Reflections

Recently some people have claimed that Thailand needs to revert to our classical way of living, that it was a classical utopia of sorts. A “Sukhothai” (Insert Shangri La, Nirvana, Timbuktoo, El Dorado) utopia that was in balance and a center of self sufficiency. That is simply not true. While there are undoubted aspects of pre Chakri Thailand that was beneficial it was far from the Utopia that certain persons claims it to be. Examples below.

First some positive in the rule leading up and including Narai:

I do not believe there is a country in the world where there are more religioins and where their practice is more freely permitted than in Siam. The Gentiles, Christians, Mahometans, who are all divided into different sects, have complete liberty to follow whichever cult they think best…[The Siamese] say that heaven is like a great palace to which several paths lead, some shorter, some more frequented, some more difficult, but that all in the end arrive at the place of bliss which men seek. – Jacques de Bourges 1666.

From Relations du voyage de Monseigneur l’Eveque de Beryte

But it was hardly the Utopia some make it out to be. The following describes the events that followed after the cremation of the King’s elephant.

…two men, former servants or attendants of the elephant, presented themselves before the king. They told him since the elephant, their master was dead, they wished to go and serve him in the after life. The King thanked them, drew his sword, cut them in two, and had them cremated. – Jacques de Coutre 1640.

From Vida de Iaqves de Covttre, Natural de la Civdad de Brugas.

It was also a land that had serf labourers (in addition to slaves.)

One only sees women working, the men being more often employed in the King’s Service which they perform like slaves. The same honours were afforded me as were those given to the King… Everyone was in barges, prostrate, Their hands joined together in front of their forehead.

**

The King of siam has a great number of Malays in his states…The Penguans (Mons) are almost as numerous as the Siamese. The laos are very numerous especially in the north…The Cochin Chinese number about 100 families, mostly CHristians. Among the Tonkinese are seven or eight Christian families (Read Vietnamese).

The Malays are quite numerous, but most are slaves and consequently not bodyguards…In this great kingdom are many Peguans who were taken as prisoners of war…. – Chevalier de Chaumond  1686.

From Relation de L’ambassade de Mr Le Chevalier de Chaumont a la Cour du Roi de Siam.

More on the public service required of every subject and how Siam was not really self sufficient.

Six Months service of everyone of his subjects per annum: a service which he or his officers frequently extend much further…This service is sometimes esteemed and aid in ready money; and it is for the ready money that the rich are exempted.

***

His other revenues do arise from the commerce, which he exercises with his subjects and foreigners. He has carried it to such a degree, that merchandize is now no more the trade of particular persons at Siam. His is not contented with selling by wholesale, he has some shops in the bazaars and markets, to sell by retail.

***

The natural Siameses, ruin’d as they are by impositions and services, cannot carry on a great trade though they should have all the liberty imaginable. The trade is manag’d only with superfluous money, and in the places where the impositions are very great, there is scarcely found money necessary for life. The vast summ levied on the people returns slowly to the people, and especially in the remote provinces; the whole does not return because that a great part thereof remains in the hands of [the princes] (fuedal lords). – Simon de La Loubere, 1693.

From A New Historical Relation of the Kingdom of Siam.

Lastly on the dealings inside the court and the betrayal of King Narai by Pitracha

Pitracha replied that since ill health had prevented his majesty from attending to affairs of the state, he, Pitracha had been obliged to assume control upon advice of the court, until such time as his majesty’s health be restored. That PRa Pi and Oya Vichaiyen were found guilty of death by the privy council. - Father de Beze 1688
(Pra Pri and Oya Vichaiyen were trusted advisors and rivals to Pitracha in the court. Pitracha would also find an excuse to have the King’s brother executed on charges of treason)

From Revolution in Siam: The Memoir of Father de Beze

Of course none of these infringes on freedoms mattered since freedom and human rights are poisonous anyways