2) 29
Phasa Nai Komangclw Khong A' !Jon 11wi (Language
U:;c In Choosing Thai Names). R~search Rcpon
funded by a grunt from the 700 Ye»rs of Thai Writing
Stho!arship Fund. 1983.
~ King Chulalongkonl, "PraboromaraduJwlU Kue
Cl:r:ofo Jlnj/r,mu:lhlr." in Ch~ti ·:'llli! ll S!!OHtd.

3()
JU\1 nne rt'K)Otb after- the ('ounc:tl of St:ttc wa> cstabh~hcd
in \hy ofth:u year.
"" .. ll'aduai 811o That .Vai 1\,,w~ t\al'tltn'' (Regard·
my Commoners and Sl:ave$ 111 St.un), Kharommut l
(fkccmbcr l Q74 ).
111
"Mtlum Boran Wadfllti Hm:lunll.fw Chtmg" (The
hshlt.: uf thc Lion ond the l~ l !!plwm) . 1\'/ummowar I
!July 1874)
"! .. H'tuJuat A.'han That Ncu J\rlltl)t !)at.wr··{On l'licws
urSIIl'c:' in Siam) 1\ltanmuuutl cOcccmbct 1874}.
' 1 ··p,.~lll:c•t 11ri ChartH'II TmtR ,\11 Gt~\c•rnment
\fankltdng u~.~,-· Kh,,runcntat I UX.:cmher IS7.!).
... "Rt"mg Phrabornmarachtn,~.~t· tOn lhc: Royal
Announcement) Khuru.mJnul lOS (AU.,'l1~1 IQ84t
~ Krtsc:m S1nsamphaJt :uul'leon Snid"ong;,c, "l"lat'll
Plmtrm:Jwdamn Tlum~ Ka11mwms .Vm Pltrabm
Sc>mdN f'hnlc/umlachomA!tm ( 'lwm uluM" (Trends
lll Roy:1l Writing by Km~ ChulnlonAkom} m
Pt'dhcHi~ul Lat! KammumJ: ( I h'ltory :.nd Politu.:s). p
1 ~7.
'"' '·Pimlhoramvrarhmml TluntJ: Clu101J Hadunm·
mllril' in ChaHman Sotmuc.f.I'I.JniJ't llld Khatiya
Kanudutr... F.k.asan Katmwull.t: ,...dltJ)()lklrfTJIJJ{ PhJl
J-111-~·r'?. p. l)J.
"· King CbuJ:llnngkc~m. PJr,itrat:ltanipJwn ·Vm
/ 1 11rahtJt Somdtu Pltmclwllfm.IUJm4!ar• ChtiO_,I'Ithua
SmlJ.! H'irlrtm Ruan~ PliraJ·ar·lwJIIUmJ.:.,'m\'Udmr Kap
1/llri//R PraplrctJi Katrltwg f'lrnrtmr{rwporril ( Rnyal
\Vnsinps of King Chnlalonpkom on An:-,l y~:ing the
R\1yol Chronicl'-'S and l radlliona1 M;mcrs Rcgardmg
the ln mtHauon of th~ C:rv"n Pnncc1 (l:Jangkok:
Phr::tch:m, llJJh•. p. ~. Oi~tnbuted nt cr~m.:1tu,m for
f'rmc~" OrJpbinphl'"npbaL
•· KinJ,! Chublonglont, ••pJJrarat.:lhlllamral Sm:g
1\·m Tlu Pruclwm Srtlo7hodi Hud"8 fJmm Vungsu
Sum a nranli Mairn· KuJJ .-lngr11 R.S J 1it' (Royal
Athtrc~' in the CowlcJioJ~ MccllnK On tbe Treaty
wnh the English 1906) Wm·tntm Smlapu~mt 10 {Scp­
ICmbcr, 1976), p. 69.
"' Pnncc Damrong Rnchanubh:•p. ''Thi!snpJribttu..
IThc Jlrovmct.al CiovenHncn1 S)•Stcm). In MrmJI:o11
l11t!Juplu'btm: Wikhro Prwptluup tt'm:ll!' and PRwmct.:~
A Comparnnvc Anal)t"l\) r ~
11 " N.A R5 RL3·J: Pl:rtthrttmtt~tt)t-lwwut Lup
(J.,lll\\a'IJ Phraradtutlw" Ahuluuns: /)rat ham \(110111!.
LJ~u"': Probt:mg.
1 ' /hut
'"' lbul.
1 1 " Fmrn the term f.'kcJt'acha (unilh:d n1lc} hns com-:
I he word t.'katal. tho mcatun!:l o( w1uch has changed
IO " llldt:'j)C!ldt:nl£',
11 '
1
''I'Jmu:Jwdammt Son.c: Nal n, J•rtNimm Sem•OO/i
Ummg Tltam NatiRSJt Sunto'Wihl Thmrf! PJrraraclramltn
Aap Angknt R.S J.'"'i," Surlupukun 20
(September 19761. pp. b!H>~.
Scr detail-s in Wuttuclul Mun'm and Somchoc:
Ong-...kun. \(untiHIII 1'1td•ttpfuhan· n·,uroPn,lhlhttJp
tBan.gkok ScH:i:tl t1cnc~ A.ssoc1auon or ·ntou1Jnd.
l9Sl).
1 '~ 11m. \\Wii noted 111 "Pitraraclmmpllcm Wid~cw
Rucmu Rtu.:lwpruplumu ;.:mrwng Phrmuulwupuwl."
and iu "Ptt~lwr Clw(tJt'uA ,\lui
Samplu.wlltlJ}Jiwp l?tJII'll/Jg Rar Kap I'Pt1hJtJir,,lll
ScmwuJ.." (A N..:w Ern ror Thaila11d~ Rdt.IIUn

Jnu.•/lecrua/ Origins t~{Srnmg KJng.\Jup /Purl 2) 31
tl1e l'llayap Circle. IX5S 1~(12 (llnngkok: Cbulalongkt,ml
Uniwn;-ity .NI.A.thc::oi:;: in Hi&lc.>ry. 1974).
11 " Nic!hi Acusrivong.~c. ·'Chak l?m Clwikhop Tlumg
McmlhotJ Tlu:sapMbcm. Klnram.wam.wlui Klwng
Kfum . Juuwt Dm:m Nui Ka Phulwt" (Fr()m tht:! Slltll!$
(HI 1he P

Allachak S ;~ H ayanurak
Intellectual Origins of Strong Kingship (Part 2)
Efforts to Rule as a "Grcut Kin~ , '"ith t1
Historknl Cun.1e i n u s n~ ss
Before ui

lutdh•cmll/ Origilro; o.fSmmg Kingship ( Prm 2) 1.1
~h ey please . . or follow thdr ._,,.,.11 dc~tiny "lthouL
l'c.ar hecau.~t the
nomml course of the hc-..avenly bodies. It is nol
anything sprukot l'hrura.ch(ll/wn Owm
Ka~ Plw.

I I
mc~tmg. .. every da~ d..""Citncd. II' ~~'"am affairs
lln"':~o~. they Cffilld be: dealt wllh m rn' OJ! I! t:c'c
included their sendmg tribute to lhnt:kok. sur·
portm~ anncd troops. and c-onducung censuses
of people in general. the moukhood und lomplo
sla\'CS. Other n:gul:.ttiuns were for people making
a ltv ins. for other':\ to drink the con~ecrmed
\~o-atcr- pledging loyalty 10 lh~ kmg twtcc annu·
ally. 11\i.III\Winmg. pc.~ce.. :~rr~Siing cnnunal:\. pro.
motm,g pronu:~omg tndtqdual!\. :md protcctmg
13uddh•''- from anack>.'' In addouon. Ktng
\1ongkut unprO\·cd the system by which cnmmnncr\
\:t'IUid nmkL' appeals to the king.
Ht!!o ~·I GJCM)' the Kmg will permit subject'i co
bnn,tt ta:ncv•tnccs lO hi:; anerttion by thctr nnachmg
:1 \'-Tttlcn S!n~vnm:e to a lh10k olt thl.! ..:nJ uf J.
rap: hJ.nkttng fmm a pole in front ot th\! lhnmc, '
Resides mnkmg 11 L'asicr tOr .;.uhJt.."Ct' to ap·
peal lhc ktng, King ~ 1ongkul actwtlly cncour·
oged lu' 'UbJcun~ whut lhcy snid
wns II'Uc. hi.! grnntcd :mo1her salung as a bonu
_\_1 The kmg sought out person.s wnh y n ~.c''\'•
who were unable lo c

4 4
16
hnngong progress to d1fferent ~roups oflus sub­
Jrt I ac1
us ::t ''Grcal King" in line \vilh tbe uew luswncul
cunsciousncss of Kmg :Vtongkul wn!-- carricU
out with~utoppo~i tioo. Afterthe Bowring Treaty
sanctu.mcll tfcc trade. effons 10 ama~ ''calth
hy the nob1ht) and ruynlty changed fr11m trutlitional
W3)., that W he tdcd which ondl\ 1dn.ll tax
fanner.. were 10 continue- m their pt\)o;IIIOn' , ~nd
forbade'"' ollicials from helping b1dders J'ortax
l~1nns. Anolhcr measure implcmcnlcd by 1l1c
king wal\ 10 J..c..:p the mon~y in Lhc rnyal n·cn$lli'Y
fr0111 J' .. lfing into :myone'S handS \\'llh

lmelh.?.r iual Orfg;ns of Stron~ Kir1gslup fPnn 2) 17
dcposi tc~ in the royal treasury and n(>t kepl
e-lsewhere- \VIlhout t.hc king's knowlcdg..:. Thus,
the king tried to keep tax farmers fi·om giving tax
money to govemment otlic i a l s. ~" If tax fa m1ers
refused tO give tax money tO tht!SC Ofiicials tbut
to the treasury inste

IH
t:tkmg another imponanl action that :ulCcted
1hc: new t)'pe of Matl· emerging at 1his tun~.
With the beliefthm the fir>l kmg in the dynasty
wn:, the '' lb unde.r of1he capiwl", tht kmg :tcted
in \\'flY'> that enhanced Lhc prcsugc of the mOll·
archy. Thts led 10 tbe belief. since the reign or
K111g Rarna I. that tho ktng should obtain '·the
royal proper!) as his inheritance" Tlus can b

lm~.-·Jic.•ctuul Orlgi11s oj'Strrmg King

20
king (but not daily) to discuss the affairs !tape ll1ai history. The ki11g believcJ that
o~cnthuu~b ~krc was a regent, he was obliged
to ·'maintain the kingdom" ~ a conviction I hal is
rcllccted in the following passage:
From when I became king. dh! bigg

lnwllcctual Orlgin.~ rifSrrong Kingship (Parr 2) 11
purpo~c of''improving" Thai land. Jo> This meaning
was broader Lhan '"refOnning the kingdom's
m le"'. When King Chulalongkum returned from
his li rsl overseas I rip. his desire lO " uuprov;:.
11Jadand·· resulted in vmious '·actions'". lie believed
lhat .. if h~ did noth ing on h is rc mm, he
would be admonished for taking wastoful pleasure
lrips o r be attac ked as havin g no
inrelligencc".YI 1-lowcvcr, becaLLsc the k ing (lt
thnt time hnd nol asstuncd fuJI royal power, he
could only ch:mge some praclices such as hav·
ing waiters ~e rv i ng him d ressed in a \Vestern
s1y l e. ·~ 1 llmtght be more iu.:cuntt~.:cto sar LlmL he
took these trips oversens for the purpose or
gaining 1he ubdtty to "act"" as lhe protagon ist of
h1story and have tht- -:ountry prog ress. As rhc
intellec tual lender of the country. King
Chulalongkom was a[ lenst as imponanL jf nol
more so Lh.sn King Nlongkut a$1he leader Of 1he
now stronger mooarchy. There were now rnany
pcro.;;ons hotding. the new conccpLion uf'timc and
who tavorcd pr'Obrress. They were pr~di sposed
towurds rh(; king acting as an agent of IJrogress.
From what was stated above. it tan he seen
1hat in ~'c lirst tlve years o f King Chulalongkorn's
reign, he was no! tdlc. The new
historical consciousness held by the kmg_ motivated
hi m 10 act cominua lly lo realize his
potential as a protagonist or histOI)'.
This active consciousm:ss together with whnt
the king's prepMarions a llowctl him tll begin
"auing" \vlLhin unc rnonth llf his ill.SWilation as
king afler commg of age. He ncled 10 remove
the I races of the '"old power .. basc in o rder to
ccmrnlizc L11is power in his own hands. l ie firsc
IOO.k (Onlml of lhc financial system. l-Ie CSlablishe-d
ao o01cc of the Lrt~asu ry in I S73 to ~crve
as a collection poi111 for 1ax income. 'l bat year
be also tssucd an edict calling for all wxes to be
paid 10 the central govcmm ~.: nt. ~= Effbrts such as
this tn control Lhc economy were an important
rndicator that the king wns ab le ro act fully as a
"great king' ', something he fell was csscntiHI.
This ~ h owed lhat he was able 111 act as a royal
benefactor in dispensing royal favor>. AJditiooally.
this showed that I he king was nble to
"detenuinc" lht course of history hy using these
roya l favors 10 "'createH anything lOr which
mom:y was needed.
At the same urne as the king was moving to
control the econOlll)', he was also trying to rcmove
the last vestiges of the old power. Durmg
the regcnc:y il i-s stgnit1cant th:u the gO\'Cm!11elll
was sti11 admintstered on a v~.: r_y personal hasis.
This can be seen in the patronage provided by
Lhe rcgtnt lOr th..:: royal household \Vhco government
meetings were hclJ at the. regent 's ()\'ll\
rc si d en ce .~ 1 ,\ l so the admillislt'aliooof the go" ..
crnmcnt still adhered to practices used du1·ing
the rdgn of Kmg :VlongkuL." l l 1is enabled the
rulers from the preVIOUS reign lo ~.:onti n ue lO
hold signific:un power. King Chuh1h:mgkom
began rcmo\·ing lhc old guard hy scuing up a
Council of State and a Privy Council. II has
bl·cn written 'hat these rwo councils rcprcscrncd
an elTon to create poltt1cal institUiions lh~l King
Chu lalongkont could usc ns part nf his e llort to
incrcnse ltis bold on the govtrmn cri t ':r~ This L'X ..
planation. althnugh nor in er'roJ, slill lca\'CS murh
unexplaioed.
The .. establishment ol' these twu L'(Htncils
clearly showed King Chulalongh.om·:-. hi:..tori ·
tal c.onsdousness. As has been noted ... King
Chulalongkorn was the g reat king in the Fifth
Reign

An .O"C'n word.
f\o\\. the: rc~pons1hility lnr J:'lw·m:lking J'ested
11\ the,e TWO t:Oum;ib uvcr ''hu:h the king prc­
..;u.h:d
lly c:~ t i.t blt!>hmg these two councals. the king
'lHI!.!ht tD resolv.: a politkal ~ontlict. AI first the
~tng l1nd inh:ndcd lhnt tlh! rt.:~Ctlt be ~t tncmbcrof
lh~ h\t) l:ounuls. llo,,e,cr. the regent declined
lih: utTer · Tht: rca5on fur "nnling to have
< 'h.sphra~ :1

,.
-·'
Kingdom of Sinm shall prog1 ess because h~.: Sl1:1ll
cuntmuc ~IS the supreme royal personage.'"
ex­
dependent stotes King Chul~longkom
plumed:
As stated above regarding the posilion of
the fnc1 ion whsch produc~d Klwnmowat. t.h i ~
posiLion \\'as based on the intponam imelleclllal
basis of th..: new historical cnnsciou~ n css accepted
by the suns of King Chulalongkom. They
had held th is l'iew from when the king d i~ nut
yet hold real pmv('r. Together with th ~ pvlitical
fucLion, n10~1 or whom were mcmhc~ of the
dynasty, tlte intellecmal Ioree of this new consciousness
gained even more srreng1h.
Despite Kmg: Ctmlalongkom 's dlorts It> ·'detcnnine
.. the course ofhjstol'y. and move it m a
p rog rcssh~c direccion. problems. were cncountcr~.:d
. In particular. his cfl{lrts lo ce ntr:11ize
economic po\\'er prcctpnau.::d Uisputcs with
members of the &overnmem anJ Chaophraya
SC;uriyawung. However. this did n0t CHUSe 1he
king to ceas~ "3ctmg". He conti nued LQ "act"
but wns caret\1 t"not to disturb th~ ulu guard. To
clu Lhi~ he bl.'gan to stress changes in educa1 ion.
For example. whe-n the king. founded lhe Suan
K ulap Palace School in 188 1 and i:l sun·t.~ymg
school m 1883, the people snw such ;~c:ti on s as
progressJVC.' 14
At th¢ sam!! tunc thai King Chul:llong_kom
was trying to remove the oJd guard from puwcr.
prvblcms urose ffom external sources. The new
tlu·eats posed by Europ(.:an ~upcr- p uwcrs were n
fact(lr in causing the king 10 avoiJ taldng action'
thm intensi tied i ntemal disputes. A s Dt~
king tol c..l hi~ stin, Prince Vajimnahit. t:xtcmal
affairs took precedence (JVcr dumcslu.: afllti r~ .r"'
Regional o!Tairs during the reign of Kmg
Chulalongkom had changed markedly. Westem
coumncs had coloulzcd most of the state~
SUITOunding Siam. Western colonial powers had
also bl!gun t(l movc into a r~as .. under royal Thai
power ... Th~ British, fur example. had expanded
forestry opera1ions imo th~i! nortltl!m Tb:u Sla te s
nnd mining effort~ into the south of Thailanu.
Combined with Lhc hi!\loric.:al consciousness of
the Thai elite. this caused l'hailand's .tmng
kingship to act in new ways, The cenll'al govt!rnrnc.nt
tb~,.·.n b~.:"gan lfl expand its control inlo
new areas.
Refore explaining th1s procl.!ss, 11 IS n~~essary
w wHJl~r.stund Lhe ''at1hude of 1he central
aulhorrt)' .. 10wards the distant province.s of I he
Tiu! kingd

'"II be protected from dangers ~nd that
[R•m~kok] "ill !. not
JUSt lor the benefit or Luart !_( l'rub:tng but also
lor tit~ bend it or B-angkok.
TI1csc efTore.o to extend power over th~: depcndcncaes
were part of a ~..:ric'
of C\ en IS
begmmng when Nllg Cltulalunj!knm assumed
rc::~l power on hi~ lx:coming ~I ye:u~ old. that is.
wlum he became :l "gre-at kms 111 his "'' n righf'_
As lhc 1-..ing who had w t.."M.!I'\;i'l: supreme power.
h~ felt obliged tu protect ~ II "rO)'lll prnpcrty"tha1
he had i nheri1~d fro111 hi> mynl lblhcr in order to
pn:St:l"\'l! ··unified nalc'', ~~,_,, 'I hi~ ~m:n n.:ICrs to that
0\ cr \\ hich t.hc klng ha:') supreme power and m
\\ hich the lang acted tor the purpo>e or bnngmg
J>n'e'I\.'S< In areas o• cr "h•ch the kmg dtd not
c\cn:i..c ~uprcme po\\-er or could nm enforce wti-­
tic-d rule. the king obsef\ed:
IInttctl his dmy to benefit c•cry gmup in
society nu~ the kingdom as a whole. ft c nuteJ
in thb rc~ord,
In utlh:t cmuHt ic ..., I he pcopk rcnnnd the ktng co
t.akc u~1ion In our coUtwy. it ~ the 1cins :~ l one
\\hO d,~e,lh~ actmg tOr the benefit ol th.: cuuntry
and th.: hilppule,~d·f the pooplc. nus ·~ why ht

Jnwlli!t-tual Or;gins o[Strrmg Kiugship (Purr 1) 25
oc1:; . . Nonnally. 1h1: people :m: willing to ucc~p
l 1hc l.:ing's ;h.:tmns winch tn\: more ju~ l and
mort: l~ nevol~mt.han aU oLhcr pcoplc.M
ln the belief that the king must create
progress fon he ·'state". the boundaries of which
arc equal Lu what he "IOh~ratcd.. and once
Chaophr'dyu Sisuriyawong and f>tince Racha·
\vangbowon had died giving Lhc king t.ruly sup
reme power. King ChuluJungkom extended
mor1..t eonLrUI over ~he provinces. He began by
de lining the areas of responsibiHl y for Lin: rvtioistrics
of Dctcnsc and lntl>n!•ld
benefits throughou~ the coun1ry. T11c gn\trnment
has taken on the n::,punsilulil)' to help bring rna·
lt:.naJ pi'OgteS~ 10 t.ht prO\'iRCCS, 3 share or \Vhit:.h
will benefit the national govcmmcnl tuv. ' 1 l
Based on such pri nciples. \;\'hen the fe:wpibau
provincial adrninis1raliOil system was
implcn1cntcd, the 1·esuiL was:
Thul wltcJ) Lhe income derived from .. t.:~u ing" the
ktngdom r undc.r the: tnu.litionlll 11m! ltibutal)
systcml was n

"'ale. ' These conc. ho"c,·er. led to !he
fonnatton of a new group '"lth ~-conomic power
lhnt '' n~ iu a pus-iliun to ch:1llengc the rcgmnaJ
due. \Jew group:, w ith !'-m:h ccon(lmic pow.;r
w~rc the Ch inese in l'hukct ur the Shans in rhe
nnnhl!rn ~ta les. At the s~me tunc. Lhcy moli­
\':Hcd 1he reg10naJ elite 1n the provtnccs and
Ucpcndencles co s~ek new :..uun;:c.,;; of c~sh income.
rht~ Jed to rheemergencc: ofu new kind of
ret;1onal rul~r who W3$ appoin1cd b~· l11c central
go\ cmmem and "as able 1u m:aint~in domestic
order. !)Udl as occulTed in the! south.''•
In the area or legal rcrorm. '"' impomnr
J~.:,·clopmc nl w~ chc- aucmplto m:-~ke 1he mon­
.rr ~hy the source of nuthorily. The newly
rcihl'med laws thul\ would 1hcn com\! under the
ruya I c.cntcr. TfH!) rhJnyc is c\ i dcnced in reltl\.lrk!'l
by the Prince Rmcbabun:
nn~ ~:t\\3 and dlrttii\C.\ ofche &0\'cmor. from
1he L.mgdom tu the subJeun·
cil of State, ln lh~l ~ear he i>>ucd a proclamation
ordering ,J:t \'CS owners to sul'\t')' how muny
they conti OIIcd. Beginning with limits on 1 h~
age of a person S Ubj~Ct tO slavchood, the prO·
ces;, pmcccdcd unril. at last. sla\'cry was ended
in 1905. 11 ' l'h..
The l.Jn.: h3s the abo.nlute J'K.n' Lt 1u I) rule: :t'> the
il'•nt ll\~oT I he l:tnd and IS the source of l'cfusc (or
nil tn iL~ ICITihlt)', 2) is the source of justice, 3 • 1hc
~ourcc of nil runks lind wh1u j., luW1 11nd what i!l
ll'lw in 1hc kingdom. and 4) th~ c(unnMndcr 111
chief (tt' th¢ nnnr:

lnti.•Jiuctuul Origins ofSJrrmg KingxJup (Part 2) 27
Notes
Nidhi A~;.~usri\'ongsc, Kammumg Samai Pltraclwo
Krung !'ltonlnwi, (Pob1ics in the rimes of King
llHUlhin}, p.1f;l .
1 King Moogkut, Phntrncimlwtleklw (Royal Cor·
rcspondcnccl. p. 203.
1
Prodwm Prakat Uulcltnktm 71:1 ./ Ph.S. 2405-
2108. (Collc"

Llmp.ln!:;.
· \'ajirananJlibrary. R4 (" S. 121 ·~ ( 1851}. l'rakaJ
1\lmmsabau Ruang },,:Jm Ra1..htl~t.l" /)ar Rap NampJuplwtunnsutaya
(Announcc;ntru Rcg:arding lhc
Sacrc'-' Omb of loyalty "l'ukcu by Government Offica:als)
:., l'nucc Onmwng RachanubhOI). A"/nmm Song·
oliam, pp 140-147.
•. lhld
Pru .. lwm PrtJknr Rmcltu4mt l'ht -1 rlt S. !4Q5-
!4tl!f. --Prakat Chalm:m /'hrarhOttnnJphafl'ru··
ICclcbrnung HIS M>Jy). pp. ~OS 109.
Kmg Mon_g.kul Phmrndtahotlc~kh~l. -PJtrararhahurh•J.hu
Tlu "' P01 rem~ I t.~n~Jirathc•t' (O"c:rscas
n.)rrc,pondcn("c). pp. 646- 69:!
11
Aliklwraphithun.rnlwn Tlranwium l'lrrrlf'41t'ltm• anJ.! Phr-u­
' htmpltaenrfin'' (rcUmg Ah4xu Thm.· Aspcru ot'Tradnions
of the Kingdom), K.Jnl! to.tongl.ut, Prarlrum
JlruJ.ut Rat.~hr.kt.m Tlu' 4 Plt.S. !.f(JI 1·1n5 "Rwmg
. fJ.m• Tao Sura TIJJ Knwl!. 1\rw" (Abom lhc Liquor
l'ax Ill 1\yu1thaya). Pl' 11 13. Ktng lvlongkut,
Jlrm:lmm Pmkm Rotcllaknn I hi./ Nt S. 2401-1·105
"l 1 mkm RIHIIIK Plwsi JJJtfu'' (1-\nnnuncemcm on the
Sor

lmelfecrual Origins of Strong Kingship (Part 2) 29
Phasa Nai Komangclw Khong A' !Jon 11wi (Language
U:;c In Choosing Thai Names). R~search Rcpon
funded by a grunt from the 700 Ye»rs of Thai Writing
Stho!arship Fund. 1983.
~ King Chulalongkonl, "PraboromaraduJwlU Kue
Cl:r:ofo Jlnj/r,mu:lhlr." in Ch~ti ·:'llli! ll S!!OHtd.

Tv~,•e l ve in longue and wrung from every land.
Gladly com~ and stand, safe in ~ 1 is sire
Of cities. whose men nre Freed of danger dire.
Of sin. dL\.

3()
JU\1 nne rt'K)Otb after- the ('ounc:tl of St:ttc wa> cstabh~hcd
in \hy ofth:u year.
"" .. ll'aduai 811o That .Vai 1\,,w~ t\al'tltn'' (Regard·
my Commoners and Sl:ave$ 111 St.un), Kharommut l
(fkccmbcr l Q74 ).
111
"Mtlum Boran Wadfllti Hm:lunll.fw Chtmg" (The
hshlt.: uf thc Lion ond the l~ l !!plwm) . 1\'/ummowar I
!July 1874)
"! .. H'tuJuat A.'han That Ncu J\rlltl)t !)at.wr··{On l'licws
urSIIl'c:' in Siam) 1\ltanmuuutl cOcccmbct 1874}.
' 1 ··p,.~lll:c•t 11ri ChartH'II TmtR ,\11 Gt~\c•rnment
\fankltdng u~.~,-· Kh,,runcntat I UX.:cmher IS7.!).
... "Rt"mg Phrabornmarachtn,~.~t· tOn lhc: Royal
Announcement) Khuru.mJnul lOS (AU.,'l1~1 IQ84t
~ Krtsc:m S1nsamphaJt :uul'leon Snid"ong;,c, "l"lat'll
Plmtrm:Jwdamn Tlum~ Ka11mwms .Vm Pltrabm
Sc>mdN f'hnlc/umlachomA!tm ( 'lwm uluM" (Trends
lll Roy:1l Writing by Km~ ChulnlonAkom} m
Pt'dhcHi~ul Lat! KammumJ: ( I h'ltory :.nd Politu.:s). p
1 ~7.
'"' '·Pimlhoramvrarhmml TluntJ: Clu101J Hadunm·
mllril' in ChaHman Sotmuc.f.I'I.JniJ't llld Khatiya
Kanudutr... F.k.asan Katmwull.t: ,...dltJ)()lklrfTJIJJ{ PhJl
J-111-~·r'?. p. l)J.
"· King CbuJ:llnngkc~m. PJr,itrat:ltanipJwn ·Vm
/ 1 11rahtJt Somdtu Pltmclwllfm.IUJm4!ar• ChtiO_,I'Ithua
SmlJ.! H'irlrtm Ruan~ PliraJ·ar·lwJIIUmJ.:.,'m\'Udmr Kap
1/llri//R PraplrctJi Katrltwg f'lrnrtmr{rwporril ( Rnyal
\Vnsinps of King Chnlalonpkom on An:-,l y~:ing the
R\1yol Chronicl'-'S and l radlliona1 M;mcrs Rcgardmg
the ln mtHauon of th~ C:rv"n Pnncc1 (l:Jangkok:
Phr::tch:m, llJJh•. p. ~. Oi~tnbuted nt cr~m.:1tu,m for
f'rmc~" OrJpbinphl'"npbaL
•· KinJ,! Chublonglont, ••pJJrarat.:lhlllamral Sm:g
1\·m Tlu Pruclwm Srtlo7hodi Hud"8 fJmm Vungsu
Sum a nranli Mairn· KuJJ .-lngr11 R.S J 1it' (Royal
Athtrc~' in the CowlcJioJ~ MccllnK On tbe Treaty
wnh the English 1906) Wm·tntm Smlapu~mt 10 {Scp­
ICmbcr, 1976), p. 69.
"' Pnncc Damrong Rnchanubh:•p. ''Thi!snpJribttu..
IThc Jlrovmct.al CiovenHncn1 S)•Stcm). In MrmJI:o11
l11t!Juplu'btm: Wikhro Prwptluup tt'm:ll!' and PRwmct.:~
A Comparnnvc Anal)t"l\) r ~
11 " N.A R5 RL3·J: Pl:rtthrttmtt~tt)t-lwwut Lup
(J.,lll\\a'IJ Phraradtutlw" Ahuluuns: /)rat ham \(110111!.
LJ~u"': Probt:mg.
1 ' /hut
'"' lbul.
1 1 " Fmrn the term f.'kcJt'acha (unilh:d n1lc} hns com-:
I he word t.'katal. tho mcatun!:l o( w1uch has changed
IO " llldt:'j)C!ldt:nl£',
11 '
1
''I'Jmu:Jwdammt Son.c: Nal n, J•rtNimm Sem•OO/i
Ummg Tltam NatiRSJt Sunto'Wihl Thmrf! PJrraraclramltn
Aap Angknt R.S J.'"'i," Surlupukun 20
(September 19761. pp. b!H>~.
Scr detail-s in Wuttuclul Mun'm and Somchoc:
Ong-...kun. \(untiHIII 1'1td•ttpfuhan· n·,uroPn,lhlhttJp
tBan.gkok ScH:i:tl t1cnc~ A.ssoc1auon or ·ntou1Jnd.
l9Sl).
1 '~ 11m. \\Wii noted 111 "Pitraraclmmpllcm Wid~cw
Rucmu Rtu.:lwpruplumu ;.:mrwng Phrmuulwupuwl."
and iu "Ptt~lwr Clw(tJt'uA ,\lui
Samplu.wlltlJ}Jiwp l?tJII'll/Jg Rar Kap I'Pt1hJtJir,,lll
ScmwuJ.." (A N..:w Ern ror Thaila11d~ Rdt.IIUn

Jnu.•/lecrua/ Origins t~{Srnmg KJng.\Jup /Purl 2) 31
tl1e l'llayap Circle. IX5S 1~(12 (llnngkok: Cbulalongkt,ml
Uniwn;-ity .NI.A.thc::oi:;: in Hi&lc.>ry. 1974).
11 " Nic!hi Acusrivong.~c. ·'Chak l?m Clwikhop Tlumg
McmlhotJ Tlu:sapMbcm. Klnram.wam.wlui Klwng
Kfum . Juuwt Dm:m Nui Ka Phulwt" (Fr()m tht:! Slltll!$
(HI 1he P

Hcrben R. Swan~on
O rigins of the Nineteenth Century Transformation of Cosmology
in Northern Siam: T he Nan Inta-McGilvary Debates on Science
and Religion
I nu·o duction
0
l'crthc course of1he year' I K67 and 1868.
in the city ui' Chi:mg Mal, 1w0 men carried
un a wide-ranging debate on religious and
wu.:nt11ic subjeCtS. Nanlnta \\a., a northern Thai.
1\tll-edocated m the prcc.:pt:. or Buddhism and
ol 'Oine social Mandmg 1n his community~
al1hough no• a member of Chiang Mai's
cducmcd elass, he posse~scu mld lcc1ual >kills
~md i\cnsibili Lies in l~1r men sure. Dr. Dun.icl
McG ilvary was an American Presbylerian
missionary. well t-ducnlcd iu the precepts of
rrolcstnut Ch.ristiani ty and only recently a
re,idcnt vf Chiang 1\l"i While he olso did not
h;ll c the marks of an "iutcllcetual" a< such. he
had a suong background 111 pholosophy and
-cocncc. as well as thcolo~;y. Thc1r doscussioos,
on one lc1 el. represented simply a dchate carried
on b) two men who shal'cd an interest in
cO'\IlH)logical and religious questions. At a
1.h.a:pcr level. those conv..:r.snuons mark llu:
eal'lit.:st rccC>rdcd encouiHI!I' in O\lrLhcm Siam
bcnvl!t:n tht: mdigcnous worldvic\"-' of the
nurthcm Thai antamling Of thC 1\IHid. rhc 1'\an lnta­
\lltGihary dmlogue. lhus. foresh.ldowed and
contributed lO the rcc;onfiguratJou of n< 'r•h~.:m
Thai cnsmoiQgy as lt came ll1cc lo f.1cc wido a
Wcslcn• Ncw1onian accouot of physical rcali1y
The personal dialogue bcrwccn these 1wo
religtOiliStS. hO\\ C:\ cr. has to date ~:one umwuct.'ti
m the

Origi,u' t>f tlw Nin.r..'fl'-t.'n!h Ct>ttfrtr)-' Tram:fommtion tJf Ct).omologr in Norlltt!J'n Siwtl 33
wllcll NAu Lma lcao)ed that the Me Gil vaJ'ys were
reachi ng a new religion and apprcHtched lhcm tn
1\:am more about that tcad1ing. In the proccs.s.
he- in.itiatcd an cncounl

impon:tnl 10 undc:rstandmg N3n lm\l's panid·
pauon m his dialogue wilh Daniel McGilvacy.
As far as w~ can tell wi1hin the hmtlations of
the hish>rical n:c.ord. it seem~ 1h:11 he nntculatcd
u rcltHivcly well-ord.:rcLI cu,mology- more
olong I he lines of Reynolds limn D:tvis- and
did'" will1 a lair degree ol'i mcllecrual >kill und
ln!)tght. \Ve can only sunru.,c th;ll his cosmology
\\as a version of the northern Thai
co. •uch "' 'lan ln1a him·
self.
As,uming that Nan ln1o d•d hold o relatively
->rtlcrly. ;mal)1icaJ co>mul\l~y. he "t>uld have
(nnd did) find McGil vary'> worldvkw a1 once
incredibly alien and yet not wi1hou1 poinls he
could readily grasp. Mc(iilvary was h ...:!tool. in brief.
look s1rong cxccplion 10 Da,id II umc · s (171 I
1776) radical anack on 1l1c ccnnimy of hwnan
knowledge, borh of 1h~ JlhYSJt(ll world and of
God, It arguljd I hat Gtld hns crc!cHcd an orderly,
undcnanndable world and t;ivcn humanily tbc
!;..:1tsc' nccc.s..;nry to w1dc r~ tanding the world as
i1 acrua ll~ ''- Mnsl important I). God has plamed
\\·ithin humanity a uni,cr!t-;11. timele:)S "common
..,cn~c.. that gives the ''hole human race the
~b:.urancc thai the phy)ical '"orld is real.
Common Sense Philc:>sophy w~s firs1 unnsponed
h> tl1e United States 111 la>t half of1he scvetlleenth
century and soon CXCJ'tcd {l prut'ound influence
Oil Alllcrh:an thought, not lenst of ::til among
O ld School Prcsbylcdun,,l McGilva ry's
t. :.ccordmg
to Uacom:11mm. recognizes thai tho llihlc
conwin' its own Si·t of tact'\, which sc1rncc
canmll cuntrndict. Science is the "h:utdmnidcn"
of Theology.'
McGilvnry. 11 should be emphasized. hnd a
s.:nou~ i01crest in sctence JmJ co~mology, nn
interest thut c:~mc almost natura II) to h1m u" nn
Old School J>rcsbylcrian. When \1cGilvary d1cd
m 1911. a colleague recalled lhat he ga' e place
to none ''in rc\·crcnce for chc truths of M;icncc ..
and in hi, rC>spcct •·for the disco\·enes of n:·
McGilvncy, h< \\ntc>. "took plc~""c
sc~rch."
in speaki ng nnd teaching the people 0f the rcvelnl
ions of sck·nc:c with which he kept in close
1ouch lor one living on the 'WY bordct·s of
ci"hzation." TI1a1 colleague al>o omcd, hO\\­
evcr. UIJt \lcCi•lvacy had no paucncc ··thr che
advanced thoones ftnd ncrimonious ~t ;.ucmcnb
of cnlii:"m"lle was "unmoved and unanno}ed··
"11h "adv:.nccd 1heories and icollOCl.,.uc

Origins of Ua" Nim•tcenih Ctmtury Transfimnation CJ[Cosmo/ogy m Nortltt•m Siam 35
School American Presbyterian garb. He •lso
"converted'' co a Baconinn nnd Newtonian
worldv,cw thaL had profOund implications for
the fun1re course of uonhern Thai his,ory where
the convcrl.'i to C:dvinism were as fc'"'v as the
con verts to Ncwtonianism wtre many.
The Debate••
Among the great number or people who visi led
the ivlcGilvmy family in th~ir first week:\ in
Chiang Mai, McGil vary recalled most clearly
Nan lma, a tall, handsome, thoughtful looking
man, who called on them os~tms i bly lO obtam
rnt.:dicinc for a severe cough. He ac 1131ly came
more out of curiosity about their strange religious
message than anything t.:lsc. Hc.: wa'i roughly
li>rty-nine years old. had seven children. and
had been an abbot atone ti me: people knew him
10 be a dcvOuLiy religious individv:tl with :1
studiou~. logical. Cltlivc mind and a personality
that McG ilvary described as honest. frank. Hn~
sinc..:rc. Afh:.r his first visi l. Nan lnla began t(•
drop by frequemly and to read manuscnpt copies
of the few tractS that the missiOnaries had
1ranslmeJ into northern Thai. Although he had
ceased to find his own religion ~atisfying. he
also found it diflicult to accept the patently
alien religiou:- messnge of the missionaries.
McGil vary reports, "We had some arguments,
nJso. Oil the SCience Of geography, on lhC .shape
of the earth, on the nalure of eclipses. nnd the
like. What he heard was as foreign 10 all his
preconceived ideas as was the doctrine of
salvation from sin by the death of Christ.""
Over the course of this debme. Nan lnta grew
increasingly intnguUil, Of ~Our:;e lh.:rclorc SUCh :,
lhinp :1s predicting beforo;-h;.lmJ Lhc Ill)' umJ th..:
hour i~ impo:-siblc, We accoumt:d lbr it on nanu-aJ
priuclples. and u~ an evidence ofHICircom·cmcss
told berorchand Lhe very hour l)f itS (x:cum::nc-.:
, • It seemed to lum 3 bold venture 111 us a.s ifwl!
w·ete SHtking nil

36
tour he cxpress~d his full convicnon on the
l h~L(
lt\.llh ofCh.rist~a11 i ty. '~
Nan Tnll.l received baptism in January 1869 and
in later years proved to be the most i mporL1nr
northem Thai leader or the church. He died in
1882.
McGilvary, of cow sc. expressed his personal
sense LJf JOY with Nan lnla'!:i c.onvcrsion,
wriring. "Well may we exclaim, What hath God
wrought! h is well calcula ted to inspire us with
faith ul God's promis~:-; Lhat be c.an a11d will
gather in his own chosen ones."!.) It was not so
much, however, lhe simple fact of that conver­
Ston thm impressed McGilvary as the rQic his
cosmological arguments, capped by the prediction
of the eclipse, played in Na11 lnta's decision.
McGilvary wrote o f Nan lnta,
The cxplnnation ofil [Uu: cclipscl seemed to him
so untutal and b~.mutiful and rntiort::tl compared
\\'ith what their book5 teach. th31 it led hinl to 3
cleitr and firm foothold on which he feels and
kf1ows th~l he 15 safe. And no'" 31mo~l daily he
uses the same argumem to his counuyrnen. 1 I"
fed~ m rcfcrcocc to it as you do when you h:tvc.
h~:en deceived once: by 311 individual. that you
-cannot he caught again. So Narl ln111 nrgue~.
Buddh has lied 1/Jcr(! I know. How can I believe
him in m

Origins of t/11.' Nilh'lt>t.'JJt!J C'en1ur;1' Truu.~{i1mwthm o} Cosmology m :Vonlu:m St'om 37
~truggle with a new world view. McGilvary
n:mL'mbcrs:.
Whilt: lh;: tnllh dilwncd grndu:~lly on Ius mmd,
Lhc t'ull VISIOn seemed I.Q be sudden. Hi$ own
account \V35 that altenvards when \valkir)g in the
llcJds: am.l pondering the su~jcc l. it all became.
very plarn to him. IIi ~ doubts all v;,nishcd,
Hcncetbnll for him to live Wi'l5 Chri:H: tmd he
counh:d all {hings bu1 loss forth

and the Wc>t trom ~"" lnl> ~nd tb< la>t o.a:.
n~uh ..·r ~'" hro.:uJ nor Mo tmpa..... ah1c a ... 11 might
.srp~ar •U tir-.t
I hou chJsm. nnnethele\' du.1 1.!\1~1 There
\\':l\ l)p t.lUH.:~ umJ CCJ\Y \\ il)' IH:n"' H i\ S WC
ll!l\'\.' "ceo. ~nn Into ~a\c u ~rc~1 1 dcJ1 of cncrgy
• tud \'OOl't:m 10 hiS IU\ C"'tllliillt!O ~ll \\ ~h:m
'CI\.'Ul't.: unJ che Chn ... uan n:ltg111n II~ n..··._l'-h!d
ttu.: Ot.'" \\ l,rfd \ IC\\ Until \ 1d l1h Dt! tinall~
rh•\ 1dcd h1m With 10l"l 1 0tro\ Cf11bk '-"' n.J\.:n~C h~
\l'~~lllg f\\'\\hiOi.Jn f'h\!!oll'"- h\ f\f\'dt~r.·nrtllm llf n:.lllf} "1th
0111 C~lUi: p.lYSton. \\hlCh \\;t' born OUI 0! h.J.~
Mmgelc! w re~hc o1 b1' .nltla1 ft"l'tancc J.nd
hc ... uanc~
A' l.tr d;,;. \\"' CJJl l.!ll rTt'llllnl~~u)n~ n!l.:OTili..
()11\~J ltUJlhcrn rh.J.1 lhmhcf' latlcd hl lhc \('1'}'
lllUild~lh•n Ill Uu.Jdlw'!m ;tfHI c•lhcr r;lh..: 'Y"I\'1 11 ~
'' cffn:lu.tll) un~okn111m:d. ~ htl \-.·oullt ,11h \Kllh'
lhc fCJ('dlun uf lht~ .n\·.llu.lhlc: luuhhn.ud1•n, 111
f(hl(h•ll '
1 k .:oodudc,, •. ,\,me .,r th~ '-tmrt.: .. t truth' ul
"c... tc:m "''en..:.: "hen taught ll• th~o.· u..Jult
o\C:rt.hru'A hi'\ ~'''.:m uf jtf,,l.lt~. \\h\.'n h, 1hc
~oun~ th hdtl lu • panicul•r 'cien11tic
'" Prld,;e,~. Bacont3nism.,. wh1ch \Jiucd '-Clcncc
as > h

0J'igiiiS t~(the :Vin ete~:nrh Century Truu.Vf,rmation r~(Co.mwlogy in NorlhenJ .\'iam 39
scien·cc separmcly from their religious faitl"'
'ometh ing McGilvary ne,·er did. The discussiun.s
and Lh.:batcs b tlWi.!L'n McCiilval)' :mJ Nan
lnta, at the last. indicate that the process by
which northern Thailand first began to consider
ami accept a \"!estern Newtonian world view
was a surprisingly t:omplex unc mvolving ccn·
tucies' old intelle-ctual and rehg.ious traditions
on both sides bom of strikingly different context-;.
ThaL ...:c>mplcx ity, hc.l\vcvcr, did not prcvcnl
a 11 rrtC..:ting of minds·· Lha1 led w Nao lnta·s
persooal couversion to Christianity and wbicb
portended no n hem Sinm ' s eventual acceplancc
of a \Vcstcm sc1colitir worldvH.:w.
Notes
' Craig J. Reynolds, .. BuddJtist Cosmog(aphy i1l
I hal J-hs!OJ)'. \\'ith Special Refere1lC~ to NinCtdcnth­
Ct::ni'\Jry Culture Clumgc," Journal o(Asian Studi(>S
35.2 (February 1976). 217.
: lhdwrd B. 1Jnv1s, Mmmg .Hwcvcr. that is
h..:lpful in .:;euing: the singe lOr cvaogclicalism io lbc
yc.ar_~ thai McGilvary was coming 10 matu(ity is
NotJla!l 0 . lla:ch, The Dl•mru.:ruti:a!um t~/'AmP,.ican
Christinnlty (l\c:\v H:n·en; Y11lc Uojvcrsity Press.
1989).
11
The follow1ng dhcusslon is halted Qll Mc(iilvary
10 Otother Sherwood, J I Oe McCi1h ruy, undated I ~Her hl Fur~.'igu .\IJ.,,,ifmary
2~. :; (Aogusl 1869); 5-'1.
1 ' McGil vary, undnh.:d l cll\~r in Fnrt.'ign ,\ f1 , _,fnn(1n
2S, 3 (Augu.

lie Pong
Yunnanese in Thailand: P to -ell on the markeL Th~re 1> anothc from
Yunnan t 1 Fuy1, ~ Tal"'aJlC.c >

41
mcanmg n\t:r barbarian ... or h:arbarian~ along
II~< ri,cr. Originally it ""'' the name of the
people li ving around Er-hai Lake in Dali: later
1t included :JJI the Yunnunc$c ir1 Sipsongpanna
and Lhe l'n1 peoples in Lnn Na. Kcng. Tung.
L:1v:, and Victnam.J
Smcc both Yuon~::~nc~c (halccts and theircmi·
gration route across 1he mount.am to tht: north
of! hailand are d•fTercnt from •>lhcrCiunese. so
they are not, 1IY \\h1ch could be as early :lS
the 1 3 ~ centul). A.M. ~hll concurred that the
Yunnnncsc 1r::tders had scttkd tl..:mporarily in
some ci1 ics o r Southca~t Asw Hl lhC 13Ul century
AD.'
In 1583 Ralph Fitch recorded seeing many
Clunemc
escaped to Uum1a. then to nonhcm I hailand
As the !\1uslim population inc:~-ased there. a
bigger mo"~quc was bu1lt. sponsored by another
rich YunnJncsc Muslim trader nomcd Ch'uo
Chowng·hn. to Chiong Maim IH87 " I ''sited
Wong Ho Mosque in Cluang Mni recently: 11 b
even larger tl.an Shuncheng Mosque, the larg·
est mosque in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan.
Selllcmcnl uf the Yunll3nese in N!\rthcm
n tail:md helped promote trade relal ions between
Yunnun and Thailand. In IR87, Mr. Archer. tl1e
Briti>h consul m Chiang Ma•. memioned that
the Yunnanc">e cara,·ans came from Yunnan l'u
(Kunmmg). through Pu'er. Simao. Kiang Hw1g
(Jmghong). Menglong, Mcnglem. K1nn lisen
(Chiang Sacn]. Kiang Hai (Chwng Rai). Pch
(Phrac), 10 Uttaradit or Tha-lt. Must of Lhcm
wcnl to Thn-h, bul some wcnl 10 Chiang Mai,
and even funl1cr I British Burma.'"
In lhc ~~.: caravan years. more Yunnancs.l!
settled m Thailand There were 1wo Yunnancse
communuies m Chiang Mai: tltey were called
Ba11 Hall by the local people."
Some Yw111anese moved 10 sculc m rurnl
areas in norlhem Thailand, at the tUrtl Of 201h
cemury. Then.: were some Vunnnncsc ~cu.lc·
mcnL' nlong the Thai-Bunna border up 10 Fang
District and Chiang Rai. They touk up agriculture
or selling goods to tl1c hill tribes."
In the lirs1 half of the 20•· century, tho
Yunnanesc inunigration to Thailf.Ulli cominued
ceaselessly. especially during World War II and
the Ci' 11 \\'a.r in Chma. !\1any refugee< llcd to
Thailand from Yunnan in 1941 and conunued
111 do so for more than fifteen yea" afterwards."
i\f\er 1949. when the defeated Kuommtan£
soldiers c'capc aOcr being
anacked by both Burmese troops and ('hmcse
Communi>!>. Some were rransponed to T31\\30
.lournul oj tJu.• Siam Socteo· S

whilwtg I'' in Fang Dtstnc•. Chtang Mai. and
\fan l "Mg, l.ao-Ciua-!'ang and Chtang K'ung
m Chmng Rat. l lte 1mnl population constillltcu
more Lltnn 6.000 pcoplo.t·t
1 he ligun.: rvr otc cstunatcd, howcvl!'r, does
not mclude the pe m the
tlllc'>. In 1he 1970,. Htll estimated thou 1he number
of Yunnancsc >ltould be over 30.000, 1he
majorily uf which WCI'C I lan_ 1 !
Andrew l}.W. Forl>c>. in bi~ paper on
Yunnanco;c Mushm. -.oid 1ha1 the ligure Hill
pro' ode'\! ""-'correct. but the phan We >hould keep it in
J'cnge of rC>taurams whtlc most of
1he latecomers nrc fanners in rornl area.~.
Mote gave 3 description qf the Yunnancse
in" vil lnge named Ynng Tzu ChJt he visited tll
~tc 1960s. which lldd 1.830 people. A third of
the 'illagcr.; were llut. They bmh n mosque m
the village and they had tbelf own Imam. Younl'
rcnplc Sl\tdtcd A rahic in the mosque every
i:IOcmoon. The rcsl were Han on..l thi!y had a
Taoist temple in the village. There were also 7-
M Christians "horn o Canadian clergyman and
hi); wife:. carne OCC3StO-naJiy from Chmng Rai 1(1
visit. Tlte.rc "'"' a school in the l'i llage where
the children studied both Cbinese und Thai, The
Chinese teachers wen:: also residents of the
'illnge. The old on~ had "udted 10 tradiuonal
pri,·nte school "hile younger teachers grnduat~'\1
fr,tnt the htgb schools m Yunnan. Thai teachers
were IOcaJ Thnis.
,\ccorcl ing to MOle. the Yunnancse in Lh1~
,.,llage planted rice ood optum. They also
supplemented 1hcsr mcome from work a\
carpenter, ironsmiths, cobblers, 'hopowner., and
pcdtllnrs. Ther~ wtt ~ a doct()r uo.noed W u in the
village who wn. tho only pel"l>OII with a diplomtt
of higher c have good relationships with tho
other ethnic gl'oups, especiully with the l.u
\tllngc ncurby. They Still called the Lu. Bw·yr.
an old name ofDa•-1 u. Many Lu women marne'\!
Yunnnnese, e'en • Hui (~luslun) chief in the
village mnrried n Lu wom:'n 111
Mote also
Jmtrn~l n/lh~ Siam Suc:it·h 89-1 & ~ (20CJI)

wmuue.wt in Tluulrmd· Past mul Presem 43
described a similar Y llnnanesc vill•gc named
Ban Mai. 1 1)
Since tJu: 1960s. some Yunnanese viHagers
moved into the dtics resulting in a rapid inc:.rcasc
orthe Yunnanese populat ion. For example. the
Hut

Hr Pt:-.t.;
Mae I long Son. according to a recem report by
a JOurnalist ofTaiw:m. thrcmlnat on Regtonal
C'oopcrtl tion And Sustai nable Dc:\C:Iopmcnt in
Lanch:tng-M!.!k\lrlg \';tll(;y," Kunminc, 19"}4
• fh:d
1
U).llncc lhongch3t, -Lan ~a-YunMn Rchmons
tn 1 J• I~ Centum:::.". paper prcscnu:d. at I he Stmtnar
on Rct:lnn~l Coopcr.mon and su,l•tnablc
Ocn:lopnll:nl m Laochl!lg-M(!l..ong Val~· Kunmm~,
1994
•• llf'l,lJNI\\';tn Prussiganom imd ChmaJ I lh.•~;inJl l l ct,
"Hi),tory u r Yunn"n·Ml15lun ~cU I\!nu:n l in C'hi:an~
~o.i'". pnpcr J)t'C:\Cnt~d at The Sl..'minnr on Rc!o\iunBI
Cooper.ltiun fiJld Susw inablc DeveiOJlllltmt iu
La.nch.;•nv·Mckong Valley." KunnHn!!. 19t)-4
A \ I H1ll." (he Yu:tn:'m!!8~ Chin'-~ 10 Nonhcrn
fhatli.l.nd··, u··.aw•l.uc.t mto Chmcsc by Chen Jt3nnun.
ut ."WJutlu·ml .fsla, ~o.l . Kunmmg. 19S~.
F.\1 Mot

YwmuJH!St' iu TJwiltmr}: Pust and Present
1 " Andrew D.W. Forbe~. "The Yunnfmese Muslims
in Nonbcm ThaiJand", translat~ inlo Chines..: by
Yao Jlde Ln .Journal of till!. IIL'ilitute .for Notiolfalltie.c;
Studitt.~. No.2. Kumnlng. 199 1.
1
~ Dt•an Ushcng. "A Vh.;il to .Moe S:;~tong-A
Yunnancsc Village in ~orthc.rn Thailand" . in
Southeast Asiu. t\(}.4. Kurumng, I ')86.
" "T cndcr f(,-cHog Brought by Visiung Group. Songs
Resonated on Double-Ten Day'' in rlsia't News Times
{in Chinese). Bangkok (October II. 2000) p. l l.
1 ... F,\V Moh;, "The RurHI 'Huw' Qf Northern
Thailand" in r•ctcr Kunstadtcr's Somlreas1 .-lsio,
Ttibc~·. M luoritie:'). mJJ Narion~ . Princeton Uni\'ersily
Pres~. 1967.
" /hid.
;• Boonsawan Prugsiganont and Cbus.ti Tacsiriphct
"History of Yunnan-~lus l un Seulcme.m ln Chiang
Nhti". p:\p.t::r p rcS!!ntc.:~t at The s~m irlM on Regional
Cooperation and SusHtioablc Development in
Lanchang-.:vtekong Valley. Kunm•ng, 1994.
!.! f\.,t\.t, HiH, '"Th~ Y u nmm~;::;c C h nu:~c in Norlhcrn
Thailond .., tr.mslah:d into Chinese-by Chen Jinnmin
10 Southeast !lsia, No.4. Kunming. 1986.
:J Dutm Ushl!ng, "A Visit Lt) Mat: Sa h)n ~-A
Y unrmncsc ViU;lgc in Nonhcm Th;-til;md" in Sowheost
Asia, No.4. Kunming, 1986.
~t F.W. Mlltl', .. Tht: Rural 'Haw· of Northern
Tbnlland" in Peter Kumaadtcr's Soullif!a.~·t tf:mm
TribL'S, Miuoririt.>s nnd Nm;ons. Princclon Univcrslty
PreS

Alan D. Cameron and Kenneth G. Clark
Revenue Document from Thai-Occupied Kengtung*
Sometimes pieces of information from separate
sources seem to complement each other spontaneously.
In this case, Mr. Kenneth G. Clark, who
lives in Britain, sent a copy of a revenue document
executed in Thai-occupied Kengtung, and
Mr. Alan D. Cameron, who lives in Thailand, has
been doing a great deal of research on the Thai
occupation of Shan States in the National Archives
in Bangkok. Mr. Clark has contributed the
document, Mr. Cameron has translated it and
[the editor of The Burma Peacock] has supplied
the surrounding context.'•
In June 1940, the same month that France
fell to Germany, Japan and Thailand signed a
treaty of friendship. In September, Japan put
pressure on the Vichy government ruling in
Indo-China to permit Japanese troops to occupy
northern VietNam. The Thais mounted an offensive
against the French in Indo-China in
January 1941 which resulted in the Vichy government
handing over the Cambodian provinces
of Battambang and Siemreap and the Lao territory
on the west bank of the Mekong. These
territories had been under Thai suzerainty (if
not Thai rule) but were lost to France in the
aftermath of the Paknam Incident in 1893.
In July 1941, Japanese troops occupied the
rest oflndo-China. On 8 December 1941, Japanese
troops entered Thailand. After token resistance,
Thailand agreed to declare war on the
Allies. Japan was thus free to mount offensives
against Malaya and Burma through Thailand.
As Japanese forces drove the British and
Chinese out of Burma in 1942, Thailand invaded
the Shan States and on 26 November
1942 took control of the town ofKengtung. 1 On
1 August 1943, Burma became "independent"
under Dr. Ba Maw's government. The Shan
States were not included in the territory of this
independent Burma, but remained under Japanese
military administration.
1,i-Jmrnntll1l'11Mtl~:LPJ~11'lu
1 t.u.mi'm t ~ ::fl ~ fl11'11l1 JJ
"
Figure I Front cover of the Treaty
46 Journal of the Siam Society 89.1 & 2 (2001)

Ri:wmm• /Jm:umt.•ntfrom 11Jai-Occ-upi~:d Keugnmg 47
On 20 August 1943. ;.,pan and Thailand
signed a rreaty 1ha1 officially ttansfcrr~d parts
of the Shan Smlcs and Malaya ln Tha1 ru le.
th~n1a
1 ~ U Ct~rurU'l f::l'li1JJ.IT:~ fit) hiUt\tJ\JT: ~llt;~U
~1ft.J ue 1\IWDJI'1 tl-ll.h:~ l1ftl1'HI
1 uuulmA:niinun:nu
--'-
u"' :.lU U1 l~ l c:nn 1uiJ l ;1o1M h•or1t.m\n\d1
.. ... .. '
l!\l;lntfu., . -~
nn1ru1 1:.11 tlu.h:.mrrlnu nu th:tWStll!~:
~l.tlt~ol~ la uult)' q( Tlwilond iu J\lala.,t.·a and the Slum
Provinct•. and wlrith H'ns sigued m Bangkok on
20 AII!(IISI /943 tiD. lws st< arrfc/cs and is to
come into ttJTect as of the dote qfsigning, and
This trem_v wu.~'}omtfy signed iu Bangkok on
Au,_r:ust I!J-13,
Therefore. rhe treaty between the Coufllries
of 1/uri!tmd and Japan Regarding the Are

lrtl!lo· 4
T/r,· flftrth.•r,!, c~[tlrt! ttrt'd.\ ,ft,., U\H'd m urtrcla
I und 2 ahm·r nJ// f.c· ,·,tahJt,hcd hy thore
nwtJ..f'l'\ tor t!Uch ·~tat£' a.t tltn , .. .,.\It'd m oj tire
1/mc.· otthr -~ '~"''1}! of rJn.., lrr•nn·
frllrk 5
lh1• 1ktuil."t m· ..:c.uan· tor catr\lnt: mll thu
fiT fill "11/ Itt: _lotnt/, prt·p,uc.•J ht~l" c.'t"lt
tlllllrony,/ offiottl' o/ !t..nl1, outJ/tJO
f t llc'/c (I
nu\ lll'rU~· l't~mn mlo t'l/c·, I'" o/lhc• t/(ltc.• oj
HJ.:ItiiiJ.; .·h witth'U u{tlm. lilt' prnun' \l[UIIablc pcr

R~n·Pmu! /Jt>t:mrtelll frnm Tlzal.Occupit:d Kengumg
Tbai :-.tamps of the wartime period can
therefore sometimes be found postmarked
Chiang Tung (:;;ee illusLTation on pn.:vious page).~
Nol surprisingly. since t.here was a coun
system established. revenue stamps were also
used. The first such s1:unp was a one bahl blue
valuo which was il lusltalcd by Mr. K iui
Damrongvadhana in 1987. then by Dr. Pi pat
Choovoravech in Thr. Thai Tmws.'; A rcc

50
' Rcpnmed by kind pcmnSSIOil of the Rurn:n
JleqnM J..
•· Noh: by thr cdttor of t..hc Rurmn f'rarock
• "Kcngtung.. I~ lhe tr.tn!)liccmtion of the name of
thot Shasi Strut! und its c~• puol In IJurmo tlw fonn
"Kyainglung.. is somctinh!l'l Ulicd The Thais
lntn\licrat~ 11 as "Lbi3ng Tuna( or ''C hn~ng rllng" ,
p.;ar:tllcl w uh then u,.;.a~"-""' fur Chi an~ Mt'li :and C:hs~•ng
R:u. ~y an: 311 proooun..:cd lhc: 'iiJne, the .. ~;;,- is
.:.«:ng.tung bJ,;ng lhc same 3..'{)imtc.....J ~und 3S is found
1n .. ky3f' 1n !:iunncse.
l'h1eng Tung = Kcntung. Mu3Jigltlum .... \1ongpa.n
, Tlw .. ,s 2486 m tJ1t· Huddhasa l"rn, 18'" year in the
Shtlwll P'·nod. or :\D 1 9~3
' /J~rrmu Nrwdbook. by lnfMmataon Ofliccr.
(iuv...:rruncnc of Bum1a., Slmln. oct l?·t3: printed by
the M:annJ!cr, Govern me Ill vfltldM •.,res'I, Stml::t 1944.
• M1 Ml Kkling, .. Kcngtung I" In l11«: Nn11on.
Rm'lt;•X'Ifl. c;lfl~ IQ50s Rcpcoducr..'tl1n W\~w.iv.--:uc.cont
(~ha~\anbowsa.
Burma I !tJnd~• .:tS Jbo'-'C.
· .\. G Smith: \\;lh Alan and Rct:m.1 Cameron.
1ran~ .. ··World \Var fl Opemuc;n l'r, Po!lttaJ Ofllce at
Chtunp. lung~·· The Thaf Tu11c.'.\', Vl11.37, No.3
1 cd1110n. 19'l3
" A G Smuh. "NC"w DISCO\~rie .. uf('h•.-n.: Tung
Rc\.cnuc; ..;' flit Tlwi Time:s. Vol ~0. ~o.:!: (Augu.. t
1998). pp.JO 31.
11
I he '-'Ccupac:c.l Sh:m States \\.eft gi"..:n the name
"Oriyinltl 11mi Stl'lle", presumably to !- Ire.,~ the; kmship
or the people thcrl! wuh the Thais ofThnilond.
" P1p01. ·~onguwl Thni State." p.27.
11
i.e. In p:tymcnt
~~ The: connotation In the word used for ''trnn~pott"
is that the) r•hy,dc.ally earned the c:omntO\Itty \\ lthouc
w-e of L:.an.~ or other\ chtdes.
" The; a.ffh:tng. of 11 5-'i.alang sb.mp )('ems n~htrOr
this 12 hahl bill The: f'C\'COOC ta.' rat~ tn (h~o~n.:;
Tung .u the lime Y.1\~ ~satang fru-any rc:ccapt' bc;twttn
5 .md 20 bc1lll. And for L':H:h additional 2.1) l'11ht M
fraction ther~~r an additional 5 saturrg rc\ emu: t.•x
had to be p.ud.
• The lower swmJI ts. n~c.m.ling to Pc1cr l bcr'~
o;;atalogue. l)ocunl~nHtry Tax. C1vil DcfenSI! IS!-ouc
1942. ftD II twith Arnbic numeral "5" u1 rdicr in
bottum ccnrrc)
.lom'tJU/,~{the Siam Societ) 89.1 & 2 (2001)

Tun Aung Chain
The Chiang Mai Campaign of 1787-1788:
Beyond the Chronicular Account
The (lllktal Mvnnm:\r chro111Ch: 1/mwuum
,, fuiwya:ml'il!tl£11r.v.n ( Gl\ISS r~ tnce CllfOilld..:)
provides Lh..:: H•llmving accounL oflhc Chiang
MHl Cmnpaign ol' 1787-SK:
Wun&"ti h:r- t'!' 11u: (ircal ('mm..-i n r-.·l,,h;•­
zeyalltu•·a.• In cfulumutll-uf(lf, t:ltlilmgcnL'\, u tulaJ
of -1.00(t horses anll -45-.001) mco. s\'t ou1 on ~.,)
Au;;usl 178.7 tu udv;nn.:c.: on C' h 1~mg Mni by the
Mt)n·gJ)~u (Oi.lle w pl'l~lf) ( "h1:111t; Vl:u :md tht:
regs on cast oi the Salween\\ !uch \\ Cl'e dssturbcd.:
At lhc!Wmc lnne. Klnn-u Oo Lctyathih:•thmgyan.
111 conun.lr\d u!' ..Jf1 cutUin.gcul:-.. n loin I \ Jf 15.000
men, wc.nt downriver to Mon:1ban ,mJ from there
advam.:cd on P:1 S~mg .
Rcm::hing (\Jtlng.nai. t-.tnhauyathur.• Lli\'uil:d
hi:. U't)\lJ)Ii UlhJ Jh e f(ll\.!1.!5 the :! C1.11IIUJgeub. H I
Yanh.yawpyiL>:I and Yantluha"-y:'lwhun advanced
a~ a \'img.uard; Thi11:scinl nl, Nerny,Hh11mlhmhkaya
wh.h 11 cuullng...:lll'> aJ \'Ullt:t:ll h.>• ~ 1un~pu
J.nrl ~ l on.~.h sat to l'h1ang Sa~u: /..;..·fi.·awwhmu
t Comm:mdcr of the Right Pal:lcc Enclosure)
Nct•\yokyawgaun.!,;.n:twl'ahla With (¢n t:()nt•ng..::nts
advanced by Kcn_f!tung LO tvlong~ .. Jwnc: Mn~d~
.\lmw1 ("E:tlcr" ofMycdc) Ncmyolhurakyawbtin
With 29 euntm~•J.: u t:-; ruh mh.:cd tm t\hMng Lmg
nnd Chiang H:u. rvtahazcyJ!llUr'J him.se!r'. WltJl 15
conungenL

S2
r\!tn:-'dl
ronnn~t.;: ad\"anral on 1h: n~hl. and Let~ ..~.tJu h:llhrng}an
h1msch wnJ, I ft C~llllhn};~nls Jd\·J.n('cd
tn th~ ccnlre. R-c3clunp_ I•J San ~;.. t cly.:ttlu h-:tlhing­
~~~n J.ttempted to -.-.1p1un• the ..:uy. bu1 \\-Hb :..tmng
rc.:~i,.. t:m cc ollCrcd by Clwn l\ nwiJ.1 :md heavy
cn.;,unhic' ~u tTered by his trot)Jh. he :-clllt.:d d0\1/0
10 a .:o.icgc ·nL' Ayuuhity.t otml)' of !iU,OOH PO,OOO
\\hich h:t.d dcfca(ed Mull.a/t:}'arl m 1he camp>~~n (t.e. a
11-,t \'lf the: comm;mdersJ. the route.;, of march.
:tnd the maier c:ngagcmcnt.:: .md arL' wnucn
fmm the pe-rspccti vc of thl.!' i t nn~ nn campaign.
Bu1 campaigns 111\'0IV¢ mud1 more !han
mi I itary nction. and other aspi:Ct' or I he mi llt:.\ry
c :trnp~1 ign nrc revcak:J in ... u ... h m:ucrial as the
Royal Onh.:rs" wh1ch abu plO\ 1Lie .:1 \·ic:w ('If the
cnmrarg:n irom the p~r.;,pctti\ c ~-'f I he Loun.
The plan of oper.tllon!'- for 1he camp:ugn of
17X7-17~S. whkh W3> pul up by the mini>tef>,
wa, gtvcn royal appro"') on ~I July 171>7 (Than
Tun 19SI>: p. 5~1 ). While 1ho chron1cle account
unly dc.~cri bes rhe adv::uu:~.:~ a gnin ~ t Lampang
and Pa Sang. Lhe Roy;,ll O nJt:r~ make clear that
:.Ill nd\'::tllCC t)ll Banglwk lfu'nlCd ch(' maul part
ul'thc 1,:\'

c1tl CDn.:.i,kr:uim'l~o, In th.: ongmal d.iltL" (I:; :\u
~.rw. l t. the cc:remony wa~ to stan tH II 2t..5f, -1
J.m.: ollCnng!> \\·ere tn be made In lh\.' Thre\.'
Cicm" muJ th~: guunhitn ~J'lOh ol th.: n:hg1on.
and a Sunday-hnm mnn w11h the lcucr ~l' f1hc
fir~t h:llcr of 11u: \ 1 yanmar alph:,\lcl ~ wnncn OJ\
hh; ron:hciu.i \\l)S Hl gtl H1 frnnl nr lht: rntm:hmg
1rnops On 2'> ,\ucust, thl" ce-rean''"' ''·1-" rcrlormcd
nt 7 02:2~ u m ;HHI l\\c' m~.:n .1
T ue:-.dlt\'-hmn .u1d ,, \\' cJnt·.,tJ41~ I:Mm. wen I 1 n
frnnl of thl" marclung lr·~•r"' (I huu l un I 1 JSh
I'P ''') 5(•11
II ,.,. n11t hruw. 11 \\her her lh\.· ( H\\\11 Pnm:.:
11Midh,'d cl\11 \\1111 tht! UtlC1Ih hut 11 \\~tUid \C('r11
lh,ll hi.! Lhd nol t.1k1: Cllf11JIMtHI \'lllhl: ~o·;U11fM1!!11
Mahalcv:•lluu.t had h..:cn Hblm,h:d c•n II
t\ngu~o,l In ;utvo '' ciJ as .m oppommUj
!'or rl.'dempuon. 1 Seve-r:1l om11nals \\ere
fiS:,t_gncd ld thL' Ch~ang \11-ii nnn~ nln.:h!cll ~tng
thus as.,.ig.lled on 2 Au~tut 17~ "'"' for ,uch \ ariou'
crimes 3'- murder, lheft and elopc!"mt..'l\1 wtlh un
o flic i a l ' .., w i fL"(Tttan T unJQ~h.p ,~.. llli"n'''
known hO\\ tht:~(' cnmmab dbtlngu1'hL"d
th .:.·msdve..; in I he carnp{Ug.[L Al lcd.!tt t.m~. '\.ga
Pya}. a Lhit'f" h(l \\as Pela1edly .11'-';gn~d w th~
Cluaug t>. lai Jnny on 10 Octoncr I ...., ~ 7 d~enrd.
and on 13 Novf.'>mD~o'"r 17S."1 \\a:- nmdcmncd to
dcolh by the clcanng open or'"' chc,t ( fh.m
Tun 1'1~6 : pr. 62'1. 6521
\Vhi It! n stnng Ol un.t~,.·n, md1Ciltl~ th:lt the
Cour1 k ~ p l m ctml.u:l \\ uh 1hc rump.ugn m tht:
'i.Outh. I t\\~ h:J1 tr1 Jb'llOranl"C rlrthl!' d!!\ e}l'lrJ11t.~l

Hlain~d..:t. Thn~ara and other h\\'1. '"' It wa..'\ al-r,;o
ul\lcrcd that the b.x rice of Toun~oo bl" r~tainu.l
lh~.-.rc dntl mn sent tn 1hc cal'll:al tThan Tun
I •)S(,a: pp. 410.414. -125).
In the nolih. Wundauk f\(:Jli)O~IIh u was sent
\\ llh 3 f~)ri..'C to ~ 1ongn;n and rvlongpall With
tll\(1\lclions to forlH)· lh~m. to bln.,;k :til fences
and roacb• across 1he Sal\' 1!1.!11. to employ the
l'-'"~urcc~ uf the ~·lyclat r..::gtun. iUlU IU collc..'(.'t at
\lotll.!pan nt,;c from t1tl' ~umlundmg :1r\!:l in case
d'k:rc wa~ a need to S4.~ld funJ-..:r r\:tnl(uc:.:nrent'
frum capt tal. Maha7eyathum. '"' htt had rctn:ah.-d
frnm Lampang. ,,a; nn.kn.'ll h' c---tahli'h himself
a:u-.1 of the Salween "hea: h\.' could ba: !>~uppl i cd.
I h1.· tw!Jkmt f adjut:ml) wh("' hitd \ll tl\'cd from lum
wn!'t abo sent bat.:k wtth Mtpplit.!-. ol' nmmunit1on
(Thnn Tun 19R6a; pp. 4 10. •1 13, ·115. -121 J,
Mu..,ketcers fonnct..l a M~utticant part ol' lhL'"
\ly~mrnar forces.. and lh\! d~CitllolliOn of th~
\ 1) .1nmar forc-.. "5 an the t:ampa•brn cn::uec-1 :m urgent
need of 111\ISke-LII£ thL'" dctuils
ol l Kala'-. \lalm\d:tntin cGr\!ut Chrurm:h:l
and 1\,mtluna.ul\\un Mahastthu l Tun 1\.)u's
\lalttl\rl:anmtlm t \c\\ Chromdc) dut 001 ~o
to toH mu~h uouhlc in chntntdut~ th""· mnl'.:
r~\:1."11l1u-.wl') ctf I he Konb:umg pt>r1\1d. 1t rchcd
he;H 1Jy un narr.:tl h ~.: .!l..·counh !->uch .as lhc cnmpaign
ht"''ltit'iC~ which lay n:dd)' tu h.md rutht.'r
thart l:rt.:alc tlt,;\\ narrath·cs 0111 or the Wl!ithh of
nwtl!riot \\itu:h \\'a~ tU 11~ dispos::~l, A venture
be~'->nd lht.!' chtOU!l"h:. thc:rd'orc. r~o:H·ul-. many
asp-c~o:t'< of ht,[OI')o 1gnored by the Ko)al Corn·
ltll':)tOn and ul'"' ~tuucrs l.ht: 1mage pn!.;.cntcd tn
the ~hr()mdc.! of ..m urc.lcn..-d \\Urld m wh1ch the
Kmg \\.v.. I.H}!d~ ir1 Ct.Ullrol of C\crll ...
------------~~
1 1\ppl.'!!llllg 111 ihL! \luang .\1:ul'hnlniclc t\\').ln &
Waducnk~w l99.$: p lt»3).b ,\-,J"-'\\'uu 1.1! Jtlmmn,
ur ,\hnistcr ot Conmtoocr-. f\.1.Ul.IIC~.Uhltm l M~-a'
B.t\~ \\J.>. lhl! 'd'll Ill n ...".."'"!-l-mtnhl.l\.}"a\\hlm l
llulu. lnn11u11ngn' in lb: h-~11 ol \lak~tltummaroJaJhiJ.,"tl
11 1733 1 75~1. II~ w.L .. ·'l'l~'~~llclt )t'tt'lm
10-:put) (lll\~nt(lr) lll R;mgi..",OII dunn~ the r\:t~n ot
'ml'u t I 7 7¥1 . "')ol.~) ;md because of~ sc-r' 11.'\:s. u1 lh~
\hlll n-b.;llk,O t'lf 1~:\..l. 10 \\hkh dlt.' ~~~~' ~Ull('(l
rontwl ._,f R.an~""'IC' ltlf 1hn.-,: ,Ia~~ c~IU ~J'Ih:mhcrt

Th~ Chiang Mat Campaif:!u of J 1,-? ... J '7JN'l: iJemmJ rile ('h,•unh.:u/ar Accmml 55
and ""tiled the Uo\·e•·nor. b.:- \\ib re(alkd h • tltl! ..:~pJtaJ
l)ll 17 Ochlher 1 7~ J. lie \\ a:-. .:tppl,inltli Trmn~·
beum!.1m11 ( tvlinistcr of !he Southern Divi::tion) un l5
May J iS·L .~lhi" uu on :!8 July 1785 and ll'mJ!{\ t on
17 .llJIIl: I/X6. lh5 i Srincc Sngu whk:h ;;)tlv~mccd wnh
the lllilUl army 31ong the rhree P:tgodas route-. rbe
km:c IC.I kmed aml Cllught up Wtlh the \ :luguard al
KunchiUlttOmi (~ l ~ung Mitun~ Tin 1\161 I· 533. II;
pp, ~4. 33).
11
L unaiug\\Utl /\'IUJg_} intnltlakyawhlu\ \J Myat llta
"a:;. lih t-.·1 in~o-yim:ih;m1ing:-mng. one ,,rlhc 12 h ou~· ­
hold r~10 iucrs rewarde-d with 3.00fl licals of sih·cr after
Uodawp:1y.;t's :lc·ces..(;iou 10 1hc throne-. I Jc was tirst
.tpf)tm!lcd Tazmxh.•lhtil..•·;mr,tllcn Alwinlmn (~ 1 l in i Sicrof
the Priv~ Councili on 2 May 1784. Committing a
nusdemcanour. h(' \US I'Citl

•• In 1he ..\~uuluya camptal~n ul P7~-l liS.
\ hn\Nt!~.J.l..ytn\, \\>ht~ h3d qu~udlcJ ''ilh 1hc
C.:lltum.uldcr Athiwtmt:-')'1 \1.thlti111MIIwra twcr a nr.~n~
e~ ll.tC IIcs:. was rt.-callcd w11h hi" f1.1lhJ\\ uflic..:n. hi th..:
CUJ)II.JI \VInl..: LJ1c fcllJhii'ClCd c MJtm~ \(Jwt_g
Tm Nft., 1 pp. 50.~ su- ,
· -\pth-".ttlrtg .1.' Papn \lm}!)"l. 1 '-'" 1 .tUun Mmg~;
lmm 1 .t1h.m. who3C r~\cnuc .... he t:UJ•')"-~1 ..... lllUl·d m
tlu: ( IU.11tf! \f,u C/~rt.Hiidt· (\\'~;1U /:... \\'JChi~Jt~Ct.~
JQQX: p 1601. Th..tdul h lrim.l h,l !ll4.nnd ... cn•.:d:t.; ll '•m1{1'/t llrou~h
three rc1gns He tool-.. part1rl .-.\l.nml!r>~ )':;t'li Ayunh:l}3
.... mr-.11~n ul1759-l ~roo :md"·') m l\tlnt~:dnuJ"J;.mJ elf
lh.: h.'"'.tr~U·:tnl m the t"CIR"al. In I h.: r h.u (,UJlf':JigJl of
~ -x'\ l?f\0. he \\Jj, au ~:Pciml"'f'KI ttf 1h~ J.mw Ill .21J
~.:••nnn;1cnr.. \\hlcb a.thOJill:l."f.l on l"luau~ \l.t~ 11n 25
~ ... ""fltl•JHbt:r 17~5 •tnd hc--.11..~1!..-d LJ11I J';m~; ""ilh tw~nry
..:unlull'CI11' while" thL' 1 C)l.1 nl 111 .... ll\lt1Jl"" under
l\'cm)·-.hilhu ad\"::!nced St1u1hw,1rJ ... ns 1:1r :\!> PhltSanulok
before 1h.:

Tin lvlatmg Kyi
Thai Descendants in Burma: A Thai Court Dancer's F amily
~·1 va Gvi t l875-195 7) was mv >!:ntndfnlhor
U \Vlw Instilled and ~trousl.!d the Thai ln.sdm::t
in my blood. I sow him quite often before he died
and used w ask hun ubuut uur Thai ancestry.
Since thm tim!! I have finctl all Vhriuus pieces of
inlbnnation he gave me inro a ··pictur-e··.
lie told rnt nf his grandlitthcr and cou ld
rclllember his name. 11 wa~ a Bunnc;sc namt, U
Tay :md his wife wns Daw llmo. a Tha1 d\!s ... ~enclanL
U Tay was a hnllet dancer al the CO\Irt, as
his Jorefnthcrs. the Thni dnnccrs. h:•d been before
hun.
Defore U Tay. no nanics couiJ be n:mcmberecl
or ottr Thai nncestot·s. First of my Th~i
ancestors was a member of £he Thai roynl ballet_
I I~ S tak ... ~n h.> Oumta. One
Lhing l am ccrt.ain is thm he \vamed 10 go home
(IJlcl that \·cry strong and intense desire to return
to his homclanJ made llint ill unul hi' b.

111, g.reple 'enk;! at
\mar.1pura a.ttir the capital \\

59
U1cy were shut up in a link~ cosmos Llf their
own, used to climb up and enjoy ;,1 glimpse of
the bemnifu l surround111gs 10 whtch they were
dt.'nied : 1 ccc~s. Tbctr gua rd ~ wen; ncar at the
rc:ac.ly wnh swords anJ canes. Grandfather
r~mcmbcrcd an incidCI'tl when 11 \\ omnn mcmhcr
(Sin Go ,

Cirnndf:uherpas~ a\\ a)" an 19Si. He \\3S a
remarkable man. Whole on ho, dellh becl, he
h:-tdc me a las1 J~n:wcJI. '-J)'IIl~ lh:u he was
gmng aw:1y, J le r-cnHndcLI me- n~o:\Cl' w IOrgc1 all
he had tuiU me. It was h ~ whu UhUifcd inlo me a
.. ~.:nse of my Tha1 blood and hcntngc. ofwhit:h I
um proud
l n:o 1\~· i 1 19 03- 1975)
\1) lather hat! noo< of !he l'rJIId e\pcct31ions of
n\~ g,r:tntlriulll.:'r. Bu1 Ill" .... ull ,ho"¢. bu1 the)' -1 9 ~ 5)
He was o l'umous authonty t.>t' th.; hir h~ L"ontr.t

61
GC'ncalo~· of U Maung ~ Jaung Tin
Pn nc:css Chau Fa Saw
(Upn Chao l'ati)
Daugluer of Thai King
Bunm:sc King. Sin Byu Shin
( 1763-!176)
King Badon
( 1 7~2-IHI •/)
I
Pri ncc~s Siri Paba Dt:vi + t\IC'ng Rm ~vl ya lsw n
Prince S!risudh>ntnl> Raja
GmnUt.Jaugh!cr ofTha1 Kmg
H1~ik Tin ll'lnunl'
~ion Thu
Khin Yu
{ni ec~ nr
iVIn Thit)
L ~v1anng \1nttng Tin
( I U•n-1945)
4
were tra di tio n

EXIBITION OF BOOKS FROM THE COLLECTrON OF
M.L. 1\tlANlCH .JUMSAI
Th.: Sinm Society organiz..:d two exhibitions o(thc book coll~cuon bd ong-ing
to M.L. \1anich .lumso1 in 2001. The firsl exhibit. hdd ou 4 October.
featured books. from the Ayutthay

On ~ l. L. Manich Jumsai
Address by Dr. Sumc1 Jums~ti. ~ October 200 I
M
' f.11hcr is 3 book\\ onu. lie \\ uuld read and
wnh: !Or hnu~ eH'1)' tl..l) ;ultJ wc11 into tfk:
I."MI~ hour~. A~ an educator. he quue immeRd
hun.;cl fin hookc: and dtction.m-.:!'1 ._,f ... u \nli:...
In 1'150 Lhc family rrcrnr go w Pam for
my f:11hd> work for UNF.~('O. I \\'n~ then I I
:md remembered viv1dly h i ~ Ul.!\\ tnkrc-st in Th:u
hi ... wry hn~\!d on old nccounh ... u~;h """ blloks ami
r~~orJ~ gomg back to the tmh: of l.outsc XI\'
Ourin~ the \\«..'\:k.cntl'-~ \\\: \1'-Ctl m tOllo\\
hun 10 the honli.i11i3'h lbooL '\tilll,) along tht:
Semc ""' uri

On Books from the Ayutthayan E ra
Address by Michael Smithies, 4 October 200 I
In J\ !acbt!lh, A

thllwn uf 8Q()k.f: jmm rile .:ollc:·c-uon oj ML .\luml Jwns11t 67
B11urges (~2), published 111 1606. w1Lh the
iudcccntly long. IHie Rrlufi(Jn rlu ''a.n•gt" t!~
~fonsergm'ur I £1·.Fque di! Bi!n'tc. ricair, ...
Apnwoliqut• du U.onwme dr lu Cochmdrm~
pnr /u Turqwc. /u P~.:r.,·c· h's lnJt•. d1d nos reach she
cupllal IUIIII Ali£U'I) 10 Ckh.>bcr 1(){)3. He b"-'
fuur dtaptcrs on S t:tm, CO\ enol-! 11~ g ..·og.mphy
and C'COJlOUl)', rrwl\, (Uil tlu: \')Sll(1r$ h;a\'C a
*'cc-uon on S1omcse fruu~!) the m.:tnncn. and
cu.sum, of the S~amese. and r~li~Jon. \\ h1k he
pnnses. Snun IUr lls rdigtolb tolcrnnc.c. n nev\!r
sccmcd 10 occur 10 btm that hts uwn ~.:ountt:
w+a!, much in arrears on this score If.: g1' c-~
pl'flCtical ups on where bc..;t to chang_~ ont:'l>
money 1111d how w U"a\d qwclJ> tu Europe (on
[ngJ~h \' cssd~ it seems). De Bourgcs n:mmt:d
to Swm bridly m 1669 "hi k on his "a~ to do
missionat) work 111 Tunk.m He n:tumcd a.gam
to Ayullhnya to be consecro1ed urular B1shop of
Auren and upostohc nc-ar of We$l T Qnkin by
the Bishop of :Vlctellopohs. Mgr Laneau, m
1 6~1 . He. rcmamed m Tonkm until 1713. "hen
he and hlS stmmanans: we.rc expelled. l II! eo1mc
once mor(! 10 Ayunhaya. \\hen: he dJt:d in J - )4,
ugcd ubout R..J. He was buned in th~ l"l"11lctef}
nnn~hed ll1 St Jo,cph"s church there.
\Vc thc:n come 10th.: iml French cmha.."5y 10
Siam. wh1cb prndu~ed ,, deluge of boo~> rclatmg
fil">t- haml cxpcncnccs. Outck"t aiT lh< mark
nn rcLUming to Fraru.:-: Wa!. 1hc. mtrcpH.l Jc-.wt
G u~· Tnchard 1#~ ~. I) 14, 17 I~). whose
nccoun1 of lm. rir!'C JUUmcy to ~mm m I ll85 was
lir

Exlfmlcm rtf Books from rhct ~.:o/ft!ctinn n/.H.L Manit .Jum:wi
Tachard h; not a sympathetic character. He
\Vas a parar101d schemer \Vho rnfihn rtcd himsel f
eve1ywhere and was in large me~rsur·c r·esponsiblc
l'or the ullimme liasco of lhe French
advcrnure in Siam. The only pl!rson \vith whom
he appeors represented here by the Prague (second)
edition 0 1' the

E.'(1hitu>n of Books}'rom the L·ollection o[M.L :Wan it .lumsa; 69
Siam in 1688 (# L 5-L 6 ). 111is gave a balanced
description of .the kingdom. second only in
objectivity and thoroughness co La I.oubt!re's
voltune of L 69 L. Gc,·vaisc was born in Paris
about 1662 and was orrlnined a pries! before he
wa.s 20. 1-((' was s..:nt to Siam with the energetic
missionary, Mgr Pallu. Aficr returning to t=rancc,
he became a cure in Briunny. and 1hen moved
to Tours, whcr..: he \VTOW his hook on S i ~un and
nnorher on the Kingdom uf Makas$ur (it is not
kn(lwn if he ever wem th ere ~ but he brought
back to Fnmcc the two sons of the Mako.ssar
prioce who \Vas defeated a.l\cr rl'volting m
t\ yutLhaya in 1686). He went to Rome. in L 724.
was made titular Bishop of Horren, and then
lefl for what 1S now Venezuela, when.! he was
killed by Carib Indians in I 729.
The pub l i~hed accounts of the activities of
th ..: French missionarics. appei.lring under the
f\lbl'ic of 1he Relation des 1~1i~sio ns et des
Voyages df's £!resques Vicoires Apusruliques
. . . from 107-:! to 1677,a..;;wcllasRishopPallu"s
volume with the same Litk (Pans, Bcdtct. I 66X)
and Nou~uettc' s account of I heir acuviues for
1681-1683 (Chartres, Mnssot, I 6831. some of
which al'l! represented h\!rc (#3 . 6). arc also
informative about Siam. though none sought to
gi vc the ovcn icw Gervaise managed 1 ll) achic-\rc.
\Vith Gerva ise's book on..: rcacbcs the
cataclysmic year 1()88, though no o n~ in Fraucc
was a\varc or the 1:\'Cnts in Siam from May to
NQvcm ber tlult year unt il the fo llowing
November. The rare English account {H20) with
the arresting tillc A full and true ~·elatiq,, of the
great and \a.·oruh

711 £xibutmr ttJ 8tHJ(\ _I rum the r:ollf!

E.tduthm of flotik.•;)'rum th•• ndlt'c/UJII rJj'JIII,I •. Mmm .fum:wl 71
jusqu'eu /770. Turpin ( 1709-1799) never C3mc
to Siam. and in tact never seems w moved
outside Lhc narrow pen me te r ofCacn, where he
taught lus(ory al Lhc university, and Paris. where
he rried unsuccessfully to I ive by his pen and
where he died in penury. l-Ie ubtaincd h is
inform a1ion about Si[tr.n frum lhc Frc nc b
missionary bishop Mgr Brigo1. who was in the
country from 174 1 111 I he !'411 n f ,\ ynuhay" in
1767. -n,c bishop lcf't Pondichcry in 176'1 to
rerum 10 France; thcr~ he wrote !;Om.; note-s and
gave his rn:muscript and other missionaries·
notes and JOurnals LO the hack writer T urpm,.
who, in the words of one ernie, allowed "hjs
1m Ut c:\:Jcli ludc."' Brigot and the
directOr of the f oreign ~1iss10ns m Pans wc r~
most displeased when T ur p in·~ work Wl-lS
published findjng "'n.:prchcn-.;ib lc Lhings 1 • in it.
Turpin lhen undl':nook to eom:tl o r replace Lhc
passages which they found panicularly
objectionable. ~lowevl!r. lhis was vinua lly the
o nly \vork dt:aling ..:xclusively w ith Siam to
nppenr in 1he cenmry. and gives a first-hand
account of the f:lil of Ayutthya, wluch even the
Dutch (who bad abandoned the capital bcihrc
u; fa ll to the Bunn~sc ) ~ou l d not f11rnish.
That c.ovcrs perhaps the most iln port:mt
authors a nd lhcir v.:orkson Siam to appL'ur in this
coli eel ion. As \Vidt cvct-y collect ion. thert! a n::
gaps. some of which may be impossible to rectii)

72 Frihltiml of Books tram lhct c:ollcr-tum of;~( L. Mana Jum..W1
ght•.w·hri(i wmd~ na,·igatieu drr Pnrtugalo.rsers
in Oritmten· (Amsterdaml595). Jnd \'an Vliel"s
'Beschryving van hc1 Komnggryk S1am '
(Lcidcn. 1692). published by H:wring In 1be
snwc year, Haari ng r~ Jso p1·oducctJ the anonymous
Uutch accounl or the French !!.\pulsion
from Swm. 'Amrmerklijk en :\'aot~krurif{ V(~rhaal
tft•r .)'tam.tnmkeringe" "'' laaht in 't.ltw,./688
in Siam \'Oorge\'lllli'll . .. ·. t\'\ well a.s an
anonymous life of Phaulkon. · tl1'l L.:'"" en
Dculc11 \'OU d'llf!er Cun:rlollf)'lt Phdt~lnm
Uul \\hat we ha\c Hl 1h1~ colh:-ctton are:
ccnainly 1h.: mo>1 imponanl publicauorl> oflhc
pcmxl, "hoch in 1he years 1685 1(>88 w3s
panicularly •g•lawd, and wh1ch led a \'11.'1 falloul
111 1he publishers' I isis of 1hc period. The
chan1c1crs who coJUrfbmed 1o thci\C works
somctuncs seem larger than life. and ach.:U w1th
an i n souc ianc~: which is occusionall y aston·
ishing. Fr 1hc onlinary cullel arc availahk in reprinl an

Ayutthaya Era Books
L 'fliwoil'e df's lndr."' Orientales i!t Occi·
t!enwlt!.'i du R. P. lean Pic•rre ~\lajlC!t!. rle Ia
Compagnie lie Jesus. , . Perc J.P. Maff.!e.
Paris, I 665.
2 Rclatlou du J'()yage de /!1/onseigneur
L 'et:eque de Be1yte flicc:ire Apo.'>'luliqn! Du
l?oym111te de In Codtlucltmr . . . De
Bourges. Paris, I 666.
3 Relatlmr dt•s i\1lssions des El't!SqueJ
Frcm(·uis Au.\' l?vyaumes de Siam, de Ia
Cochindtine. de Camborc, & du Tnnla'n
... Anon."flari>, 1674.
4 .lolL Jaw;: Straus:em, Sehr Schwere
Wh•tll/rwertige Dttck.wurdige Rcyscn
nw·ch ltali.:IJ .!apaJI. Jan Janszoon
SIIu)'•. A n1Slcrda ill, I 67&.
5 Rccueil de Plusieurs Relmis tm·nyc:
par LeRoy, Aux Jndes & d Ia Chiue, Av,•c
leurs Oh.w.'n·cwtms .... P~rc GLr)' Tachar·d.
Amsterdam. !687.
10 .Jounwl Otl Suitt. .. du Voyage de Slam tm
lhrme des lellresfamilit!resfait en1685 &
/(iiJ(i par Mr L. IJ. C L'Abbe de C'hoi>y.
Amsterdam. 1687.
I I Jmmwl d11 I oyage de Siam jirit e11 I 685 &
ln86 par M L 'Ahho! de Clroi.

74 £'Cibition t~/ Boob from lht! t.nll • ..-m,n O..f JJ.L \funu JulfUm
24 ftut merkf.vke nrn Van Ralph Fitch.
Koopman Tt! Lum/~11. Gedtum l'tm ·fJUI(i
I J~j Tnt 1591. Xa Ormu.•. Goa,
Ctll ... Rlllph fitch. Leyden, 1706.
25 J'OtnRC' de Gcmllt:l· S/ :!. Lc Comu:
do Foobin. LondM. 1731.
35 flisw;,·e Natun•llt•, Ci\'1'/e, cl £rclesiw-;tique
tie L '£mpirt• dtt Japon. fum.: Premier.
lngclbcn Kaempli:r. Amsterdam. 1732.
J6 Descri'plmll f)} tire Kmgdom Of Tonqueen.
1685 168~. A. Samuel Oarnn. London.
1732.
17 St,tto Prewlll

More on M.L. Manich Jumsai
Add res~ by Sum.:! .l urnsai. I I Octobe r 2001
I will havL" Lime: only to tL'II yuu a few stories
nbout two or rlwee books in this exhibitiorL
The first concerns ·wh:u nmst be rhc mos1
exciting exhibit . ..:specially fo r us Thais: /\ham
Son C/u·istang l'htic ron. by Mgr. Gamault and
printed at S:mta Cmz Church. 111 Thonburr 1796.
durmg the rc1gn of Kmg Rama I. Rack in the
1970s. my father knew about thrs work fmm a
r..:: rercnce which he fouud in Doc·tw7tll/J
JiisJoriqul!s by Dcscou\'riCres, and s-tancd a
decade-long l:!nqu iry. First h!.! went to the
Mis-.ions Etrangel'es in Rt1c d~ Oat:. Paris. but
the archivist there told him thnt due 10 the French
R ..:volut i cm-lh~ tim~: coinciding with the hook's
pubilcarion- the Missions were ordered clust·tl
and were occupied by the revolutionary soldiers.
Sint:c all t::urn:spl>ndL·ncc \vith Siam had ce:~scd,
it was impossible for books to have arrived ot
the premises. or if they did they wou ld have
been lost.
l1 wns forlunaw that Mgr. Gumault who
printed the book kept a copy. it has his signature
On lhc C{)\'CL n 1al COjl}' W::t~ in }l j ~ hOUSe :H
Chamlulbuti whicb w a~ an important propagation
ce ntr~ of the Ca~1o l ic Church. When he.
died in I X I I his belongings. including the book.
\VCre scm to hts n.:lali vcs in Fmncc. Fo r a dc;:c:tde
my l1'l1her roamed che sLn.:e l~ of Pan!> visiling
his rriends who owned anliquarian bookshops.
to make enquiries. Fin:JII}' one oftl1em succeeded
in track ing dowo the book~ and my rather
prompt ly bought il. [ remcmbct· his dauou. II
was :m historic moment for him. lo the
inLroduction to lhc rcprinH:J edition which ht!
published in 19R4. he proudly wrmc: ··1 brought
the book back to Bangkok t>n the 24"' November
19s3··. In ~IC Tb(li part or the intnrducti- 1 688, he visited the RQyal
Priming H ous~. und wu~ anxiou~ co ha \'c a
:-.imilar press se1 up in rhe Siamese caphnl.
My father quotes Duvcrdier in REFRO,
volume 68 to sny thm the (j_rsl pnnlmg in Tha1
i:.harnctcrs wns acc(lmplished in I~ 19 by John
Leyden at Scrarnporc. a tmvn near C:tlcutta It
wns .;i catecbtsm origmally wrm..:n In Bunn..:sc
by Judson, a m1ss i on~ry in Btrm>a. llis w1fe.
who learnt Thai from prisoners brought from
Ayulthaya to Dun nu in l767.tr.mslatcJ the work
into Thai nnd asked the Baptists in Serampore
IU ma.k~..: the type fact.!. My rather does 001 have
this particular work. but he has Jamo' Lnw's A
Gr(Jmmar ld tiJt' Thse- Lau~:uage
pnntcd in Calcutta in I S2~. "-·fore missionary
book.> irr Thui nppcan:tl around I X:l3, b~t they
were printed in Singapore. II was nut unlll I~D6
that pnnting wiLh the That type f:lce began in
.!durnai oltiu: Siam .\'ode:~;: 89. 1 & 2 ( 200 1 )

7h
'iiam when Jne< brvul!fll "~""" lrom ,\rncr.ca
.md the loundr) ofTh;u ~nd ChiD•"• ch:tr...:let>
Th1"' ltnnt;' u' Ul" "'Or Rradl~~
tr~nl ~111guporc
in 1h-: l11m1 Rc1gn v. ho. iu.(vrtJmg 111 ..chool
leXI lwnk~. was. ~uppo5cd lo hll\C til't !)[Jnc:d
pnmui~ m Smm m I X.J~ .
A:-; weH u~ puhhcttmg (,Jm,,ult'.,. \\nO... I
h.t\c ;tbo Mid the \1uu'lf! tll llfu~.:auon lh.st
the h:\C hc.'OJ..:-o h.t\ c IU ~d.Tlfl\\ laJ~c thal rnnuo.;
,l,mc,t .11 lc;-..1 an the hf't Kctgn s,, l.u- nothmg
l\..1 .. h.1ppcncd
I,,~·· h ..... J~ wl\h.lttl ~~~~ (~lu 1\Mng • 1 ...'1,
I' .. 1 \ 1."1' l.tli.' t.J.th: lor 1'-'14:•} rnntmg In h;n~
1wgunm Shun Pnnlllll-! .. 1111uiJ h.IH' hccn lntmn
In ~IUIH durrnt:- lht.: t\yunh.l\11 f\.._•nnJ 11r C\Ctl
h~.·hu~: IIMI nu ... "hc~llti\C 1ht: h:,hn~tlugy wa-.
IH\l'l11t:d h) lilt.' t "lunc... c u1 lc.~"''
,.._.,en .;cntun~..""'
hch11c the l·:uropc.tn .... +IIHI the < 'htnC"'c hntl
oth\11Y' hccn J {'l:tn 4'1. mJ\.'t.:tllll'\Cf\oiC.Iblc [rom.
mu ''k:ll'l} 'met: ttK ~~tmung 4.•1 t•ur hl~h-'r')
lhc ( IUOC..C IOH~Oh .. -J (\apct IR lhl" ~_., 'c."tltU~
"'" l· ......·nual h) rnnllnit hit"'·· pnnlln}! 1n the
loi' w '>' et'1ttury .. J.nJ mc.l'\ahk 1~1" h~ dtc- t 1 11
..:l'lltu~ h •~ 1hcrc1mc ,,JJ 1h111 111 .1ur ... l!,cn
,a,:ruurie .. 111 mtcrcour'c , .. llh {huM \\t: lt~11•'1•. pubh:>hed on l'an' 111 l st>O The lx>k.
nl~;,lur..c, •~ m:unl} .;thout the t."tJ1b,h.,.~ or Kos.J.
l'an to l·r.mcc m 16M> II'''· and not reall~
:1baut cenam C\ enb '' hu.:h I .. h01l1 no\\ he rdattng.
Aduall~ I cohould ha\ c: mJ

Exihi11011 of/Jnoksfimn rile coiiC'ction o..l M.l .. Mam'r .!ums.af 77
the Siarnese rook. there is a pi:Jcc ::.pparcnl.ly
called "lc truu des SiamUJS ... 1 ht~ was wJ1e 1'c
they s h~d their clorbcs and jumped imo a brook.
I beJieve the \Vencher was chilly; btu come what
may, the Siamese had to have their dai1y bmh!
'L his road. by Lh" way. is called "rue de Siam".
Ac1wllly there are lW(I more .. me d e Simn"
in France. One is in SajnL Marcel,~ small towo
"""r ivhuoci lb . It lead!. 10 ~ lccas l l ¢ ofOc Phra
Sakdisongkhram w ho was Admiral of the
Siamese Navy and Governor or Aangkok in
16S7. In Fmnn~ ltu: Oc Phra go..:s by the nanlt.'
oi'Con11e de Forbin.
TI1e o ther is in Paris, m the l()c arron·
d1Sst mem. \Vhcn Pnm:c Prisdang fa ~srandson
of Kmg Rama Ill) established his legmion 1hcre
in 1882. he insisted thnt 1he. Paris Municipnlity
name lhl! SITCCI in rront oftht miSSion in honour
of Siam. Prince J>risdang \o. 1 :l!l. ambassador- 10 12
couniJies in Europe and .'\.me rica from I H80
1 HR6 :ind he fore mnving tn Paris had already
cSth"d his ilrsl kga1ion in Lonuun iu I 880.
I lis principal achie,•emems were 1he arduous
rcncgntialions of ccrlain aspccls or the
Bowring Trcaly with ~1IILht: I I u-e.aLy powers iu
Europe. 1he sening up of the Siamese post and
telegraph services :H the internmionallcvel. and
h~nc~ lht prmting o f Lh~! iirsl prOper StampS.
and. most incredible of all . iuiliating •he fu·st
Si-nmc$e Constitution in IRSS. He was a relent·
less ''lmvai!leur" as attested by his publicatioo
of ~1e SJ((te l'upet·s uj rile Kingdom of Siam
/66-1- IS86. published in London in 1886, whic11
1s on display in th1s exhibition, bL~sidcs Slacks of
correspondence ami repons to the King and
Prince Devawongsc. ln a way he also hact some·
ihing w do with the Siam Socitly which is suon
w cclcbnnr its cc n lcm'lry~ because i1l 1884 he
hired a you n ~ Oxfot'd postgraduate lo come nnd
rt-place f\·lr. J\ labastcr 1 who had j ust died. in
o rd~:r 10 work on I he cs ta b li ~hmcnt of thl! Na·
1ional f\·lu:-..~um . Thi:; Oxonian, by the name of
Dr. Fmnkfuner, became 1hc founding Honorary
Secretary of Lhc Stam Society.
The rn ..·el of rhe LaH',' 811ddhism ••. by
Henry AlabnstertLondon. 187 1 ). is anolher rare
hook on display. I wish H.E. Privy Counsellor
Air Chief Marshal Siuhi Sv"tasila would come
and see i1 since he is " di•·eet descendant of Mr.
t\laba~tcr ,
In ~;lghl ighling Lhc ~bovc ~:pisUIJ L'S I hopL~ I
ha,edemonstl"dtcd 1hm old books are nol"dead".
If anything. they :ue very much ··olive" and :L5
such a source oJ' e-ndless i.liscovaics and juy.
I should end by sa)·ing I hat my wife. Khun
Su1hini. who has been worki ng very hard on
these exhibitions. was l~lc c.-:d with the. most
dtfficult 1ask of d

On Books from the ~i n eteen th Century
Add r~ ss by Michael Smi1h1cs, I I Ocwber 200 I
AI m~ la;,l kcturc, I b;:g;tn "uh ,, quote from
~h .. ~~ .. pcan: conccmmg one of the carlic.st
Ira\ cllcr; 10 Siam repro>onlc-d in1his collec•ion,
Ro lph Htch. Titis 1i mc I >hould hkc 1o sian by
consldcrnlg 1hc book trade and I he t'enchng public
m the 1hrce cel)tunes CV\ 1 t.:J't.:d hy the cotlcction.
ln thi..' 17th and 18' 11 centuries. book!t were
hennufully pnnlcu lin rng M linen paper and
hand;;omely bound m lcath-.:r They were not
cheap ami the read in~ pubhc \\"' limned 10
1ho~c '' ho wen: '"calthv and cduc:ucd. Uut this
changed in ihc 19': ccnrur) bccau>c of
lcchnology introduced bel\\ ccn I S20 and 1840.
By I S50 ''irlually all hooks \\crc made w i1h
wonct hnsed ac.idtc paper. which was fnrcheapcr
and ca"'ier 10 produce. 'fhls pHpcr gave books a
lununl ,hclflili: (I he pages lend w fu ll ro hits in
)Our hands afrer a umc) Co\'ers were board lor
p;.lpcr tn France. whcr\!' reuUcr' \\ere C\~""Cted
tO get thc1r \·olumes bot•nd. lnghsh- languag:e
publishers onl~ bc-g-.m produclllj! p.1pcrb:.ck.., in
large numbers in !he I'JJQ,).
1111' meant tha1 )l):JI ccniUI') btx)ks ..::ould be
mad"" a' ai lablc to a far wider n u c.hc n c~: Lhan
nrcviously {D icke n ~· fin.t cdili,1n:,, fo llowing
s~.: rial puhlica1ion. could ru n into tens of
thvusanc.l:t of copic~) 1-.ducnuonn l rcl(mns m
the \\'es1 led 10 greater lirentc) ond ohc crcauon
uf a larger market for book>. rmd the new
rcduuqu~'S on book producuon promil'd the
cducared noassc~ '"'h books dtc) could arTord.
Anmh!!C change \\hu.:h uccurr~:d in the I~
ccniUry was thai hooks "ere no Iunger dc-conned
'' ich Jargely imaginary cngra' 1ng~ on copper
rl111cs. From llte middle urI he ccmury us~ was
llHt..h: of ph()tngraphs, tll tir'!lot reproduced as
c n ~rnvings . and thi.!n II1CI'CU~111g l y. as the
h:chnoi,1SY improvcU. tl!f Dideror ~nmercd
mfonno111on :1bo111 dbl3nt land~ they were unhJ..cl~
to 'hit t3 trndilton wh1ch contmUI:d Ill
the early p:.trt nfth~: 19'' century. as cnn bl! !-~

Enhahm of flaCJk,'ffr()m the rallt«·timr t~{M. J . Manit .lum.vai 79
/89f,. /89/i. #~6. 94) und A. Cecil Carter ( 1904.
1'112) are foremost among those. The latter's
comp~ndium. The Kingdom of Siam. was an
official pub I ic :Ulon produced for l11l" Louisiana
Purthase b.xposi1ion in 1904. mid wa::. r..:pl'imed
by the Siam Society in 198R on tl1e occasion qf
tl:-: seventh cycle annh•crsary.
In my prcvtous speech about the ~xhib11ion
I refeJTed mainly to the French and their 17"'
century puhlicati,ms. This time ic will rather he
lhc tunl of E11glish wnlcrs and pub lic ::~uons.
thou~h not exclusively so.
The tina a utho r or cnnscqucnce i:-; George
Finlaysou (1110) who::.\." report on a .\/lssim1 to
Sifun tmd Nue. the rapital of Codrhr China, in
the yt·m~\ 1821 1 wn..s published in 1:{16, rwn
year~ bd0rl." thac ufCrmvfurd. Lhc k•atk·.r of his
missiOn aod a fdiO\\~ScoL rinlayson, like
Crawfiud. w:1s n medical doctOr wht published description of \Vat Phra Kaco.
Finlayson's chief of mission was .fnhn
Crawfurd, buni' ul 1783. He studied medicine
in Edinburc,h and in 180~ went to India :1s an

.tn cnt~runmng or init'ntlaU\ c: ~k. ttur n d.l~
the indehcatc arrn..'\ac.:h C'l the more
dl.'ln(lll~tratc:
ICt'\ cn1 mis~n>na.nl.~ at dm. rl..'r11l\J
An allngcther d1ITef1!Jll r•:r..,onahl) wn> 1hc
F1 cnd1111"""n~· h.shop ol ~ l:tll'''· \lgr.IC3n­
llul•l i•llal') He "nres a ~al deal Jhout Pnnco
Chutharnani. younger hwthc:r ,,,·lhc futlli'C King
\h>ng~ut. and "ho""" •rl"'tnled ::.t.:.•nd Ktng
un lhc death ('If Rama Ill. ;\c~lc clc:~rl~ :tdm1red
1he pnncc. and became h1' aldc-.l.,.,amp beiore
rctummg to LnM,Iand m J )\4~. !\~all! nc,·::r
tr~t\cllcd 10 Starn. apan hum a lnJ' w ·\y\Juhaya
ami uround the shurc' nf lh ~ C iul f He has a
nwrkctl UtiJIUi.JC uf VIL'ttlri,Ul \tlpa:rrorlly wh1ch
1" ol1c:n 1mtatm~. but ·• frc,hn...:"'' and \'lt_!l1Ur
thnt Ht:lll\· (•thcr aca:c,unh 1.11;" \ lh:r h..~\ mg
S1;1n1 he ffi\l\ c..J hl lht: \ htJ\JI(o f ll'-1, .JnJ \\ TOI(' .J
b.t4tk .th..'Ul hrco C\f"COChft.'"'('. lhC' ht.-.:~\, lln '\r01m
folio" C\lllus I k cl•tmod he made nole> durmg
hh -.t..l~ and hJd ... a preny n:h:nll\c m~:mory··.
The Olli.c llhc ' auonal nluslt31cd L1brnry,
h1\ pubh ... hcr. mamwmcd t.h.at the cn~r;t\'tngs
found tu, lkx,k ''ere ··prepared rrotu cJru,, 111gn of Bcnlham'-;
W\'rlr..~ 10 II \ulum~ m Ul-1.3 Uc \\U" t\lth,;c J
\kmh.."f'oll'.ultlmc.."1lL.l stu:c~,ful h~n1n \\rHcr.
3lld mlr•-..luccJ lhc liN dtiarn• .1nJ Cochm l"htna,
.J1"'4~ ~l!'r. Ulg ,h ~m em or nod conuntuHh:r 1 n­
chtcf of ll~ng KtJng. He returned 10 Rnuuu 111
I S5'1 (al\cr h" and h~< "iie"'"" ncarl) fl

£rihirfnn rJi Books {rom rh~.• L.Oilraiurr o( \f.L ,\lanil Jumsar 81
King. Mong_kut. who w~ an'iious to prepare hb
country lor mcnt.ablc rciOrm.
Few of 1hc ou1hor.. n:prcscnled m1hc cxhtbll
owe the1r pnbllcnHOil" to senal pre~entauon.
bu11hc grcal cxplurcr Henri \loubOI (u50. 67-
o~lts nncxcep1ion. Ills work firs! oppe.1red tn
Fr{·nch HI 111nc con ... ct:uttvc 111 ~almcnL m I ~01
111 the pcnOdJLul Tour Ju A/fmdt.· \\Jlhthc tnk
rrn·ugt.• drws 'l'.\ r(l\'tltltlh'.\ Jc: s;,am ,Jc
('amlwd).!«' dt / .atJ\ ,., '"''' i'\"/hJ, II•'' th· /'hulo
Chrn,•, llluslr;Ul'd h) c;ngr:l\ mg ... h,l,..:d nn
i\ 1nuhut '' tn\'11 !-J..ct~o:ht:!-.. The more c\IC:n''' c
Fngli'\h ~:d J imn ,,f th~: j,,u,m;ng yc .• u. m '''"
volume,, \V:l!O puhh:o.hcd m Lt.mdt:m by \1urr.1j
w1th 1h..: npp1nval of the aulh,,r·~ ~ur\'1'111~
IHnuly. ha,cd Ill Jcr~cy: unfol1lHlilu.·ly 1l\ tltk
\va~ less m:runuc. mnk1n~ ;.llnl!\ta.J..c 1n lhc d.&l1~
fV1ouhol was Ill the r'71!Htn: trc11VI.\ m IIJt• Ct•ntral
Part\ ,,, /urlo l"lww (.\'ltJmJ c·ambf.i,Jra m1J
Lm.n. duum.: lltt.' tt'an JA5R. JSJ,(J, ontf f,\60
!he ~rauurt> rhcrc arc.
1hnugh. cc1n>tden>blc dt tlerenc~ be1ween 1be
l\\O cd1t10n~ ; lhc- Fngh"h cd uton has more
sctenufic mfonnauoo and 1~:» comml!nL t.h!!"
French edmon tncludc;a; pan oi1hc ICXIIencr>
In hts fi1mil) anJ ha..;; much about the. nt\\ French
Con5ul m 13ang~ol.
This great explorer and na1urolis1 ts !amus
fc•r hcing. cn:difed with lhc disco\·~ r: of lhc
ru.iru. of Ang.kor. ,omcl.bmg hL· Dl"\ cr daimcd..
being well all of
the !!xplorcr Mungn Jl:~r~. :md :,;ettlcd m JL-F"I!'Y
111 lX5(l, pn ~!'H hl y •hkc- \ ' 1t1

Jo..".\ihition of Boob /rom tltt• c:"llt•c:llon o_{.\f L \ltmit Jum\.(11
probably had nnl rc,dizcd lhat b ri ngi n ~ mtu the
pnlncc a forcogn lady teacher full- 111nc w:os
bound to leou 10 pro blems. She claimed her
hcoltb broke d•>W!l nnd decided to leo,c: ; he
~a id she recc1vcJ. no i ncr~ase io ~a ltai'} during
her live and a half yea" in Bangko~. and hdd 1o
suppon her duut!hlcr at school m London She
left 1n l\ovcmb 1hc truth.
\1o n11.m1inn IS made of Mrl) LeonO\\~ns in
tho work by de Bcnuvoir (~ 5 8, 62, 76), 1hc first
pan of w h u ~c J 'o.\·age 11UI.JH11' :-olonanl!'s).
De BcJU\ Oir was born in IH46 in nmssels
where ht:, f~1 1 h ..::r wa.'i Loms Philippe':-. t:ltari!J
d "aj /mrc.< l ie 11 ns Hlkcn to Engl:md by his (a lh~r
10 1S4S on the

E.rtlritimr

Fttluttmr of Bun(\ from tht! r·nllt•,·tum nJ ~I L. lhmll Junuai
rccei\'ed 011\er a..'Coladt-; and h.uln ha" 1..--.:uckoo
he d1\Co\·crcd in Bomeo naml·d Jftcr him~
\Jury Lo"ina Cor• app¢3nt Ill Llock 's pages
as one Ol' l\\0 "c\ tdcntly dts a rp~lll t Cd ladteS or
nuddlc age" assisting au American 11'11SSionary
COt1ph.: ( who:>c name he a pp e a r~ It) g~:t wrong)
"dotng good Christian " ork in the way of
t1.:~1ching a few :oung !)iarnc~c" in PherchaburL
\1 b~ Cort wrme extensl\d) abuut th\! mwn in
her Siam. or tire Heart of Furt/r(·r India f r\cw
York. I R86. =75 ). Arter lcannJ! Phetrhabun.
'he worked "in the lield" on Chian& \Jai, \\hose
1 n1Mbuanl3 she seems to h;l\ I! 4.1pprcciat lbundcd 10!-.ltlution.
The rwo pubhshcd an tn\entO'l of Cham
monuments in 190

E.xtbithm of Books from t)h.' wfh?ciion o(M.L ;\!lanil .Jum.w1 85
own nn Siam. P. A. Thompson. T.otu.\'lrmrry rrm/ pmple ofsourhern Siam ( 1906)
wns nnother residem wbo productd a book on
Lhc cow1try, and Lhc choleric Sir Henry Normnn
~l.P. pubhshed The peoples and pollrics nf tlte
FCir £as1 fl907). which is unlikely 10 haw been
well received at the court of King Chu lalongkom.
l11e Burney Papers. dating fTom
ll~nry Burn~y·s 1&26 mission. w~:rc assembled
in 191(1, bm still trwait close nncmion. There
arc undo1,..1btt:dly mher volumes nod nuthors rhat
r11igh1 be add~..·tl to thi~ Jist. Having said that,
tho1,..1gh. 1he present collt:

Bangkok Era Books
/-:'(pn.t.f! Stali,li~ l'"idssiuuiL'S des Natima. . JU..\1}11 'ci Ja
l·m du \'VI{/ Slh/e. Ttllllc II. Anquclil.
~nri>. l S21.
5 Pre111 tilt.' (icJl'emor­
Gl·n~,·ral ullmliato the Court\ o{Smm nml
Cu •.-hm (/ww Jolu1 Cru" fuN. Lund

E:clllllrllll u/ floob jrnm rhe C'o)fct•twn ol M L ,\/mut Jummi &7
25 I 'onsge" Adrunturt'ltt rlt· F.·nrnnd _\/eude:
Plnm, Traduu du Portu~m ... par JJ. f'iguier4
lome I. Ft."mand :.1 Pmto. Paris. 1830.
2.6 l't>l age.~ Adwmtureux de Frntamf ~\Jemie.:
t~inm. Traduil du Porfii$! XJ'f dc•ptll.<
177~ jtnqt~'cn Fill. Tome IV M.
Sonncml. l'am. I ROO.
~1lit fmhr.IHtldt• cit! Siam au XJ"I/ Sicdr fL;
RoycJWtlc Thai ou de Sium A.ujourJ'Imi-.
lii.EIIcnnc-Gallot;. Paris. IR61
4
...;9 l,lumlcun tht' -Jdw?mW'I!r: or, th._~ F.urnpr
awi 111 tht) Ea.:,t A Rommlllc lJtOjti'Pphy.
\Vil hum Dalton. London. 1862.
50 / /'(IIV/.v ttl tlte Cimtral Pal'/.\' of'/ndn Cltlnu
(Si(ltll), Cumbuclia. and Laos. tlul'/11~ tit••
.'

5 1 1 l.o1nd nj tht• rl7lllt' Elt·ph,mt Emhrcmn;;
tht.• Cuuntno o} Burm1.1 .~I•IM (.umbodw.
"'"1 rodtln-Ciunn ,,,., J.\-:1. Frank
Vanccnl London. IS73
(,1 I J >wuonttl)' n.t rJrl! Sr.Jmc·_, •. J.mr!-.'Utlf!C. D. B.
Rmdlcy Banghoh. I X73.
h I l.und ot tltc H11ttl' thpluwt Fm/lrcJ, mg
tire: tmmtnt.~-~ ut 8U11ttJt S1am ( tJmhrJiltc.:
owl Cm·h1n-('lunu 1/\'""f f.,·:) tr.ml
\'m\.:cnt, "~'" Yl,rk. IS""J
(,2 .1-n "'· \"it1m Ct.ltflmt I UhH!• 4utou,. .!u
\(mrdc l c ( nmlc de Be-.tU\ un I'm .... I l'

l:'.ri!Jition of!Jrmk.-.from tht~ roll02.
I 08 Siam 1n tlw h ·e11tieth Cen/111:>·. J.G.I).
CumpbdL London. 1902.
I 09 General Report on lrngatlon aud Dramage
in the LoH't?r ,

Thai Word Co inin ~
In ,·,/tt,·d \f'n'l. h ,., II R II l'rmn· U ur.
rJ .uth41,•tJ.on J.:r,,mnnm \ant,/hrp RtmJ.:•
f'''''''W'IIt rll the· Sr.rm \olmrlc n:nd..:nng.. t.."3.,ih unJcr-hk.)tj hut ""''
.11:1. urJt~ lo\ ang- \'ajtn\-udh came uut \\tth
,-ub,;~wJrdt dmlnka. '"-hJCh m a ""'hnl.arl~ \\,sy,
:"'lmuld be l'r\"ln~~un-.:~U .\alra~.tnmarar am.•nJ:..,,
Ptn "'"'I) \\ tth tnu m•tnY \ll t~li:Ct

9 1
ll1crc \\a~ a riesi r~ lmer howe\er. to lM\'~ unl~
!hr lor the 1mllals U.S.A So rhe nome
IS: now "aharof mm.'nku. vY~th 1hc ubbrcvmlmn
S.R.A fnr L'.S.,\.
The lc~soo 10 he drn\\11 here. and at IS 't:1!
unponanl lesson. 1~ LIMILhC' rh~ thm ufthc w,mJ
..:oincd must cnnfbrm to th.u r¢(\Uln.'"d b~ tht:
gcmus ulthc l.snh'1Ja1;c
M) first .:~rcrt~ru..:c m u'mmg i1 Th111 ''"nl
\\!I' when I h,uJ 111 find .1 "'1rd l()r 'rcrMt.HH"'In· f
e:mlr hark wnh the tc\1 ul th~o.· 1 rcJ.t~ HI
Vco.;u ll c~ nml. nn JPmmg the- h1rc1gn tlffi~.:c . I
\\:L' g" en pcm;< lt~lll ~ l.JUC..,IIUil' tu ,lc~tl '' Hh
01' cnu~.: w~ hoven Tiw1 comhm~:d \\t.trJ
lUI 1 1Cj1iii11(WI1' A'mr nwm hm A hun /Jr hur II
'' very hmg nnd ;1wkwanJ "hen U.!\ctl ;1.' Jn
uchccll\ c 111 I he phnL\C Rcpnrmwn ("hum 4.1r
Jkp.:U.11101l l "UUIIIHSsiOJI.
Nuw I h.ullc~rncJ < •.:n1111n h~· I he phllolo~l ·
~.:ulmethud uru.J lht: tutur tuM me thut dlt.' Tcutun"t,
nt'tt:l lhcu rupture.• of Rt.Hlll' "',,,).. t'h'l ittun.sn
(.',, 1luuoun um.C IC.H .tlhll,l\,1 rc.·nn' lnln"ifk.l mto ( iemmn furm H-.: thc!U L1ught
flh! I he (n:lllliU1 p11.:fhc:' JJh.l il [c\~
I could form word:-. :Jnd .. c.: I! l\)f Ill~ :,I! II ri:.1r
cxumplc, cmschrc.•Jbt:O m."'mhc, ht·\cJrn•JI)f.·,
dt!st:ra he, Jllllt'rdw.·r},t'n-!illbscnbe. illut·lrrc•J
h('u a ..;cnhe. etc.
So I mad!! :m ~xpcnm~nt I kne\' •. Lhal Pah
TOtlh "'-' t.h.tt
Jnc.l San~knt bdong~;.'d 10 dtl' ~me farm!~ uf
bngu.tges ns Grt:t.:k and L3tJil 1 t""vund out Lhdt
the t:qu1\'uh:nt in Pah uf the Lntin preih rl.!'- i'
pali- and not knowLng um: word ur Pnh .lt Lhc
11me. I go• hold ,,r Cbdder"; Palt-Engh;h
Dictiomuy and l

\\ ord \\ h.:n we: intTl' uf the tcnn' U!oo.:,t I h.t \ ~,.· \\ nttr:n ~
huo~kt "'Piainmg thcu prcca(e mennings and
lhcn: have heen man} r

H .tt.H . I)RINCt WA:-. WAJIHAYAMJN Kt

Based on '!otc' from 1 hong,uk llamhongcbil
Wat C haiyaphrukmala, Taling Chan, Bangkok
K
""'"' fonnerl' as \\a1 ('haiyophnok. 1hi>.
lt:mpk dates 11"1 lhc: wnc ui ·\yutth>t)"'J hm
h> 1hc lime ufthc lir..l reign of1he ll;111gkok ern,
\\'a1 l'hniyaphruk hJd been uhanSor. Kin~; Ram;~ II. hoWC\Cr.
orucrcJ the temple reCOibtructcd und J'fO\'Ided
buth.hng matcnals a.s well a::. :;om namt: ot' Wac Ch\liyuphrukrnni:J as :1
royal 1emple sc-~.· ,md clrL ...... 1hn1 i1 \\'3~ ready for
U>c. TI1e temple IS lo~alcd 011 the ca~t bank of
tho Mah;e;awat Canal (abo ~ """" as Khlong
!\.uti where It conn-..-cl.,. '' uh Aangkol ~01 Canal.
The construc1ion of other "itntcmres in the
lcrnpk. mduding. J school ha.' c'm1inucd umil
1 he prc>enl.
The name. ' ChJ1yuph111~, l!lcrllly mean>
"VH.:hlriou"i Plam (or J'n.:cr· i:-.ul:-:o kno'"" morl!
conlmtmly "~ A~ fum ( C'a.'l.\ictjistulu) and hclongs
to the lt'guminv.'ial! tlun i ly \Vhy tlu~ n~unc was
gt\Cn to the temp i ~ ho.i!- ht:..:n l(.,rg ..' ll lo!ll but tlu.:
tr~~ b used
,,, lmullaN, such 3S ill Baog~u~ and Yala. ha\C b=t
mad~ fr\)m the wood of lfu:-. 11"\'c thJt is alw
OChch.-d tu ~nng good funum:. \ltJ/rJ mean~
g;.ul:md.'" Kmg Rama IV'~ rendnung gJ\c the
H:mplc the morot.• •tu:-.pidous IItle nf"'\'iCtOJH)U!\
rrct• (J:Irl.md". In Enghsb Lhc Ln:c IS known :''i
Golden Shh•PP'"l'· and other
pUrpll~'-
1 \ C 'hm......;c basket usuall~ ma..l

Chri" Baker, translator
T he Antiqurian Society of Siam
Speech of King C hulalongkorn
'7f·amlawr·:~ imrodu£·tion} Th1' 'f'C~ch is a
1 key te~t m the h~>tOI")' of IIIJI h~>tory. II
\\a~ dclh ~:r~.:d m 19117 as pan o l cclebrauo ns for
K mg Chulnlongkom bccnnung tho longest
1'\:tgning king of Siam (M!\! ~nd n l ttC 32). It
tn ~tugura tc d u society whith devoted tt.sel f. over
lh\! foiiO\\·tng ql13rtcr-ct:ntury. to unearthing tmd
fl\th li'\.hing_ old tcXb. l'wu hi,tvrians ha,·crc~cntl}
drawn anemion tv the ~p~: c~.:h· ~
UllJXlrtanct:. Thongchai \\'inu.:h:.t..ul .:all.. 11 ··a
landmar~ of ht>tuncal ""holal'htJ' m Siam" '
\ 1.wri7io Pe1eg£:i note!> 1b auempt h) crciltc -a
UnlfUm'l hi~ t orica) me mol) ...' rllll Of the t Ull'fC~I
of the s p~:cch 1s U10:1L Lhc memory 11 ~ketches 1s
\'CI")' lhffCTCI\1 from I he StalldarJ!>cd \'Crs!Oil of
l'hnt lmaory which evolved over thl' t'olh.)wing
hn ll:c~ntury.
The n.:mon.' ~ and cuunlru~' uphulc.l th:11
the h1MOJ) • t\t one·~ nauon and countf) '' :m
mlpur1.:tnl m;utcr to be kno"n ck.ulr and
JCCWJtd)- thhlUt;h :-.tudy ::~nJ lCJ\.:hm~ It J'.m~ to m..:uktJI1..'
IL'''C uf \lite', nat inn nnd land. l).uJ CV\'Oh ,c,·vc
..., n:.mindl.'f'i "-'If\\ hal we $hoult.l .:t\ tlld ~u HI pn.:vc:m
h appi.·ntn~ ·•W"Jtn "' tht: umc ......... :u-: ''dot:r'.. m .....
.u.:hl" In u rla} Good (\ t"nl' ma~c w. 10~(\ll'.:d
md [tfOUd hl m.U.~ thmg' a.... g\,.,td Hr c:\t:n bcth;r
1h.1n before \\ hoc,er :lolltche:oo ahuutJu, '-=''UIUI)
'"lh ~l"'-~t 10h."n1 "ill ge-t only ....-atuablc ~nd .. t
~md lll"'l hl,unc • ..~~ I've alre:t

96 CtiJUS 13 ·\llER
be compiled into a cominuous hiswl'y nvcr I 000
yean;.
ll1etc in: arc
ha~.:s or,Wdi'' .StJIJ existing tO thiS day WIUCh the
rulc.1s ofD var'dVilli rcn0\'1-Ucf the d ty . . A.Ithougb all these were
rcnov:ued. and 1hc chrmw::l~t' iu eaBrate chromcle:-. which tlcall with thcl'c
m:au..; r

97
old entlu_gh, ~ I h;n-1.! )atd. and ~ dtd nm pr~
(M .t clearer -acrounL 11·, \1..-r)· th ... tpJ'()mung bu1
I.!\ ..:n m my lime I've heard inlfit'l1:u11 people
fc!lalmg llll)t:h malcrml • .tbout I-\ rung [),aravau
h~yond those comrulctf lltln lht• 1\l)'nl chrolllcles.
I hll tht.::y arc not 111 any t'Ccord. :t only rass«.:d on
b~ "nrd nf mouth. ThO$' l:.utOp!.!;m:. tU:I) he cxa~gcrrncd
Jml buy lui'
Cf) nMk~ n.:;tdcrs b..:colllc f~1 :;..:u t !ih.:d
vfbook ... T :.Jkc I h.: ~,;tm ph: r~pca1cd C\'C[)'\\'herem
rrc-::cm that ~luatl.£! r1ut ha' :1 p;,lacc under
\\.ala In Charo no·onc 1.""4.':t~~ lrnm \hi~­
M~f.! thtnL.wg lh;J.tln::.ats u.. c::nh~:r :as Chtnese or
,,.., barb:tnans "·hodo \;lntm' unu-.u.1l lhtng:;. Tbl:
u ·'Y 10 :1ppr3isc aD)' h1~tory It~~~~ h'rl.:'tb-'11 oountne ..
'' 1~1 u ....: the unpnr11tnl pm'tl.:tJ'!I.: of ~~ll1 JloHby~·
nt\J lhtnl\lng rmm the Th.u pcr>pc-cuvc. If an>
hi,tor) differs fmm lhc tr.uhtiun !tnd way of
tln uk mg Hr we 1n1c Th.u/~ we .. h(ltt1d t:un~Jdl.!r 11
.:Mctltlly tlrtd nul nhh I( I bch~\'C~ 11
It's fonunatl! th.at l'mtn .utc•~o:nl t1m~' BuddhiSi
111unh ''ho ''ere al-.o ~thol::.r< haH· wnnrn
hr'it()(~ 10 W Pair l:mi.!U.:•¥C of hew. rt!h~too '""3:-'
C)l~lbh,l\cd 1ft COOntnes Of tht" iC~KlU There ;tl'C
al-.o \\ 1t1lcn Justonc-s of couruncs counted illo. That
such OJ., Lanchang :md Ou:~n~ \hn \\ bJC:h m3)' he
lnvc:-II J:,::ucd lor the U"Ut1u: t1h.")" han:. Y cl we
oticc1 1 rc: 11 1 hcs~ ;~s rdigtous book.s. Nl)b(td) luoks
lOt' tlu.: h t~t(lt'l~n l nlc~uunl!. v .. hich can be combined
with the chre,niclcs or the country'~ hi..:tut). As a
rc..,uh. ch..:rc nrc ccn:~in p.:-riods lor ''hich "..:
coum~1t 'C\: ,, \\a~ w n.."'t.t.lrth and d.1nf~ tht
nutcrul. and ~(l('c pul them a•,1dc ,and c!un"t
''""> oh.:m lunhcr
Wtlh lhl\ direcll'"'" and conunllm..:nt. \\&:
~hould ~UCCC\.'11 A:-.1•\t: already S~ld. C\CI1lhOu~h
1tu~ I) rical m ntcri:.t l t~o or th.:
COUillt')' or Stam lor 1!\t:r~ .... , ty,::• C\l!l1 r.acc.
t.:\ t.:r~ tl~·n.~,~~, ~very era tv comp•l~ J. ln,tmy (It
S1a.m ,~,-c:r the p~-.t 1000 ~---ron.- Ttus hbh>r\ mu''
s-~;ut . from the! ~..-.tiHLll ~•m.:11mc-. J.n,mn a.,II.Jn~
H.•~ urChan¢"" whtch \\"Mlht old 'dlkmenl t.lf
1he l1•.a1 ~h:c, tklwn through CbJaos Sa.:n. ( 1nmg
RJt. U11Jng M:n. S

98
is ronncd, write it dowo. and send 11 10 1hc
$..:t:r~taf) or 1J1c ~\JCI~Jy w hv \\'ill ..:t'JICCI iill l h~
mmenal HI one pl:tce WheH Lhere is cuough
ma.\cnal to pnol u;; a book lhcn priut '' a~
~(lll)l.!()fle·~ t.:(mtn{lllliun ll\ I he h lt'IOry or Sinm.
Thecontem:o:: can th~n be examm~d and t:\ alu::u~d
whtlhcr they should be ind udccl in the his!OI}' of
Si:-un The hi.; lory thai zmy person knows should
be wrht!!ll dc.wu b~~~~L~~ W(}rd-ur-mt..\uth :)ccount:o:i
nr~ rcj)\!trti\'C a.1r ... n: being fl)f.g_Ont.:u through uiJ
ltgc ..:,·..:ry dny. The sources should be i nd i cau~d
so olhcon. can :-.cc untl li_)llow them up. I r WnlC(lllC
l'lsc rcmterprcts.lht.· n l at~rial ur ha..., hcttc.l' :,uLJn.·c~.
\VC shm.tld no! be o.shnmcd. i>ccaltsc we smdtcd
Lhe fnah.-n:·•t :11.:~.:urd ing ttl th;;: knvwkdgc :~nd
opmion of the t lnlt.l . II' setuH!(nle con u.~~ up W1th
b..:~t

The. rll{iqm·imJ Sudety o{Siam Spec:ch of King CftuJ.:lrmgkom 99
!=Cr\'nl£.111 thl!' Wrmg Na clurin£_1hc t\!ign nf Ranu) I of
n~mgkuk ' ' The document W~I S probably based on
!!omc old. scattered documents J!om the! Ayunhnyan
p.:;nod. f'ru1cc Da nuC~ n g: l':h!lieved that t11e author ai:Su nf
.•\yudhyn." Chilnwit K~l '>ct~ i ri, Tb, · Rl,'\t' c~{tfyudlwa.
.t l-lt.Ho" v( Siam ill till' Fow ~t•emh and Fiti~t.wth
Ct•nlllrit.•::. (Kuo.tltl Lumpur: Oxl\mt l: ni w rsit) Pl'~~s.
1976),pp.l66-167,
~~,;rr'l ~1'r'lqj, pfw lf;k plw yc1t.
111
~£1 .. : m. kho kJr,, am.
!I ...,,,\\U1tmt;.p1tmmJu"f.
:~ ':.'lil{i1l..ll ii D~ . char b

REVIEW ARTICLES
1\ Rcginnal Approndt co Thuihtnd:
Rr n cctions on the wr itinAS or t\. Thomas
h.irf ··!llohal"" factors. 1\ •cholu.' 'I homas.
whv:,c \\Or~ ' "' pnmnri1y conccrni.!J \\ ith
Q~ea1113, has argut.:cl f(Jr an ar~a "ii\U.h\....., dppro~u.:h.
HI!'> ca ... ~ ''pan I:- that as a.nthrupolog) has come
tu cunccn' u;;;clf '' ith i.ssu~~ of hi,IOI) and
chang~.:. J rcgwn.al focw. can f'!N\Id'-" '"an
mtcnncdi.11c lc\cl of theory and analy!la)'cd ha\ oc
w11h traditiOn.!) gender categonc' and or
unmlHln.:(l tr;ldll ional ge-nder rule' I te o; il ll:lt~:,
thc:,c c.•hang..:' in rclmion tu u wurld vii,;\\ th:ll
wns u~vcr immmnhlc. hu t wfl~n.: \\~..\m cn·s
int.:r.:a,..cd mohdity W.l.:-. a rclatl\'cly new 1\!:lllu\:.
I k

WI
the sh iffing connection> of "local" and "global"
factors is an interesting srudy. suggesting, for
instant:c, thal g lohalization :>h3rpcns the lbcus
on locality rather than

IOl
ln~;.li,ic5.. wbcrhet 11.111\c \ tllagc~ or the
1\..,rth~a,.,tt!rn rcgl(ln 111 ~cnct .:tl That i.
t\onh~!a'>IL'Ilh.'T't; .an: 'C'CO -'' ··~T'IC.ll J)C3.~:UU.lo::
Af'tL'r discussing how th1' ~h.:n:

103
In these C'aJ'Iy analyses. Kar.c:h u ...;J material
on 1hc J eg1 on to dhcuss thcor for thi' stud) . he "as
Jo..:ouragcd !Tom it b.."e he h.nl hc>rd 1hat
l1sU\\~rctoolicrcc.
Hewa~ad\t~'dtochOO'IioC
a more :tmeoabll'· popuJauon IClr ht' di~~---nauon
ficldwo1rl.. and thu' he ,JoJ rc,earch wuh Phu
lhai 111 the lc'nvlands or nort h ca~ tcm Th:uland
frnm 1962 to 1964.:·
In I %9, Kil'sch "role a pupcr hn

If). I
cxlr.l·local source~ of power. This •rausloc.al
\iuncn... ion to village hfc UuJ not. however.
h\)111U)!e111Lt! all dimensionS Of (ocul >OC!allifc
Ku~ch points out, Cor instuncc. thm the mon:
:lJ:H:P'I::.:-ii\'C demea nor whu.•.h n·wdo trnders
:otUCC('SSful beyond lhc \ t ll:~gc tr'npcdcd them
frorn gaining: local r~~ p cct . Tension~ urosc
between 1he 'illage headman nnd the school
hcatlnu.~tcr over rhe ability hJ mob1liJc villagel"t'
anenuon:. und labor. "hich the'. m pan. did
lhrt>U)!h the rhetonc ul" dnclopment ,\I though
l\ung Sung emerge-d a~ a ~oc1al cnmy thrPugh
~uch mubtlinuon. on 196.1 th~> kind of
mol>ihtmion ,., a.o.; bl;mg achic\ ed only m n.:tauon
Ill the village's tt mpl..: and -;c hool, s ites
1\~t~dam cntally imcrlwiu..:d walh u nution:ll wodd
and transtocal t'rnmcworks of moth'ation and
n\Ohd1ry.
A few momhs al\er rctummg to llal"\-:~rd
lil>nttht> ticld,mrk.Kirsch dralicd a dJc. Mon. Lno. and
K lnll~r n..:1ghbors. His aim \\tl" tn l'hcus on lhc
implicauons- of n.:hgum and ''orl

105
tend to assume and .rcproduc.c the notion of
"peoples" as integrated autl stabk· su-.;k:tlcs. ln
hu:; concJus10ns to FeasliiJg. Klrsch suggested
that anthropology needed to shed the contines
or structur.al-func tionahsm cmbc.dckd in the
conventional ficJdwork IHCthodology. 1 - 1 InStead.
anlhropoJngy o;;hould become more culmroJ and
nlOI'l' hisLOrkul. ~xpan d its tcmpoml and "Patial
frnmt:works. and r.eoricnt itsd r from assumed
stability H'\ -- r~nges of stmcnmtl \ 1 arinbihty ar\d
cou1pan:Hivc analy~i~ he!.:tc3J become oppotnmities for negotiafing and
conlt'Sling :;udal :.ur.mgemcms and rn nJ.. . 1-tc
a l suqucstto n~ the e-thnOb'TMphic SUtlu ~ {\VhcLh\!r
lhey ''re 'rci'ti ' or non of 1he itutuntcrablc.
supposcdl ys~:pnr..Hc , nnd hnunclcd ethnic gn,,)ups.
It lS m lh i~ pomL m his analysts that he grmmdcd
his chum 1hm 1he "f:-1cts" of ethnography were
ch:.mgmg rmd he :lSSCrted th:.ll lhe vm·ious
accounts uf ··' tri bcs.' ·!'new I s l rue tu res.'
·societies· and the like .. were the product L11'
\Ve~acrn pret:onception" by the outsid..: llb­
!>tT\c r~.l : One imporwnl a..;pec:l of Kirsch';;
flpp(oa..:h to the issue.;;. at hand lm·,.>lvc:) u critiqut:
of l h~ k n owl~d g.; prudul.!cd by cunvcntionHI
~.:th n ugr.tp h ic lieldw()rk. imerpreHHions which
p m~t· ssc~ of ch ang.:,'';\~
Tht.: fo nt~ on worl

106
l!V01UiiOUiH)' :.tppm:Jch i" appM-.:nt in his scnling
uf upland \0\.:1 111 fum1at ion' from the more
dcmoaatk to 1he mor~ uut,,~r.ui-:. To ::.ann:
extent am: n:nt Khmer -.c..'lCi~l\ n."flrcs.ented If.\
Kin.ch m ICJUb uJ' ~ociet3l trlh!gr.suon. an
~\'Oi uuonar; mo,·e be)'unJ the dynamtc> ol
uplond :tO&.:H..'t H.;s •
1 ..j
K ir-.ch wnH~ another paper l>n :'\ndcnt
KJuncr ~oc i ety that has nnt h~.!cn publish1..·d ...
ThtS paper cr;·,tallizcs Ktr.ch ·' pcr-;pecti' < un
Solllhca-.t A'M :t' a field ol ,tutly. and ~~l\\'
d~,;.uly his me-thud of r~thi nl..1n,g an aspect of
lhe rc_g1on hy cxaminang Lhc v a lu~ orientatiom ..
that gl"'~ "+tmpL' h > particulm p ~Jilcms in $O1 ,.IC\\ mg tht! !tti:l l~
;-.:, havmg a sin ple and t.:ndunng social
organizauon. l(,uhcr. Mangrat' s It"' code set
t)Ut princ•pks of rJnk nnd relauonstup~ that m.1~
only have been en«u'c tnl·ondtuon ... uf,,arfare4
A1ong thl· \amc lint"' :lS hb oth\!r raf'eT~ on
urland peoph:s, .lllO..:ICOI Khmer ~(,)(,.'h.: ty. and the
"'loose '\~nt..: ll t rc" Jcbatc, K i n~t:h \\'it!-- ...:xploring
f'undamcnla( l(UC'I ilHh U f ~OCICial 10tegrati011.
·\II three ..&nJiy'c' :uh·anc.ed il cuthhtcnt 'is ion
ami me1hodolog1~itl framcworl thai nc\l~r ltlOk
th~ ~tructurc \lf '' ..,ontty for gr:tmerl Rathe-r.
1\:trsch ,,rr~.:n:tJ a way of appwJchmg 'OClal
lhrmntiOilS :JS th(,.' product Of (lll 1 h.'Ubr goats
nnd valuc-om:uwuons that motJ'IlniCd indtvidual
achtC\'CU1cnt und cstablish"d p.atll!mcd ~1.s of
~oc131 rel:uaonshiJh. His anal\ 11cal li-.tmC\\Ork
addrt.:sM.-d a \quid that "as conunu:\Jiy m t1ll·
maki ng, ..1nd i'OCUS'iCd equ al!~ nn hoth ItS
enduring S lJUc tu r~s ~Uld it"- d) uanuc tensions
and contrndi" li\-tll,.
Studies or llmilund
4
K1rsch''\ nn:~lyucal cmph:Jo.,1~ on \'3h.H..:
onema1ion wu' ccntrnl 10 "'I he Thtn Ruddhist
C)ucst for f\lcnt." 1 ~ m \Vhich he 31'gucd against a
Jcmmal of Ill.: Sum: Son. n-89 I &._ ~ t '!IMJl )

ikrfi.-'H'S .drtide!J 107
simplistic ~qua t ion of 13ucld1Hst beliefs and Thai
prilctices. His concem in rhis paper \Vas bolh
mcthtldologit-a·J and empirical. rocus~ing.un how
.. ritua.J provides the priucipal bridge bctwe~n an
abstract worldview and e\'erydny life." He is
interested in the long run oflltai history :.md Lhc
scl!» t)f wlluc!-! and rellg.w u:.- ~ic l io n 'hat have
:;Lruclurt.:d antbJtu.ius a.nd activilies in specific
ways. 1\t the end of his raper, hr himcd at the
possible T:Jffil lic:JtlOnS u l' ,.plorcd more
fuUy l.!bC''- hcr:::' 11 There ~rc rnany wnys to
i ntcrp ret ch is paper nn the qu~.s l lbr merit One
m. un clhnog:mphi~ anJ methodological rejoinder
lO "Luusolcl) u1
ideas and pmc1ices th\11 CI)'Sir\llize particular
oriem:uinns and dyn:1mics thai art problcmr1Uc
from .scv..:r~d alt.;rmttt v~.· ap ph)~u.:hes. f rom dlc
perspet·uve thatl>c ad\'anced. he could describe
tructure. nte paper can also be juXl

1118
In n."«nt ye35 t.b...--r~ ha_, l-o.:cn •' JTh)\cm~ru in
lkutm..l, crx;ourn~~..-d b) a numhl!t nl "e.. temc~
amon!! mh~r~. tn mal. c nm.ttll11sm and Jhe
mPnkhood --mort> rele\anC h• thc: cl;ul) h\C.:i and
p Hihl~:m) urthc That p·C~Jpks aucJ llJlicln Mvril.:$
ha\C been CI\Ci.Hit:lgcd 1 l' pc:uplc,s
lllOCI\'atcJ at: Lio n. lllt' rcla1 ions :1mong world­
\ IC\\. goal onemnuon. at: lion. and relative soctnl
uu-:grutton were lasting aiMl~tu:a l pmblcms in
I\.1Nh'~ \\ntmg.-.. and lht.!rc .,re thematiC a_s, "ell
:" methodological hnk' amonl! hi, 'ariuus
pap:r~ regarding )\0\\ he aJJr~·,sctlthc-.c i~sue:;;..
"Buddhtsm, Sex Role> . Jlld the rhoJ
F.cnnomy·· ronsuJcn:d th~ analytk·al b'-llc!S on
\\'omen·-. role vis-:s-\ i ~ pl·tly lr:tdc in rclaufln Lo
a UuddhisL worldvie\\ :1ml huw 1 he qucsl tOr
mcm pluy~ uncvt:nly Ln ml.!n :md \\flm~n ··l cxl
und Cnntcxt: Buddhbt '"' rub·cuhure of
g~..:ru.kr rL''\" I ~Ued" exp~nd!t on the~c cxplnr:nion-..
pant('ularl) m relation~ ro chan~c~ 11t Tha1
"0C1Ct)· chat brought mu~h ~tn:o.ucr mobiliry lO
the hvc-s: nf women 1h .. 111 bJd the pn:nous comext
01 p~a,.tnl limning. ··Te\1

Reviews rl rude"
W9
Southeast Asia. he \\'TOte also on modom /\ merica
and on anthropological l..hl"ury. Ht.:: appro.udk·d
thC$l' sites n·om the same analytical perspective.
;tnd thus hod olreody wor~ed out some or the
issue!\ that suhscqw:nt ~.:ri tics ol'anthropology were
calli1ig auenuon tu in thl! l980s.,
Kirsch's finished pa pers o res~ thoroughly
workcrl lhat it is: di fliculLto get a scnsl! ofhow he
arrive-d utltis insighls ami syl'lllu.· SL"~ . l'o giv(· an
im.lication of the questiuus nnd annlyses beh ind
his approach. I want '() blielly discuss

I IU
~\;unplc .. nu;ludc Chark!- UtN.:IUn;.sn. Ch:uiQ F
1\l-'Y"'~· osnd Karl JIUIII!rer '-"1! 'lru i'kxn quc~lioo~,."i.J _ \"uM.o
l'suJ•· Ktr-.c:h'!' wtfc. :)ugg~s:b th.u h4.7 ncu:r h»tt

lll
~c-riously imcndcd to srutly Li:-.u. l)c~au:,c nt thr: tim~
she highhmd:, of nonlu:m f'hailand Wch,. tlot :..arC fvr
rcs~.atch. Jtll\1! tuul l.ud~n H ~mks" accoum of their
work in I he hilL~ of Lhtang Rat Pmvmc~ in lh-: early
1960s suggests tlun lhcrc were- nullle(ou.o; WrlkuiLtCS
Ill

111 Rl!"vtt·ws .-Jrliclc:,\'
-;ity of Wtscon:-.iu Pre~:-., I 9~3 ): Co!unial S'ituuliatl.\';
Essay.~; (}II th ~ Cmm."Xrtta/l;ollon of Erlumgraphu•
Kuowh•dgt•, ~d . Georgt: Sloding (Mm.hscm; l"mvcrsuy
ol' Wisconsm Pts
1111 ('tJ!t•mlars, 1/:.Vm') rmd F.t:

113
d3h.~ or c\"("0 objt~lhJJuhlc: Tile:""· tc:nn~ Jr~ inda·
U\.: (I( lh~ ana1)1ical climJ.tc iik till! m..rtctuJ t•n "'lt'~\\e ... tcm ""'...0·
1.11c:' .100 ~uhun: ... '1 h(.'S\; tCffil\ ale: u~lullttlhc i.kgrer
thJt th~ ..1llnw fhr the: n:..:ogntth_-m ul dtOCr,:lll fomh
uf \Ol'ial organilaUL'tl Th..: ''"'' r.: I:(Hilnwn tcnninol·
\I~)' u:-.cd b; dnthropolCl,gt5.1S tolln>. MJCh o~ "h;md ~ .­
"111h6," "d nt:l(ltJm." and ".stuh:s"nnphcs th:u "'W·ci·
cc~ .. (.'tlll be ltl.e uli ll~d hy lh..: rulluc:•l ur~muzauon
th.lt rrc,um3bly holds It tog~tb-:r I he u-:~ t)fO-cll:-th 's
fr;Jtt"le''-'\fk and ta111. rath(.'r tlun th~o: ultcrrutl\ tS. 1!'1.
:a.n Jlh!'lllf'U tu refncu_, ldl!.t"' J.huul c\oluuon from
h."c.:hnult>~lc.d and pohucal ma.ncr' h• t.:t~nili'-'C' and
,:uhur.tl bctt'~ Then: ts nu c.t.~o.~ JoiHo\\CI hi th.: qu~·
uun ul IL11mnoluJ;y tQr d1fl\:r~nt .....,c,al rr.m~liC'lll..
but Wh31C\'Cf ChNC"I! i!oo 1Uade Ita'\\ olrltlll~ imphC31iOOS
h1r I hi: 'toCOpC' or anthropology.
.1: Ku-st.:h, "ru:mwlogi(,·ul Fa.: l~.ol"' ln the ', .:.nlhnJp- :!"'3 30M. ft.'f a ~nh~;d ,h,..;u ...
, ,,m ''' f\1nJ; ~tmgr;n·, rcl;uicm It' l:Juddht,ln. nnd
1hc" il)'' 1n whtch the h i-,IOl) of I n~ dum;~m h.,, l)c~o·n
frtllll1,.-.J by 0 IJnn(.lkOk·l'CntC'rcd ( llalhiiiJh r..:r'I\I.:C·
tw~ . liCe lhm.ald I) Rcnord. "Bic,:;smg, and f\nnhcm
l'hJJ 1 h\tOtul~rnphy;·, n \ll·r:t rmd Blf.'.t\fut/. w Mmtt·
/om/ SvutiiL'

114 Ri'\'it•ws Artldc•'i
Wmm..•n u/ Snutlwmt .•hir:, Penny Vfm F.~Lc.-i b., c-tl
CDcka!b. Ccnt.t
n.ud Ct)ntCXI: 13ut.ldlust St:x Roh.-s'! ( ultun: ~)j' (icndt:r
Rl.!\'lSJH!d." luu.•rtr.'lm t.'r/mologt.\'1 I I.:? ( 1984): pp.
223-2-t I These thcmm1c connection~ hmt .at w:ly~ tn
whtch Kirs~·h ':;. nuhvidual i!r1h.:lc$ rdlcctcd d i$CrCit:
but i mcrconncctcd ch:n\Cnt:' of l ~rg c1· nnalyueal
project-:
.... Kir:-.c.:h, Plw Tim: 1?1•flgum:

liS
ufSouthciiSI As i:~n S1m.liel). 1 99~). ond Ntel$ Mulder.
11mi llml_t!cts: Th~ Cttittu'l.•o(!hc: l'ublic H'ur/tiCChirmg
~tai Silkworm. 1997)
1 " $1..'c J :tmc~ C. Scnu, Wi!upm.'\ oJ rh .. • H'~n t \\ 11h 1\m a.-. d1!\gui!'cd
pollut:-::., In l•g1u ,;f ho• Othl!r work. he- would have
tn ..):>l hkcly csn1mncd the Jdcas and pmcuccs m llu;1r
OWn rip:Jtt 10 tc:rms of :nticu!altOI\' uf \\'(•rlt1VIC\\' :lwi
.. m:i.tl l«muull

lib
Elephants. dog>. chtckcn,. dead ducks­
~13nll lm c...; prof>S tl.at rll!mft)rcl!'s a ~nse of
improbabth l~. a Yisual presen1,lt1un ot'thc enigmatic.
Surely an ouL~i tl cr in his or ht:r right
mind would flee El>mgkk t~ ll c t· but a momen ·
lary ~~pus ur.:· ll) the city's ~ IWi l\lllll i ~IH. ~n J yet
it is home 10 mtlliom •. \1unil ha!'l no n~l.!d or
scrhntlllnal imngcry from bJn~ ur "-h1ms a.s h("
1!\J'O;;;e:. the li IC on Aang.kok · '!'~ ~trc~h ..
\\'e see u sl~~pmg 'oupl!!, th~ \\On\Jn on a
bamboo platform. the man ''"f'cnded 10 a
h:unmllbjc;nllh ht: 1s rowing p.1s1 1 he rc't of
the omn£c " on deep shadow tl not pore bla~~wnh
onl~ J hint of gray tone!\ ~how1ny the
rclanunp. "all t)f tlu: khlnng .:md o1her ..:h:m~nt'
on the h:1ck~roun d . Perfectl y cnmllits,·d
,lccort.illl!ilnmct.l
at the fon1 of the Jdl p nodung.
On p.t~~ JU .moth,.,- reprodu.:ed h)!hl nop
l(x.:u'c' on 1h~ back of a bicycle load'"-d wuh
""">pape-r- l'cmn~ this should "'" e hc.-.:n pnnled
larpe til' I\,..,, the nghl facing page Uhtcad oJ: or m
:uJdillon to, th.:! m:un 1mage of the 11CWSJ"',lJ)l'r
vendor autl a mndom pedestrian .shown ah no~t m
silhouette.:: a~ u 1ns t ·' bng.ln receding b3c~~ t'\>Und .
\Vtthnut rul)' pubhshcrs imprinLo; t•nc c

117
Gnud rmagc~ arc rcndcn:d ld pc.•plc w1ll he \\nn~kJ 1n
n Bangknk lith yen~ trum 0(1\\ f'~rhups tlu ... 1'
the cru;.. ''' il critlcl .. m ttl th1" b,>,•~. !lnJ tlhtl h
tlu: 11 11L- ,..:em.'> m.tJ1prllpn.,rc The B.tngk.o~ 1h.1t
Sut.H puurny~ I ~ iJ ll.mgkut ot r.:opk li\'10!!
ulung rhc Ahlt•nx\ \\ tHl..ing in tiMrkcl~ 1tnJ linng
111 wn!1dS thn.n lht: UangJ..uk oj ~1anl\
IVha1 we '"" 1111J!hl bcucr be dc ....·nhcd "' the
t il ~ ol' ~mall tJungs. Surnt :.. Hangkok .t pl.u;~
b..:aullfu ll) rrmh:n:d m blach ilnd whHc: . ..:1 tnu~h
ot' ... epi3 h101ng cmpha.sn~ 1 ng I hi.' '' unnlh 'tum I
r.:ds for h ts suhjcc£s
Hotlp,Aok SuiHnl\'j., Skl'lruin.\ "' Suth !"""
and lm!t·> !he c lly, Hoskm \\Tile< !hat Ban~kok
I ~ "CSS\:Ull::\11~ J pariJdO\ thill m3k!!S Jl
~i mullanctrucrure
proJL"l'b uflhc l;w: twenty Yl!a.J"'i"_ Hoskln suggests
t1MI lhc !oCUJI! and pat.:c \1r chungc b mor~:
.;i.&rnlfic:uu than il~ n:H\tre I h: sees continuily in
the way monks h1c,, thl' 'pnrvcou h1gh·tech
tO\\CI'). thilt lhru~t thi!lr '\a} unlo chc ~kyllue ·.
hcmmmg 1n the temple ruof The Buddlust
ltc hl quoult 1Y ·" 114.''" 111\•w.:y dOJ'¥C the
con .. trullwn huum ol' the I 1 JXO-;..
'\It tlll l\ \\C:It \l\ lc"' llUtfU~C(Ill'+ l \ 011X~tl,
prururuutb '-'Cf~ ~oruplctd.,, l!llltl1cd In \:l.l~ .. u:ul
tJrcd. JJdutc..:tur~ ptopuntuJ.l'l \\ CCl' C:;.bcntt.llto
.

l iS
em :a ho1lcun~· JUtlmg h1gh aho\·e :1 .;creel acrus...\
\\-hu:h a B\IT rain i5- tr:wdhng "' ~r .a hridgc.
IIi'\ unagc!-. n~" ui:kn" lhc ~:h;to1h: h .1 !~.Uppn r1
Ho ~okin ·' .. k·finilion l1f Jn:h1Lc..:1ur.: :1' heing abvu1
\lrdcrlng, pan of the t:l\\'irolliH\:111 lhl' I he henc l11
,,r 1he people. Ho:->ktn ... u ~'t:!C'I' 1ha1 IJ.:.mgkok
ha;, r~t:-.i...,tcLI t h1~ onJ"rmg archuccwrnll)". bm h~
prai\C~ lhc cxprrs,way ~~'lc111 o~.' un ad\ancc
chrough th~: t:1ty's nrchJtcctur;JIIIluJ".
Ounlop's lffi

~~~
Blenkinsop's \\o'I'Hmg a pp1.·an. m Lhc intro·
dm:tion, as :J feature story about mo10J'{'yc1e
l'aCtng al nJghL and llS a sJum clc:>cnpiiOil or a
f::mtl accldcnl he wilJJ("S:;\!d. In his fcalurL' h~
describes how n midnig.lu !llOIOl'cycle race-r is
doomed lO have un ~ccic.IL'nt
lin hc-'fl\1 hl1oh' rhc·lrunt ,., Ol'l'~ Pem· wr./ ./; c:a.i
,,._•rm..•ut.:, tlu-• dJI' mul thai t'ldUmg :n:rcam o{'thl!
qUal\.'S or
hgiH wh~:n BIL-nkin.snp panned :;md exposed wilh
Ius Jla.sh What('\ L'r the: nn::~g_cs . Ute phO!Of,'T'.!phy
i's alwnys imeres1ing. always good.
We k·amcd ahout th..:: ·body-sn:nchmg· work
of 1he Poh Tcck Tung Foundation, ahoul
mal.l

120 R.ewews Arud~s
gelling it published Though ~us hunk has
probably sold slowly. if only to other phoJogmphcrs
and serious collectors o l' pholo-cssa)'S.
jl IS no bad thing that the world has. this dark
record of such madness. For \Vhen. jf cvcr. rhai
Lr.:atric is .as regulated as Smbrnpore's, then 1his
book w ill stand as fan intct't"Sling his{orical
document. The comic- ~ tri p approach may be
j ust Blenkiusop'> reaclion In !he morbidity ur
ib :mbject. hul he wi ll haVOtllc
eolor images-. 204 page~. 20.5x25.5 en~ hMdback)'?
The c.hoicc of covet phOlOgraph suggests
sflme~ hil)g unu:fual-an ohlique shot taken from
ncar ground Jevel sho\VIIIg the back of a woman's
leg:; u;-; she i~ ai)OUI to walk past a sp1rit house
into a hotel. IJackground signs in Enghsh shuw
lh:lt the shot has been tnkcn in a w uris1 area, but
othe-rwise the image snys Jiulc more unti l you
open the bouk uoJ 5ee the rom iuuatiun of the
photograph on Llu.: btu.:k cov~:r. There i~ fl dog
(Out ul' lhcu:-, and ('I\'Cr-cxpuS1.'LI ) :md partly hidden
sign:. ind icaling lhe e nll'UJII.:t' to a cone,_._
hmlse. The sleaLy Wne uf1hc work is sci.
We are assured on 1l1c Jackel llap 1hn1 I his
bool'!:. autJmr is a member ofl la.LUburg's Focus
Agency. that Llus. prOJCC( is 1he 'fruit of ::.CVut Jic•vt:r
lo1 t'. Lu•·t• mtlkc.•.\ 1dl( 'ulu.nsMt• I rwl' ;.., tit~.•
tmh· :hint!, ilus: t'tl/l 't b~.• hough; fun· uml, if/rmnd,
lJ Jt.~ual11 · i.m Ulu.nmJ I ~t ~diumm fspur-.'-if rurd.t•
simph- Yott t.·an ft.:u••c tJu: ::m11• /Jut it wil/11~"·er
/na·e yo:;
Uencalh Inc li rsl of lhree pic!Urcs of Ulc
:mlhor on the f

121
Though quite a few of Nostil2"s unagcs. do
sumd fts sausl1tctory ponrayals of Lhcir subjects.
too many photographs appear lO bL' tht work of
an amateur. Subjec1s are blurred or badly
t:xposcd, compositions. urc unh:thmced Or jus1
plain bad. Oetwccn Lhc chaplcrs uf black and
while photography appear fu ll-rolour J uubk ·
page spreads. Proi>ably chosen lo s1rikc a nwud.
Lh
1ht: EasL in pr.:-fcrcncc 10 un iv~rsll:y, job and
fnmil}'. A[t~r livt: d i s~ulut..: years. dis:-.alist:Jctlon
drnve him 10 Bangkok. where he became
intoxicated and add icted to BangkClk • s bnr scene-.
Then: 1~ no ling rcmarkahle 111 this story of n
\\·cs1eru k1d gotng astray. Over the dccudt:s
m:my hnve similnrly lost themselves Ul 13ang·
ko k"s low-li iC fO r ~~ time, b ul mcrci11t ll ~· mosl
only '-"xposed themseh•cs m pnv;.Hc. To those
whn ha v~ nen~r .;e"n this kinJ of lhing. the
scenes shown on tht:"ic pttgc.s will be disturbing
if nm merely disgusting; to uthcr.; thl·)' \vill b~:
interest in g_ i r 1101 rascitlal in g. To this r\.! V i ~WL· r· ~
knlm· lt:dgc it is th ~:o nl yex l c n s i ve photo essh tirscatcd wha1 Nostilz and his publisher
ha vc mosl successfU lly shown. and 1hat IS how
Olherwtsc l'on unatc WcslCmers can b nn~
dcgr::tdauon upon themsel ves in 13angkok. -
•••
·n 1c photogrophcr.; in these works deliber·
at~ l y set om 10 look a1 asportsoflilc in Bangkok.
The fi \\: volumes rl.!\'it:wcJ ~tan d Hpart from rhc:
prolilcr;.uinn or sou,·enir and coffee-table edi­
L io n~ purtruymg lhc rd in..:d and hcaUI i ful. One
may no1 like whal 1he books show. bul the
cameras liet' less in 1hese pages lhan on lhoseprcsL·ntm,g
• bcuu Li 1i.1l Thai land'. This makes a
wch.:omc change in a cuhurl..' when! so much
tlt:rcnds upon nppe:; r::~ nce The images of
llangkok cmphasi7..c the hin1rrc if not the hor.
ror, and yet chcy abu ~ hl)W ho'" humanlly
cxprc"

123
1'he Glimpses n} Ear~\' lndo~lndotwfinu
Culwre, 1hc Colh:ctt'd l'apers u/ 1/iman:w
Bhuwn 5iarJ.:ar. gi\'C$ very vaJunb1c knowledge
of carJy lru.lon~:s i an culture a:-: well :1s South­
F.as' As1an culrul'¢ rn g~nc ra l. From this hook.
South .. EasL /\sian scholnrs m:1y prob~ fllrthcr
into various ttSpt:t:h uf t'ultural links bel\veen
Somh- Easl Asian t.:uuntrics allC.l India. Dr.
B;.n:hch:m Kuma1· of thl! I nJira Gruldht \J~JliO I MI
Centre for Lhc Art~ hu :-. done an -nd1nirable t~sl-.
of editing. \Vc an: gratd'ul tn him fnr hrint,?.illl!
10 \llh!lllion a _g.~o..:a l \'t'IUnh.' of stholarl) paper:..
hy th" late Pwfcssor H.B. Sarknndto ts one ol'
1he few emuu:nt lnd1an scholars rc.searchutg (111
I he cl:tsst"al period ofSouth-Ga>t Asw.
P1'olt·ssor Emeritus Srisurnng PooltluJpya
f\adunal L i b ra ry ~ Dcpartmt:rll \)f Fin.: :\n_'i:
Tamrii Blttih t5( '\'(~l[tJ) /at' Oewlla i.VabagnriJ ,
13angk•>k. I YY2
Dunng 1hc nlneteemh cenmry. 1hc Bangkok
t."'"htc p rodu~L'cl u number of Illustrated m:tnuscripts
1IH11 might bl' wrm~d ·compcnthn of
llmdu Iconography'. s.;;:vcrnl of \\'hidl \\l'l'c
h...:quu·ci.J by lhe Nutwnul Lihmry anrl an.•
!available (or stuLiy. In I 9Y2 the Library
puhlishcd five or them (nos. 31' J2. 33. (1\) a.nd
70l- fnr whit:h WL' urc in il:-. dd,l, hut \Vilht'lll
nny H1h.'ll!pl ~1 1 ;JTlalysi!-1- or L'Xphmalion. This
was perh:tps WJS.:'. i.l~ 1l Lc~i \ t.::s upl·n tmportanl
quc!>lwns as h) 1 he mcnning and purpl iS~;: nf th!!
n mnus~.;np b. th~: rclation~ h l p !' bct\\'CL'n rhem.
~u1d rhe SQU rccs t'ron1 Wh 1th Lb...:y were
Ct)mposcd
Ltkc m;;~n y old Thai manuscripts, Lhese benr
1\(1 dntcs, no deJiniuvc: tttlcs. and nu prcti.u.:cz.; llr
colophnns thund 10 the
p rc ·RutJU~I'fiiW !-.tory trs we hav~ it i 11 Rtl mo/..irJj
Jumnal 0/ tlu.• Sinm Sw·iel\ X9. 1 & 2 (2001}

((c.! 'liy3d3 lao~unlthom_ \',mnmw :!0 Pcmg:
r,, Rrwng Rm1mMr1i. I ;JCUit)- of .·\nthmpo1ogy.
Kn~ctsar1 l:m\'crslty, R.F 2S~9l
·1 here 1! ... souu: cm.:un,. .. runual C\'u.lcncc 1J1a1
Siam's King Narai llHl)' ha\'c scnl .. cholnrs to
cxnnunc n.:lic[~ at ('ambodtan nuns and !.!ollcc-t
StOri~s. In thc proccs ~. they may h:wc t:alhcred
:rr.nmc folk 1alcs ~rcah.:d tu c.xpiJm ..;ccne"' of
\\ hu.:h tht: cta.-.;;ical r:de~ hold b~~n l'urgolh:-n f'icc
Oh' u:r t!t: Bcmon. 1.. r,,, Rht"l L ·,t' -lmre
r·,·nituf tic: !.J Legend Jl· Rllmd I BFFEO
~~ca,innal pub1ica1ion. I'J9~) .
In .u:Jdition lo 1h1"* h~1.;i...groumi. it is
nhund:unl) clc.ar from aru~11L c\·adcncc th:u the
utllhUP\ of our ma1m-scnp1s wcrc wurkmg from
IIIUiltph.: "iOUrccs: or two reel hung. Vl~huus on
f) ~ Q. thnt on Lhc newer's lcli i-. what most
pcoph: \\'(l\Jid descnbe a~ "Thu1 art", whcr\!as
that on the right. with lis hon bc:J and rcdut:cd
'\l'a~d. nughthJ.\Cl'Omc frum .l Cambodian lintel.
for in,tanc:c the on~ at l'hanom Rung; and the
r~chnmg \'ishilu on p ~q lc.'l"k~ much rnon:
"lnc.han·· an t.•vcry rc~pc:c:t, \l'r')' h"-e the f::u nou~
•mo in Kmhmar1du. l huul!)lthcy urc all clearly
b~ the ·mme Thni hand, lhl'l'l' 't!f) tlifiCrcnt
rcdlnmg. VIshnu~ in \HlC nl:11l 11i.Cdp1 :ttlrL"Iy
incltcaiCd at least t11rcc- ~uurccs.
Then lhere are \ariations m cwwn!' and
~ustumcs: Vbhnu·s 1'\onh lndliln ·pile-of-pots•
cnmn ll>l. ~nnototed io the >lanuarditcd
Ayuuhayon onhgraphy. Thu' n

12,'i
wcll1nto the ~1xth n:ign. Thu~ willie no.31 se-.!fns
to rctl~t the old standard of '\) uuhoya. the
others ( no.32. 33. (,Q ~md 7(1 I reflect the
onhographk anarchy tl1a1 l(>llow\!rl,
No. 70. nnlsti c~ ll y lhc linuM Hf' our manusio:ript"'
is mythologically I he ln()~t dcbas;.:LI imd
Ul'lhogmphtt:ally among the mos1 COI'I'Upt.
Funhermore. u utdUl.h.:J du: mu ... t "improved'
ptctur..,, of Vishnu ami Shl\.l(p.2U7) th

126
that Thai society IMd no ncctJ for such
myLh~ as Thoi women hnd real oucial
power. Uul I am not happy wuh dus
cxpl;}lnauon as u 1S obvious that Thai
women. fbr aU thl!ir 'ltberallon·. hav.::
bt:L'fl cxploit..:d in ..:very way pos.siblt:.
Thai litcrattuc&s. full ufbuwdy humour.
J.ouch a:; [he amorous expluits of
1-laouman in Rama/..irti Ont: thcrdl'II'C'
won1.h:1-.:i \dl) Krishna Lila never l(lttlld
n place itl That ht'i:ltls.
The :tnswer lnil )' be

121
d~n..:-Jl 'com:ctitMl. for Rlm:1n!t~l •• 1 r~1011 ul
South lndl\1 from \1.l11d1 'umc nf l h~.7 Rrahmin~
,,f BangJ...n l.. may nrlg i n:11l~ hOI\C ...·,nne.
I here: ~nu,..fcm ,,r modem
,,;U'kt:trd,, mig..ht b..: dah..'tJ In 'ntn..:\\ hen: m the
mad-nm~.:h:cmh cenwryl
P ..\~) A CaturJmukh.t I in~il lh;u Jllu:.-.1 bL" of
ra n t~ .. ular ~ t glll lk~ul Ct..". CJn 11 he tdcnlilicd') 1111:
S~tl~ y :uuph U\ at.mur· '' hich
cupthtfl has ··R rn~
Jlr(•hHbl>' indi.;a tc ~ ")ynyrunhhO\':ltl ;.ttha"
P ..to On thl! n ..\ldt.:r·.., lcll u ~~ ~m·cnuona lly
un~ntc\l d:m-culg SIH\a, nght lvnl dmvn ldi fom
up .... ugg .... ~u ng lhat n was noc copte~ol I fum p. 2~ m
\ 'ol 11. but hall :mother'"'"'"" In Ju, liP~'!' right
h.n>

1~8
way in1o li1cracurc befort r haJS lc ~-tml tO
tlhlinguish them.
P.SO. A convcntinnal, very 'Indian· dcpicLion
nfthe sleeping Vishnu. One would likt• to find"
!-~OtlfCC.
P.82 . Sc·c p.JO. or winch thts Jppcars to be a
copy.
P.~J . The caption h~s "'Devaring binding
Asuras with hi$ noose'·. Shiva O\'ercoming the
lli'Oud R ish is of the l' mc Furcst'?
P.R~ . Raladevn (13alarama'?l and Devi. as
gods ol'thc First Roughing.
P.l\5 Urahil PJhiigt>ndap •nd Brah:J Mal1a
Mc"
because the Musce Guimel possesses a copy.
obviously hy Lhc ,oiaJnc hand. which hcnl"S a date
H1 the cnrl} 1 wen I i¢th \:tnl ury
P. ISS. Th. 2 1 5-2 I

Conclusion
TI1c h~It H
Dulllllt. 111111 .. u,~,.c: lht: h.'l~ll nl ~If\.,: K.un.t
\ I IIU.'Il' h,t, c been 1 C' t\ .11 ... t•l llth-·J~o~t 1n llmt.Ju
l ll)" lho l u~y. h111 l hl."~' '''-''1.. .til h.t .. cd un lngh..,h
llllthl.llhtll\ \II the .. tandaul ~ •• n .. ~flt tc\1.,
\~.a
I '-''1111. lh\.' lliJUILlrt.ll '\I.IUlC\.C Jftlldll 11)~ lh•1ltlg~.
.h 11 •'l'l'~.th Hll~ll.: RilmoiAIIIt 4.1l ;r_:mg H,;un.ll.
111.1\ 1~ 4 lllh.:rprclfi."d .:uhcr a.\ ·un•LJucl} I ha1• ''r
'hl·p~ll·,,l~ ((1ffifp1"
11h.·~c tNu tnanu~npl ... Jlhl\ hie: a umquC'
rh.mn.• ,., ,mJ~ lhndu mythui"S) ~' n \,.,..,
fl.'lL'I' L'c1 111 Sum 'l.t 'Puth lndt" ( :smtk•di.J
uud d't:'' h~1 c- Ul ..:.. u 1tcr t.:c:ntura..~ ...
l ullhrmlol r~ 1 hc~ Jlltm "' tu ~\.IMHMc .1
~·uh urt: 111 Jcdtm:. htm u \\ .,~ r.,, ~tt!l'LI .Jntl hu''
II -.lhl\1.' hl lll.J.UltUUI ll,\.'lt, Ill k•.J,I Ill lllC1110~
I huu~h the-. -.c~m L'\:~cntru..:. I ,,lJuuld ltlc h)
I'"'J'~""' thJI one ~annrrt r~all> unJ •. .-r,J.mJ
mudcm fha1l•nJ "'thout • >!Ud) ol lhc""
dl·~umc:nb. that rdl u-. \\ h.sl nUll !'I. ha\ c: cl\(l~cn
hl rcmcmh(."r a.n.d tnr;et
D.on I llndl

131)
by Nai Chin wh

131
nuenl in •he language could well have wriuen.
The \vork is n:prcscntativc o f' American libernJ
philosophies of a

1
Like prc"ioos ,.;oawloguc'-. Hurmt'}e ,lfanu­
""P'' f'nrr -1 offer>" dcl;ukd ph)•,ic:.l de.nte a
lluddiust monk - . :· 1s no I an a~.· ~. urntc
rcprcscnliliiOn of th¢ ordination stutul\ ul '' nmcn
m Buddh""' Throughoul il would ha•e been
ttS\:ful to tw., 1.' Lao tr:m:;;eript ion.., for lCrtll\ 'uch
:1' "bi!ntt-lln" And rhen: 1s little cruical
commcnt.lf) on the political context m '' lut.:h
~unu.: puhhcauon ... s:mcrgOO. St~ring dc .. tr of
pohHcal polcmh.: "tit be wclcnmc hl some
reader .... :'1 distonton to o the ~. lJut

111
Thera' ada BuddhiSm. she ha> produCL-d an en.
gagmj! analySis of the life of one Thai Lluddh1>t
nun or moechi ..\Jucchs \\'ab1's litC becomes a
"foundation, lens, i.md 1001"' for ~xam i n i ng Thai
IIHI('( hi ill genCr..tl. and U nutllbCI' 0 r iSSUCS n;·
luted tn women and llutltlbi"n 111 fhnilnnd.
Fulluwing the introdu..:,lon tu l)lwmmacarini
S:unnn~. n nunncl"} in R:uch~1buri (south\lrc-6-t uf
Rnnj!kO~I. ten chapter.. dc"clop the life >tory of
\\'ab1 from the e:\pertcncc> at l11>mc that lead
h~r to go J(JC1h to the hom.:k~' hfc. lhrough the
\ .1nou-, ob;)tach:s !:.he faced during her starch
li>r u rcli)!IOUS hk I hcse hr1h: where husbancls
nnJ IJLh~rs ar~ likely tu lcn\t.: fluuihc' m povcny
to fcnJ fur Lhemsd,·c.:;: where young g:irb may
ST'"' ur 1~ghlful cunlnbulil'n to unders1andm~ tho
asymmetry oa lha1 men and womcn·s 1hc~ a ...
they !oll

1.'-1
'hi1ts an Tha, ~t>elCt D.
uum~ of o hy, mwmg on !he work of" lh
t'l , (I :G7 . ·, e ~lucfcs rha1 !he middle go~;"~r.~!lol> rolrnc>, and !'hlk>Ugh unckna~• nrulnplc! rol.:- and b.:ha' rors. fmm
the dJ\'Cr'lf~ w1th1n the mO\ l!'O"k.'nl is admnu:dly bcmgn patrOn ll' un5crupulow,. cxploncr
difficuh 10 C"aplure on a ,:mgk chapter of a brid The rruci;tl P

13~
shif1s in lha1 sot·.u:ty. Drawing onlhc work ofn
number of others. he concludes that ~~c middle
d ass (·.dth i t~ values nfpmgm;u-ism. marcttalism.
and indi\•iduahsrn ) dnvcs not only tltc economy.
hut :~lso sociel}' alld politics. J'hrcc decade< of
cconmnk dtvclopmcm rncil it.11cd the emergence
of ~he miJllJ..: cla!>S as a force ofvinual equality
(if 1101 supt-riorlry) \ViiJt 1J1.: military and civil
h ur t.~aucrncy in pow..: r iHH.J ~stccm. Thi!>
unprt:t:l'tll·nttd import:mce ofThailand 's middle
.;lnss denvc!> from (and ~on trihu tcs t()) its
ccon0mic position. occ.upymg ct vat:uum lci1 as
I) the mili1:uy d1scrcdilcd itself dtrough its
divJsive rot(! in the t:\·cms culminating In ,\1ay
l992: 2) a c1vilian bur(!am:rat)' m Uisarr.Jy losts
gn)und to b usinessmen; 3) labor unions (_greatly
Jimit.cd by th~ Anand gov~rn mcnt) :amggle for
i'ocns; ~) neilher lhc· poli tic·•! k l\ nor righl
prcscnL'i a credible nlternmi\'e vision:

135
l:md Sfill toleJ'alC::. what might be otherwise charaGtcrizcd
as feudal b~hav i or. Gl'OW111g public
concen1 with hum ~m rights and the environment
(and appi'Opnatc li:,gJslaHon notwjLhslandjngJ has
not prevemed abuses. of tJte public mltrC"SL ·n ,csc
appc.u to conlinuc through bure:.tucrunc mcompetence
and hidJen (and wd 1-grc:"cd) handshakes
between bu sinc~s and govL·mmi.!nt.
Girting nut

~urrcndercd or made a \.""Ca!loefirc JJ:!rc!"em~nl \\ ith
th~: military regime.
In tl1c hhaorical 'Cction. llmtun puL., the
101nl Koren poptdation at 2.5 mt llion. but a more
.tccurmc ligure would b~ as much n~ a miiiJOn
higher. Historian Man in S1 11lh sttJt c:o: in Rum1a:
ln on.: that I think IIIO£t Karen
thc ..-m~h~s wOuld feel rcprc~cms them \\ ith
;.f)\.~t1un and nci:urncy.
Cht i:-.lina Fink
----------~·~-----------
KJ~ian Tcjapira
CommmiiJ.nng \larr.ism lite: 1-onnaum: or
\fodt>m fhm Rad1cal Colitur• 1'1!"-JIJj ,~
Kyooo: Kyoto Uou,ersoty Pre" .ond \lelooume
l r .tlh P.tci lk Prc,s. 200 I
I t~ar ft>r the future ul" ohi< louie red boo~ .
M ~u·.x ism -C(l n"'lmun ism hu:, been tkl'idcd hy Thai
cl itcs, ctJtno~nati nna li st~. ,uuJ ~0\ cmmL·nts nf
~II :-.tripe as alien and unsui tahlc 10 the coumt; 's
hbtor)' .:md traditions For thc.·~c rc:1o;ons it h.a~
rece1\cd ln.~utllcienr nltenuon 41"' a toptc of
.. cnou;; res~a.rch m ThaJ ... cuthc~ Throughout
lhc pcnod CO\'ered ut tlu~ book other matters
h:l\C C3ptun:d the auenuon of "XIJI scicnsl~ts.
These onclude the md of the nb-olute monarchy.
the Me of militarism. World Wnr II nod the
J:lp:HH.'S, tk..wrthclrll.
1\anwutdiiJ! • • lnd ,\lalwdwn. the wcc:U)
he" >PJPOrtmg
~1arxt,rn·Communh.m.. adaprmg 11 fur the local
mark~t. Jnd then reproducing. dostnbuting. Jnd
promoung tt as .t Thai commodi t} R:nh~r thun
simply nnrmting llll" history or the \nmmuni:,t
Purly ut' 1'hailund, Or Kasitul l ou k ~ at the
cultund f(,:~Lim where Marxtsc -CotnniUil l!'lt
thinkers promoted tht.•Jr wares as lhcy cnr:nged
m a brUI,mg and someruues deadly war of
posmon "11hm ruling elites
\\"hole other s.:holars have wntured tO tell
part> of thi, c earlier effons with hi' cmpath),
and rc-.ourccfuhtcs,. He has r.m.;ackcd MC'ht' e-s
and lobraroc< to t rac~ down liulc-known
publieati""'· oncluding defunct puliticul
magaltUc~ which cnj~)ycct (lnly a brief hl"e m
pnnl hdbrc D~ i ng clos~d down by the authorilics
or the ~riuy rcalitit!s of the marketplace. For
insight> onto the pohtoc< behond Field M~rshal
Ph1hun'' eotlp on I ').1 I he has used the toRIIIj!htl)
Jtumml o( rlu.• Siam Sonr't:o" ~~ I & 2 • ~00 I)

13K
'lamnul) oi political c'cnh prepared b) lht ~:hian dl.'my·
lholof\iZCi hiswrioal .1c1ors ucros~ 1hc polilical
:lru.:~;trum. In ··unamk\tru: ... \n A:-.inlk Wonder·
land," a satmca1 ctenuncultJOH ul !.OCIUiisrn
likcninl' it 10 1hc uwpian world oi' the \1cnaya
Buddha ... Phra Sn Ar>a:· lhc "''h Bongkok
kmg m 191 ~ inadvencntl) hclp..'11 lu Thoi-il)·
:u\d n;.uunlliLc tfh: alien td~nlol!)' b) dolhmg 1t
'" TIIili idiom ., h< lif\h and ""h k111gs boab
humcd 10 proscribe cunlmwu~m hctOre ic had
.:u:tu.lll) ..:n l.:rcd lh\! ~.:oun l r~. I \ ..:n Pndi
r'hanomyong dnd hi~ ~uppnrtc r'i do 1101 c~.;,·ap~..·
lhc nulhor's scrutiny. Aller WmiJ Wnr II Pridi
Jnd lhc Free Thai po li tH.'J~\11~ wen.: uhugcthcr
loO, JUSl before a he on,cl of the Cold \\'ar
\\ luch soon pu.'Sh Thai go,·crnnk.:nb mto a \'(:ry
dufCrcm poMun:. t·o,cn Tha1 mili1ary cooperation
:1n,t ~upp1ies ''ere c-xtt ..·Oan '"'"'"be dtl)imlt IU n">Cali:h. 1>111 'me
hrnL' uf "hal '" look for and" her~ lu looL may
be found 111 Dr. !-:asian's Slud~. \nothcr topic
·wonh) ~)f fn:sh r.::--.=an:h t!'o the reloHt\"'n,h tp
bet" ccn )'.lar\1'111 and UuddhL>m. In addiuonlt>
Sawak Buruwa~. a Brilish -t r~unc: d nuntng
cngin~o'l.!l' who ~aught Ruddhha ph iJo-;ophy nnd
con1ribu1cd 10 $upha :lnd Chinda Sirunaudt\nd'<
monthly m:1~n.1ine. t~·~unuw1. nmn~ oth~r
\\tHe~ ..&nd t.:"''ayi ... t.-.. "Orne \\ earing the yciiU\\
wht.- amJ \\lint! nuL ''ere intrigu~d hy the
rclauon'\htp and ~~ t~boul tr)'tng tn umkf'I.Uld
tL Inc~''''"£ ~ludic' 1he topic of \1arxhm .md
Buddhi>lll "almthl reduced 10 a simple lllJICh·
up of idi!OIOglc.'~ anJ a long li!o.t nf n:a:-.on' Wh)
Mani~m cC'Iuld OI!\·Ct ' lil• 1h..: 111a1 ~:asc. which
lmtJ iy Jt1c.< JUSIIcc lo what Tiw 1 writers omllllly
snid
It jo.; ~IUth! ch!ar from Or. Kastan·~ :-.tud)'. anti
on lhi~ plllnt u doe(\ not differ from pre' tou-.
scholarslup. th.u \ larxi.;;m-rommuni-.m '',... an
url>an phcnumenon, -aodtcd ;md prnpat;;llcd b)
urhJn mtdlcctuab who exploth:d ab po\\'CI"'\ of
;:mal)::tt' lu confront authori~ari;m rule in 1hc
period 1947- 1957. Bu1 \\hal ahmn rur~l
Th:nl:u1cl? I he secure bn.sc, cswhlL

Rt••·ieu .\
by contrw;t. nol quite enough hen: about \ \.'h ;n
~~e culture brokers actually lhouglu and aspired
10. Modem Thai rodical culrure wo< a wnrld·
view undcrpinnc:d by logic. rca~on:-. umJ t h ~:
imaginit'lg of n better world. h was nol {)Il l ~_, a
domain of politicnl nclion. Perhaps nnw that we
understand beHcr how that donwm \ 'llls cn:atcd
;md !\ustam-.:d. as wn ~trame d. we can look ngain at the proli lic
works lht.! c u hm~ hrokcrs c reated.
\Vhat is Jc rL? Th i~ mu lu~dm~
today. whm is left of lhe movement :-.-tnC:L' the
C'PT lonnally disbandc

I 10
Kcl:it'1l.\
c/um J..Jruu r·mountam pCtl-J')h.:"') j, CJUrencbed
in image-s ,,r national problcm:o.. m panicul::~r the
i~ca that lughlanders· f:101)11lg pr:tCilcc: ... arc in·
hcre:mly de.s.tructl\ c nf th~.! c nvircu\llH~nL
c.·onfrmu ing this issue. the aulhor \lllCrs n set of
h1"10nc~ that !\how how I he ~,.fom i uant im~1 gc (lr
t'hoo J..hao nml pn.:\'aknt und~r' t ~l l td i ngs uf Lhc
c-n\ inmmcnt ~ ha re rout unly ofier pubhc rhotoric had
~cttlcd on mi~ 1·:uory slu ftmg cultivutmn n ~oo an
uH.Ic\ f.1f nDllon:'l problems '' 1th duw J.Jwo.
I h-.: author'-. ablluy to pro,·tde a ht~toncJI
conh~\1 h) concepb. dcbau::-..4 and chant:tn~ hi~h·
land·lowland rdawion> mal ... >s th1' 01 H·ry 'aluablc
boo~. nn1 "mply in tenus of undc.,.tandmg
highiJnd )'c-opk> and their changing pl.ooc "ulun
n toul.mrl, hlll mor~ g(.'ncrally l(u umkr,umding
"l haol• t>d·, n.,unn:ol realil} The nation has been
fol'mcd through par1iculur uncl\!r~t(•thhng ~ ,,.(
space. hi~ I OI)'. sodul relation:... naturt, :.nd l.!'l h·
nu: n.h:ntlty. nnd one o f the book·~ major comributtOil!t
he ... an ,howmg how such undc~t.mdmgs
ha\e c~-;wlhtcd m p..~n1cul:tr rcgtnlC). 01 IRtth
pmducl"'"· But h~gCtnome 1rutlb arc ne,·er absolute.
and whik 1hey SCI dte tcnn~ uf ckh.stc m
impoa1~mt WJ} ... the:} also ind te comestJtlon ant.J
conme-I'M!tUtnc:'nb. Lu-.:.al knowlcd~c ,11l1U I \~
Ki.lrcn pi.:OI'Ic;; b f'~product· d in thi~ C l lnt~.:x t nf
d oo ll il l~ll l llllt,ider'' understanding> u I' tJcnnty,
lnmJ us-: .• Uld .;.·ons..:rv!.ltion, and by :,ituuting
local kllOWII'!Jge Ill dtb way th..: JUlhor ho'l' rrcduJcd
the .. cn .. c 1h:n Karen cuhun: and 1dcnllty
are ol tlo~ l"'t· Whole Karen hostory ami cuhur"
are mformcd b) a shlllmg and cnmpl-.:\ pas1.
thcar h'Cotl r~aln~ IS 'ery much thai,,, n;mon:sl
and globJI unJcrs1:mrlings and Sl11Jt.:lun.:s n··
g_nrdmg fnrnHng_. CQil!olU.)W" v:~riolL'i- ~ign" ol I he PI\:' tou-.
mcam.11H'IIl Ot ... "'"Ju~ the author 'howe;. hO\\
ufiit•al fhou nouons of nauonal p.Jrb. were
modeled on .:\men can ones. a d1M.:th~tlm of the
pl:1cc of '\Jatl\ ~ Americans (Jndbns) m rchU1t..l11
to nahtrc ond society might han~ w.ldcd n
con1paruli\'C dimension 10the l'h:ti case. A I NC \ ,:.~
dl'l.:liSSi\)11 ur huw Lh~ n tmh~rn IIMI St:tong
cflnlp

141
rc lcvanc:c of exploring tht: JTLan) dtmcn:~saru
that inform tho lncol r l'i nonhem
llta il and'~ farming ropulatlono,
\hulh.m,gtfl(.! lhc Jntc lkclu.al nnd Pnlitl~o:al
LmuUIItom. of r .. c;cnti=tiiSI and Rncls1111mkmg.
HI.!\'IC\\' uf Cn·rhll' ami ~1\'rli!C'"l s~~~ Ill I ldt'lllll'
fn /'hm Vrmt'.\ '-'0. "ndrc\\ Turtnn. ( urtnn Pre ......
Lond

l
cchnogr•ph~ prO\·idcd l>y I'm)~ PmehakuJ.orach:tk
( I S~6). Cb110phr•ya 'iura,,,J.mumri ( I ~8'1)
JnJ Khun Sommlnllh>l'llphan c I X~())
In thl· period prior 10 lh\! tntruLlw:tion of
~rhnllgrnpluc nOt.ll>n!-1 •Jf naming th pan of"Lht·
c.:ulllnial projccl h• formulaic und cnmrol lbe
Oih~r- of the West" ( rholl;!clllu p. 41 J. Tai.
along With oth~r clonnnant ~ruups in Sutllhc:ast
A'ta had thctr O\\H ''J}'!lo u( nflinning their
"'"umcll 'uperioriry wlu~h 1 .. rdlc~teJ in 1h~
mlc or tin~ 'olwnc: lhc- but.t~ ~Joppo~llton of
Cl\lln~ and >a'a~cl') (Tmffrcc) A'll

143
i!'l shuwn in Lhc curret)l appeal of movemcuts
such as lhe Dham::ttKmt Fuuodauon prcctsely w
these images" (p. 86). One cannot d~ny the
power of such stories. In Chiang r..·tai there; rc­
~lly tll'e people who bdh.:vc that a t·rce cut down
on a ridge in North Titailand tS nut unly going
to diminish the amount of rain thai will rail antl
by some ma~ica l lmns l bnnationthn l its ab:.:cnce
will n1.::o comribut(' to Jloo,ling in Ballgkok.
Thl..'n.' i:- n semiotic connection ~h.' rc not tnu
dit'f

Rt>l'it'w.'·
and tho EUmic All ionce System" poses anulleresiing
cowJtcrpoint to Nicho las Tapp's cQntribuuon.
lie argues that the Akha along wlth Lhc
closely ret:ucd Hnni fonn :> broad ~ l hn i c group
whose sh3red cmt1 history has l!nablecl them
··.. in splre ofbclng i ntcrsp
t:()nsllllct ;m c1hn ic essence that omflauks aud
confounds t h~: aitics hy demonstrating l:l
..:-om inuity. depth and range w hos~: authorily
nvcrwhelms us· ::.nd cnu only be conte:;wJ by
also riskin-g nutrighl rejec1ion .. ! Docs not Leo
AJtiug do wh~ll Tapp latcrdc::;cnhcs as an nllempl
.. lo exngg-ermc and rcmforcc the d1Stmcu vcncss
of the people they h~v e studii:d . .. (and
undcrplsy) Lhc cxh.:nt o !'their hisw ri~a l . culroral.
political. ecological, linkages with the peopk s
. _. who have rlominoted them" \p. 356)
Why shoul

Rt•nc·ws
"ell \\llh Ryoko i':ishii's pic« ment1onc-d above
for the arbnrary cdnona1 •m.rgcry cnnicd ouc m
the producnon process.
Ryoko Nish1i·s history olthe Sam Sam b;g
man To Nai Sim pro\'i dc:o. helpful in.;;1gh1s imo
th~: na111rc- of lendcrship und go\'cmancc (Ul the
p~n phery of both the Mnlny and lluu I\ rid< ot
the turn uf the last c\!ntul) a" \\ell us an
tnt«.!rc~tin~ comrnl'nlJr)' un how people.
pr•gmat"ts all, dress their 1 Comlomma

146
becomes )' Dt Rman:tporn Scthakul's iu her
introductory history t}r Nom, hO\\ the Tai Lue
ancl Tai Yong got there and their rclalionship
Wtth t11.: ruling 1 'ai Y u~ r1.
Kothnrine Bowie provides that thos< " ho looked
:1f1er 1he roynl elephants can be used as :.l rnetaphor
·'lo argue that lrn.dili

tJ7
process. I his book wus ncuhcr \VJittcn nur put
together to forge a path tO n ne-.' swg~ in ~ubrcgional
'IUdies. I r that j, \\tlcre it got to II can
chum rul vic lory for bcmg fir!

IN BRIEF
I
n 1hc I.L'It fcv. y~:ar., mnny 'tmla:... mU other
m:1h ..'n11l un Karen J1C''f1k .. h;IH~ ;~prc-:m:d m
mc.llvcn•~u~~o i.an!!u·•~\o"" ~·r '"''\II.,, the:\\ ;1y p13.:~
I HIL"ll th~x ha\-c "'-.-a.cn m Mn;lll run.o~. ph"'u~.:"-d
dl'f".lr.lh: locaiK•rl'> ~~ u:-,uh '"'th.1t.1 \Uh... unual
.unounl of -.ch,•laro.hrr ''" 1h"~· rc.~uple'S l.liiii 1n
d.utj.!CI ••I hcmg unb:ml\\HIV n·hol;arr. Some ol
1111.·.,c IItle., urc d•:-.cu,,c.•d .,~,.·h•'"'
I hr'\fiiHII\' of k'ul't'l/ A.n•"'''''IJ.:•· ( 'rmrpri'lll.l:
l 1r1r htrtm\ /.c'J.:c'lld\ ur 1-ohlc·\, /''"''" (·,,(tim~
SUJit'I\'IIIUJII\. /),•mru/rl/•r_!!.t /lt~·t.lf'4'11111, c'l'
f ft•flrlf,, '(h ,,//\ IITToiiiC,( J to ,/•H tn a ( ortrj'Jit·t.­
\cl/11 ,. Aut,.,, (.\)Nt'} I cmgu.,~-:,·1>~& tum an ''llh
,f.·JitU/1011\, t'ttlmpfo fiT 1/1/f\lt,WOU\ flj U\.;~~
,,,.,,.n ""'d 1 oa\u~ . ''""-; l\\~0 ,_.1\;.m·Tu('
k \\ aclc Rcrubl"hed '" 1-.:.mn.thur•
l •nnmtllC"t..' for l mcrn.alt~ lh,rl.tl'Cd 1\.:.tren
l'en11lo 2001. 4 vol•
l im Tht'Jta . A further ~c"" tee '"" b.?
prt111ded tf another group. comr"'mg the R.-.
ldwm Hud'Pith and ""'"'t>," of the "-an:n
B.lptht Con' cnhon of Thatl.tnd, ~Ltc..:-ccds m
c:nmpltllnJ! us eftOfb to rro' hJ!! ::t.l k:t'l JUnia!
lngh,h tr.m-.lation' hlthL" The.)1Wf1l.l
lh:n.• h' th:' dHfllllCnl ''orke~ 111 1 h~ nnrth Well
'..:~J 1n t\.trcn ll'Tt: fmm ''hen he \\ 1\'-. u duld
h-.cenm~ h) the '1llagc clda .. rdaun~ the
tr.uhuon..llcs'''m 10 h1m. and II\ In~ m ;• 'tll.tgc
h.; cloatnL~. un ~ood :tuthont~. llwt h.t~ lh m,,,,
m the Pang Rt,-:r \'alk: ,,,c:r lOU ,.c.u' .tgct,
J,,hm •~ lh,. 11\thl 'hrhlc prupnnc:rtl ,,f •he
tntdtltn!t.tl 1\.HCI' \\d~ uf ,fllh lflf l Uih\III Wit
I I( h.h '"''' ).'.llflt•d Oillalrl.;ll rc'ogmllllfl h) h..: I n~
•'PI"1C'IIIh.:d ,,u .tth ,,,.r tu du: N;tttonul h ;muuuu..·
.tnJ "'"' l.tll h·,·da1pmcnl Uu.1rd I ht o, 'illt.tll hun~
pr''' tJc:. .tn m't~ht h, till: \Uiut:' .utd ..:u'h'fH"• ol
u "''tiJcrunb P:\'Pk TI1c hill ut~;. \\.rllh:n m
Tlu..t '-'flpl, follo\\1.:J !J~· J Jtn:~t trJ.n,IJ.Ihm lrtUI
OW .md ~lfnt:tnn.:., by :l fuller C\plaO.IIU\1\
\hhuugh unl~ t\o\C111) ht..z .. m: h\Und 1n th.: htlC'"-·
rroh.thl~ lhl!l h the tmly wnld~· .~\·a ll ;lhlc
puhh~7athll1 m ThJtl.1nd \\llh .my Sgow. l\urc11
poct~ th.tl Colll he , tutftcd .tnd ,appi'C\!J,ItC\1,
fl,,,plzleng fo..-h.Jprom! Plwkdc'-\•' [( tlllt.:~t~ J
1\:.ucn ~on~s1 Bangkok l·ounJaiH'n ,,,
ldu~;sllon l~>r L1fc .mJ ~\Xt.:OI~ 1'-N~ Lh.1r.1n
\IJt~t>l. cJ I J~ I'!'
Th" pubht."".Uaon b one '"' uh h..art:n '''"g~
'"nttcn 1 h~ hanJ t m Sg;t\\ Kar.:n sen pt. \~otth
tran~lltt:r.suo n ~ und translauons 1n I'IHlt.
\ lthough no an t~ rp r( t3 u ons an: gt vcn. IJl-.: s t ~ l)' 4
plw. \l!r"«:' cnnci! .1 lo'.: o f the laru.l and the
net:J to prc ...

Ocncho SJiarok. cds. JJJU'oducuon by Ek~w>t :-

I >II
I 0..\IHutc Combuung JoL·umcm.lr: tl.'S~h nt
such ~uur

In fln'ef 151
lexicon rh:u she could Jnc1ude in hi.!r tli ctmnary~
noted above, that she decided to explore this
subject in i.1 sc p;:~ ntte volume. Allhough she
admits that what she p1·escms m this volume m
far from an exhausti ve :ifUdy Of I he SUbject.
there is much o i' interest to students of Karen
culture as well as folklore and linguistics m
general. Begmning with u survey (If the Karen
people. and their l tmgungc~. following the fiamc
general ou tline as i11 l h~ d icLiunary but
sjg:niticantly updated, Professor SuriyH pro"idcs,
detailed ana ly!

In IJnd
Rdug•-.: Camp in \lao "''"II Son Pro\ n>ee.
Prcmuw. the concept of cohcsron.
mlomlutltlfl ahcuu 1hc Sgaw Karen and the
backgr·ound

OTHER TITLES RECEIVED
Anderson. Benedict R. O'G. cd. 2001. l'ilelice
and tlte State m Sulwrto :,· fndmJe.o;ia. Ithaca:
Suuthea.sl Asia P robr-r~:un Publications. ComcH
Universiry.
llcd1Crl .. l·li:mL ~ 000. Budd!Jlsmus. Staut wul
Ge~t!ll:~dulf in den Liirnden {/!!s 7"/rera l'acfa.
Buddhi:wws. Band fl. Blrma, A'amhm/.:;cha.
Laos. Thailand. GOitingcn: VcrilftCntlkhugen
des Semina,·s f(ir Jndo logJe und !Juddhi s­
muskunde der Umversil5t G()n mgcn.
Boussard , P1errc A. ct nl. cds.. 2001 . Kin~ Chula·
hmgkorn ',\ J1..mrue~·s ;u BelyJum. Dangkok:
lnstilulc of J\siun SLudies. Chnlalonl!korn Uni-
• -
\ersity.
Bradlc), Mark Phil ip. 2000. lnwgining l'iemruu
& America: The r\t{tlking of Po~urohmia{
Vielnam. /9/9-/950. Cbapd Hill: Umvor:sity
of i'{onh C'Hrol ina Press.
Van dcr Cruyssc, Dirk. 2001. Siam and 1he
1Ves1, 1500- 1700. translated by Michae l
Smithies. C hiang tvlai: Sill,-\\'onn Books.
Gea1·. Donald & Joan 1992. Earlh "' //cal'£'11'
Th.mi tlnlmoi-Siwped Wciglll\ o( the
llurmen• Emplre.\'. C hiang Mai· Silkworm
llook>.
Ciinsburgh., Man in ~000. Thtu ,.Jn •el, tmnsl:ucd by Ph.hi: SHkwte of Security & lmemational
Studios (IS IS\.
K.olb. von Alben. I 992. )'•lnmw · Chinas
l/nbcktJIWicr Sr'iJen. Be r lin ~ 1nsli tl.l l flir
G ~.:ogra ph il· dcr T..:ehnisch..:.n Univ..:rsitfit B~!rl in.
Lang. Hazel J 2002. F"w· '""' SanclllliiJ"
Burmese: R ~/itgecs lu Thalland. hhnca: Somh

NOTES FOR CONTRIBUTORS
The .JouriJaJ ol Siam Sodc·tl' welcomes all
origmal aniclesand reviews of a "~Ch")larly natur~
and m conformity with the pnnc1plcs and
hJCnd.
References and bibhographocal entrie<
~hould follow mndem ). Litle, and puhlicattr Fditr.
\\ ho may mm1 or rcmm sub-standatd work for
re-prCSCIII~111UI1.
,\b~lrach, pronf~ nnd offprims
('!lntnbuuons should !J~r•cl nf I 00-1 '0 words. A >loon no1c on 1he
aOiJialion Uf 10di\'IUU3] COnlnbiiiOrS should al-.o
be "'f'phed
Page proof, "ill be sen1 to aulhor' "hen
umc ul1uw,, Juthor, a.re reminded Lhal 1Ju..:"c arc
imended fo1 chcckmg. not rc-wri11 ng. F:uhJI'l! 10
rctum prunf> t>y lhc requir

Nou•s jur {unirlhmnn 155
Style
Aftt!r ..:onstdc.:mblc discussion. and m ontcr 10
encOUI'llgc the rapid publicauon ol' tJw JSS while
no1 C(lmprising academk swndards. the fdjlorin(
Committee of the JSS ha!'. agreed that 31iclcs
may be wriuen io British Englis h or Amcric:.m
English. Ench paper should fo llow n consistem
fonll \)f d:Jting. capi1alization and od1cr nspcC:l!­
lhruughuut.
The ,ryle adapted shuulu be appropnaLc l!>r
scholarly journals \Vith an ;:mdicncc t.lf spcci;:.Jisls
in u t.livc~ily of fields and nmionalities
11ating co n ve•uions for nrchnrological
contributions
I. In fi ('COI'dnnce wi th intcrna tiuna l
cnn\'cntitln. n1d ior.arbon dares should
be t!Xpn::sscd as mean and stand~ rd
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BC. ldca11y ::t ~ ·s igma ag-.: rangt.: should
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The Journal of the Siam Society
Volume 88. Par~:> I & 2 2000
---------------------------------
Contents
Abstracts
Poem by Phaitoun Phromwtchu
Obituary for Profe,sor Anth

Contt'ltiS
BOONYONG KErr ATE
The Ancestral Spirit Forest (/)onl'u Ta) and th~ Rok l:k.havior uf E:.ltlcrs ( Thao Cham)
In Nonheastom Thailand 96
MICJMtl s~miiiE~
.Madame Con stance· s Jcwds
Ill
NA~'( \ Dach 186
J.(. EAIII·
Rules fOr lnterpohnion in 1he Tha1 CakmJar: Suri_rayatra Vcrsu~ the Sa.wma 195
Notes
IJcdkalton lh the 1/bo.vm at Wa1 Sa Bu• Knco 201
l.o1u

16~ Ctmtf'nl~
Lijia11 and Their Mmmtai11 Yt•ig/rl>t>r> the t'i, Jun Goodmon; Jo:lwn .1/rumg Peuplt· und
Prtm·rtmfities uf.\'urth Tflmt.urd. Andrew Forbes & Dand Honky: Tire Jo:ac/un- lard• of 231
Burma ·,, Nortltt!rn Frunfh.·r. llc11il Lintner
Reviews
Don McCaskrll and Km Kampe, cdirors
nt~n•/clpmenr or Dmm:slic:utlon'J lmhf!,t'I!Otl$ Peoplt•.s

Contems
16~
In Brief
Other Tilles Received
Notes for Conlribulors
Bock Issues
Publications
Contents of JSS Volume 87, Ports 1 & 2 (1999)
150
254
:!55
~57
258
261
Joum1,1/ 1)_/th.: Swm S!JCwh· S9.1 & 2 (20011