MODULE 2:

UNIT 2: THAILAND

PREHISTORY
By history, Thailand was the only SE Asian country to be never colonized by the West.

HISTORY
● Sukhotai is considered to be the birthplace of the Thai nation.
○ This was actually proven by the discovery of the Sukhotai Stones in 1833 by Prince Mongkut
■ The Ram Khamhaeng Inscription, formally known as Sukhothai Inscription No. 1, is a stone stele
bearing inscriptions which have traditionally been regarded as the earliest example of the Thai
script.
■ Discovered in 1833 by King Mongkut (Rama IV), it was eventually deciphered and dated to
1292. The text gives, among other things, a description of the Sukhothai Kingdom during the
time of King Ram Khamhaeng, to whom it is usually attributed.
■ The inscription had immense influence over the development of Thai historiography from the
early 20th century, which came to regard Sukhothai as the first Thai kingdom.
■ The authenticity is still debated over by scholars. But still the majority of academics today
regard it as at least partly authentic.

● The modern day Thailand originated from the Kingdom of Ayudtha which was established on 1351
○ Founded by Uthong (Ramathibodi I)
○ Prospered, partly because of its strategic position.
■ Its position was surrounded by bodies of water which made the Kingdom a great trading port

○ King Trailok:
■ Codified the:
a. structure of the government; and
b. The civil law
■ Developed the system of Sakdina which was a system that carefully scaled the positions of
everyone in the kingdom (pyramid of social structure)

★ The early Thais valued not only their agriculture, trade, or their economy but also their system of
government because they knew that for the people to support the early kingdom, they had to
make sure that everything works.

➔ If we are to analyze Thailand, we would see from the map that its capital is placed on its centre. Why? Because
of the mandala system.

MANDALA SYSTEM
- The middle should always be the strongest to make sure that all parts of the territory is handled firmly and to
make sure that all parts are strongly united together.

○ A Parallel hierarchical organization of the Sangha (Buddhist Monks) existed under the system of Royal
patronage and oversight

ENCOUNTER WITH THE WEST

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 ➢ During this era, there was already an ongoing competition between the countries of the West on who would be
the first to establish a trading port in Asia because the Europeans knew that there was already an ongoing
spice trade existing in Asia.
➢ In addition, between France and Britain at the time, there was a separate competition to get on China’s side.
a. France → was on the French Indochina side (Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos)
b. Britain → on the Myanmar side
i. Then why was Thailand involved here?
- Thailand’s location was in the middle of the four above mentioned countries.

Siam yielded to the pressures brought by France and Great Britain during the reign of King Mongkut (Rama IV) and
granted these westerners economic and legal concessions

● The old aristocratic elites carried out the fundamental state, economic and social reforms
○ To avoid being conquered and defeated by the colonizers, they gave what these Westerners wanted.
○ Mongkut wanted to protect his reign and at the same time protect Siam.

Mongkut (Rama IV)

○ Establishment of the Bowring Treaty (1855) under Rama IV
■ Stated that:
a. Import and export duties were sharply reduced and fixed;
b. The ruling class trading and commodity monopolies were abolished; and
c. The British subjects were granted extraterritorial legal rights.

● The creation of a centralized bureaucracy and modern military.

Chulalongkorn (Rama V)
○ Considered as the greatest modernizer of Thailand.
○ It was during his reign that major reforms of government in the mid 1880s.

★ Subsequently, during the 1880s the following events also occurred:

- French occupation in the Indochina; Formation of Indochina

★ What King Rama V did to avoid Thailand being overthrown and conquered was to create:
○ Specialized ministries;
○ A Cabinet government was introduced between 1888 and 1892
○ Provincial administration reform
○ Centralized bureaucratic control in Bangkok (Capital)

➔ Rama V rejected the thought of introducing democracy

➔ Proceeded with modernization until his death in 1910.
◆ Had 77 children: 33 sons and 44 daughters;
◆ the only one who remained healthy was his second youngest who was not trained to be a King:

Prajadhipok (Rama VII),

- The last king under absolute monarchy
- The seventh monarch of Siam of the Chakri dynasty.
- His reign was a turbulent time for Siam due to political and social changes during the
Revolution of 1932.
- He is to date the only Siamese monarch of the Chakri Dynasty to abdicate due to
pressure from his fellow royal family members and monarch advisers.

The Fall of Thailand’s Absolute Monarchy:

● Great depression after WW1and this affected Thailand and weakened the power of absolute monarchy;
● A coup d'etat occurred by a group of military officers and bureaucrats against Rama VII and absolute
monarchy was overthrown in 1932.
○ The leader of this coup was Phibun
● Constitutional monarchy replaced absolute monarchy.
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 ○ Phibun served as the Prime Minister of Thailand and dictator from 1938 to 1944 and 1948 to 1957.

★ Prajadhipok was the last king under absolute monarchy and the first king under constitutional monarchy.
○ 1st and only king to abdicate the throne in 1935.
○ His niece, Mahidol, replaced him but he was killed. His death was a mystery case (murder or suicide).
○ After Mahidol, Bhumibol was King, King Bhumibol had the longest reign in Thailand. He died in 2016.
■ 1950s-1957: Thailand was under the constitutional monarchy of King Bhumibol.

★ Phibun changed the name Siam to Thailand

After WW2, the SE Asian countries struggled for their independence and during this time, COMMUNISM as an
ideology rose (specifically in Vietnam).

➔ The United States did not want communism to spread throughout Asia because they were afraid of the
domino effect it would cause.

➔ Hence, they gave way to Thailand. Washington wanted a strong anti communist leader who would
repress domestic communism.

➔ However, in September 1957, Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat staged a coup overthrowing Phibon.
◆ Sarit became the leader.

➔ Under Sarit, the monarchy was given renewed prominence under the authority of King Bhumibol
Adulyadej

➔ Thailand was under democratic regime until October 6, 1976;

➔ Series of coups on different democratic and authoritarian regimes occurred;

➔ “One-man-band” of Thaksin Shinawatra

◆ a Thai businessman, politician and visiting professor. He served in the Thai Police from 1973 to 1987, and
was the Prime Minister of Thailand from 2001 to 2006. After being ousted from power, he was found
guilty of corruption in 2008 and is now living in self-exile.

➔ Then, on September 19,2006, the military staged a coup d’etat

★ Under Thailand’s constitution, the King is the head of the Thai armed forces. The King being the head then
shows the King remains to be a powerful figure and not just a symbolic head of the state.

★ Coups dominated Thailand’s political history

- Primary reason for the continuous and ongoing thai protests which started in early 2020 up to
2021.

Issues of Thai included in the ongoing political protests:

- The Thais wanted “true democracy”; demand for the monarch to stop coup d’etats staged by
the military

- They wanted the monarchy to be “modernized” because in Thailand, criticizing the monarchy
is a crime punishable by imprisonment: monarchical legal immunity

- Transparency in the government especially the funds that go to the monarchs: separation of
private funds from crown assets. **bawal kase questionin si king.

THE KINGDOM OF THAILAND

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 A. Forms of government:
- constitutional monarchy
- Parliamentary
- unitary

Chapter 1, Sec. 2 of the Thai Constitution states that:

Thailand adopts a democratic regime of government with the King as the Head of the State.

THE KING LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Head of State Immunity: the king shall be enthroned in a 76 Changwat (Provinces)

position of revered worship and shall not be violated. - Each under the supervision of a phuwara chakan
(governor)

Eligibility: The King is a buddhist and an upholder of District administration

religion - Was under the charge of a nai amphor (district
officer)

Present King: Commune

Maha Vajiralongkorn (only son of King Bhumibol) - Was the village government.
- Each village elected a headman, who generally
- The king holds the position of the Thai Armed served as the middleman between villagers and
Forces the district administration

Privy Council -the advisory body to the head of the state. Municipalities
- Not more than 18 privy councillors constitute this - 72 cities in total, including Bangkok, serving as
council. provincial capital and some large district towns.

EXECUTIVE LEGISLATIVE JUDICIAL

The Prime Minister as the Head of the Thailand’s legislative body is the: The Supreme Court of Justice
Government National Assembly - Is the highest court of the
land;
● Consists of the: - Consists of at least 3 judges
a. House of Representatives;
and the
b. Senate

Cabinet: the Senate (250 members) (UPPER OTHER COURTS:

Council of Ministers of Thailand HOUSE)
- The members of the Cabinet Courts of First Instance
in theory are appointed by - Chosen not via election but Magistrate’s courts
the King, however, in truth via selection by Royal Juvenile Courts
they are appointed at the decree. - Exists in each of the
advice of the Prime Minister provincial capitals and in
to the King. - Within 5 days from, the date Bangkok
of the royal decree comes
a. Responsible for the into force, the Election Regional Court of Appeals
administration and Commission shall prescribe - 9 courts
management of various the date of commencement
government agencies and of the selection which shall Specialized Administrative, Labor,
departments be no later than 30 days as and Tax courts
- Subordinated to the

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b. Legislatively, the cabinet is from the date of such royal Supreme Administrative
one of the institutions decree comes into force. Court
allowed to submit bills to the
National Assembly for Audit Commission
consideration 194 are handpicked by the ruling - Oversees public expenditure;
National Council for Peace and - Conducts legally mandatory
Order (NCPO) audit procedures
- Has legal oversight over
Further 6 are reserved for the: budget implementation
A. armed forces leaders,;
B. the supreme commander;
C. the defence permanent
secretary; and
D. the national police chief.

The remaining 50 would represent

the 10 professional and social groups
approved by the Election
Commission:

a. Public administration and

security
- Former public servants,
officials, and others
b. Law and justice
- Former judges, public
attorneys, and other legal
professionals
c. Education and public health
- Former teachers, lecturers,
researchers, doctors, nurses,
pharmacists, etc.
d. Agriculture
- Farmers, stock raisers,
fishermen, etc.
e. Nongovernmental
employees
- Blue and white collar
workers, freelancers, etc.

f. Environment, real estate,

public utility, science, media,
energy, others
g. Small and medium
enterprises (SMEs)
h. Women, the elderly, people
with special needs, ethnic
groups
i. Arts and culture
j. Others.

The term of the Senate is:

5 years from the date of the result of
the selection.

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