Modern Thai History

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Modern Thai History
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Bangkok Kingdom 1782-

• The Origin of Bangkok Kingdom/ History of the
  Jakri dynasty
• The Founding Father, Rama I (1782-1809)
• Reform of Buddhism, Law, and Literature
• Changing world-view--gtBuddhist-Humanism
  pragmatism
• The Three-World of King RuangTraiphum
  --gtLegitimacy of kingship from Buddhism.
• The Three Seals Law. Emphasize the rule of law

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• Western contacts, Rama III (r1824-1851)
• caution against Western encroachment

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Siam vs Modernity

• King Mongkut,r1851-68
• King Mongkut, Rama IV,
• and the genesis of modernity
• The King and I--gt Enlightened despot
• Open Free Trade with Western powers
• The Bowring Treaty, 1853

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Modernization govt reform

• King Chulalongkorn, Rama V (r1868-1910)
• Key to independence was modernization--gtCivilized
  Siam
• The Administrative Reform 1890--gtunify kingdom,
  centralized the rule, strengthened the monarchygt
  Absolutism
• Nationalism vs. sectionalism

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Form vs Content

• The modern form of government?
• Debate in 1880s on the appropriate form of
  government
• Constitutional monarchy was favorable
• Republic was too radical and impractical
• No social forces for changes
• Policy of internal-colonization?

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Official Nationalism

• Rama VI (1910-1925)
• King Vajiravudh,
• Educated in England
• The failed Rebellion of 1912
• Official nationalism centered on the king.

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Democracy in Siam

• Rama VII r.1925-35
• The Birth of Democracy, 1932 Coup
• King Prajadhipok, Rama VII (-1935 abdicated)
• Democracy in Siam
• Failure of appointed municipalities
• Failure of appointed Committee of Privy Council

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The Revolution of 1932

• The Coup of June 24, 1932.
• Led by military, civil government officials, the
  first beneficial of the Great Reform 1890s,
  finally turned against the monarchy.
• Constitutional monarchy

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• Conflict between King Rama VII and the Peoples
  Party
• ceremonial head of state, revered worship, above
  partisan affairs not to be disrespected or
  involved in any government decisions.
• who is the sovereign power of the nation-state
  the king or the people.
• The forced closure of Parliament, 1933.

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• The Boworadet Rebellion of 1933
• Rama VII left and abdicated in 1935
• King Ananda, Rama VIII, (r 1935-June 9, 1946)

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Rama IX r.1946

• King Bhumibol, Rama IX
• The Thai monarchy has changed from the old center
  of power to the new center of loyalty,
• defining new meanings in the relationship between
  the institution and the people, and become a
  unifying force
• was born on December 5, 1927, in Cambridge,
  Massachusetts, U S A.

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• Studied in Switzerland, Lausanne University.
• to maintain good relations with the military
• 1946 to 1951--gtlow profile

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• Beginning of the activist monarch
• 11 governments installed, 3 constitutions
  abrogated and 4 elections held along with 5 coups
  and attempted coups.
• 1957, the break with Phibul government
• Sarit Revolution, 1957 and 1958, exploited the
  monarchy
• Revival of paternal kingship and despotic
  paternalism

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• 1960 represented Thailand visited Europe, US and
  Japan
• New nationalism centered on the monarchy
• Support from urban population and college students

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• The October Revolution Reaction
• Termination of military domination of politics
  came in Oct. 1973
• The student-led uprising of Oct. 14, 1973
• The king intervened on the peoples side
• Appointed Sanya as Prime Minister, head of Privy
  Council and Rector of Thammasat University.

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• The military Coup of October 6, 1976.
• The king was on the military side.
• The Coup in 1991 by the military overthrew
  elected govt
• The king was not against the coup group
• The bloody May 1992
• The king mediated both sides.

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• the king has chosen order and stability over
  conflict
• Democracy to be defined in Thai cultural values
  not foreign terms