(1350–1767) is perhaps the best-known
ancient Thai kingdom as its capital is
still resplendent with historical buildings
and artifacts. This period of Thai history
witnessed huge economic growth as well
as the establishment of relations with
foreign traders, especially the Portuguese.
With great power came great
change and during the Ayutthaya period
Thai society became distinctly hierarchical,
with the large majority of Thais
working as slaves or serfs for landowners,
nobles and offi cials. Unlike the
paternalistic rule of the Sukhothai
period, the kings of Ayutthaya had
absolute power and were perceived as
incarnations of gods.
The Ayutthaya period was integral
in developing the Thai arts where all
members of society, from court offi cials
to artisans and scholars of Buddhist
learning joined together to make and
decorate the area’s temples and palaces.
But this period in Thai history was
also fraught with wars and battles
with Burma, which led to the ultimate
sacking of the city in 1767 and subsequent
destruction of a large number of
records, palaces and temples. Despite
this, for a long period during the
Ayutthaya reign the kingdom was
largely considered to be the strongest
power in mainland Southeast Asia.
Lanna Much like the Sukhothai
kingdom, the Lanna kingdom, which
ruled from the 13th to 15th century in
northern Thailand, had an incredible
infl uence on Thai society and culture
and is still nostalgically regarded.
The Lanna kingdom co-existed during
the Sukhothai and Ayutthaya kingdoms,
and at its height its power and infl uence
were said to have rivaled Ayutthaya’s
with whom it had repeated battles and
skirmishes. It was during this period
that Lanna’s culture and traditions of
what is widely considered as the cultural
capital of Thailand, Chiang Mai, were
developed and fi rmly entrenched in Thai
culture. Lanna architecture, woodcraft
and masonry are easily identifi able and
revered today. The kingdom eventually
fell to the Burmese in 1558 but returned
as a vassal state of Siam in the latter
part of the 18th century.
Thonburi and Rattanakosin King
Taksin the Great of Thonburi managed
to reunite the country the following
year, which gave birth to Thailand’s
shortest reigning kingdom, the brief age
of the Thonburi kingdom (1768–82).
The capital of Siam was moved to
Thonburi and located on the opposite
side of the Chao Phraya River where
Bangkok now stands. As a result of numerous
internal political problems, King
Taksin was reported to have succumbed
to stress and was subsequently ordained
as a monk, disappearing from sight.
Because of its more advantageous
position, Bangkok was then chosen as
the new capital city, and in 1782 King
Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke (Rama I) took
over and became the fi rst Chakri (royal
ruling house) king in the Rattanakosin
kingdom—the dynasty that presently
encompasses Thailand.
ROYALTY IN THAILAND
The monarchy in Thailand is highly
revered and staunchly protected by the
lèse-majesté law. The current King of
Thailand, Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama
IX), is the world’s longest serving monarch
and is dearly loved by the people
of Thailand.
A testament to the Thai people’s love
for the king and the royal family, past
and present, is the sheer number of royal
portraits in premises throughout the Thai
social structure, including homes, factories,
offi ces and roadside garages.
Whether Thai or not, you are
expected to show the utmost
respect for the Thai royal family,
and on occasions that demand
it, such as before movie screenings
and football matches, stand
for the Thai national anthem,
which is also played at 8 am and 6 pm
every day. In public places, such as busy
train platforms or market places, where
the anthem is often broadcast through
loudspeakers, it is remarkable to see
everybody come to a halt.
Color of Love According to both
Thai and Khmer astrology, each day of
the week is associated with a particular
color. As King Bhumibol was born on
a Monday, which is associated with
yellow, the most loyal of royalists can
be identifi ed by their choice of yellow
clothing on Mondays. Blue garb is also
a popular color to wear on Fridays out
of respect for Queen Sirikit’s birthday.
The King’s Predecessors
Another much-respected member
of the monarchy from the
Chakri dynasty was King Rama
IV or King Mongkut. Reigning
from 1851 to 1868, he was
known as the ‘Father of Science
and Technology’ for embracing
Western technologies and
innovations, effectively beginning
Thailand’s modernization
process. He also hired English
and American missionaries to
teach the princes English, and
Western mercenaries to train
Siamese troops.
King Mongkut’s son, Chulalongkorn
the Great, otherwise known as
King Rama V (1868–1910), was also a
hugely popular king. He is credited with
abolishing the slave trade in Thailand,
(depicted on the back of the B100 note),
building railways, introducing electricity
and through various reforms in the
Thai feudal system and his infl uence in
‘modernizing Siam’, continuing to save
the country from Western colonization.
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