Vignettes of the World
I was just strolling in Sai Ying Pun and stumbled upon a hidden gem amidst its crisscrossing uphill grids. No. 9 and No. 10 Yu Lok Lane are classified as the shophouse type of tenement houses. A lot of the traditional Hong Kong tenements are …
The wetlands of Long Valley in Sheung Shui have finally opened to the public as a site of ecological tourism since November 2024. Wedged between the Sheung Yue River and Shek Sheung River in Sheung Shui, Long Valley had long been the freshwater marsh that …
The Grand Palace was the only sightseeing that I did in this trip in Bangkok. Its beautiful Thai architecture is a lavish expression of the aura of the Thai kingdom. The Buddhist faith is front and center in the Grand Palace, as it has always enjoyed the royal patronage that continues to this day.
Throughout the history of Siam, the Grand Palace has been the very symbol of the Chakri dynasty’s royal authority. The earliest buildings have served as the official royal residence since the 18th century, when Rama I came to power and ruled Siam.
The sheer size of the Grand Palace shows its significance. Currently spanning an area of 218,000 square meters, the Grand Palace consists of four sections that are of tourist interest. The crenellated walls alone measure 19,000 meters in length.
The most visited section of the Grand Palace is the royal temple section.
The single most crowded spot in the Grand Palace is the Emerald Buddha at Phra Ubosot. It is considered an object of national veneration in Thailand. The Emerald Buddha acquired its name because of its color, not because it is made of emerald. Carved from a block of jasper, the Buddha is believed to be of northern Thai craftsmanship of the 15th century. There are three raiment of the Buddha, periodically changed on specified dates on the lunar calendar.
King Rama I dedicated the summer and rainy season raiment, and King Rama III dedicated the winter raiment. These raiment’s are carved in gold and embellished with diamonds and precious gems. The Emerald Buddha’s religious and national significance notwithstanding, its exquisiteness itself is worth a visit. Indeed, Buddhism thrived under the first three kings of the Chakri dynasty, who were all devout Buddhists.
Perhaps it comes with no surprise that the architecture that adorns the Phra Ubosot is grand with exceptionally intricate details. Traditional Thai architecture features multi-tier roofs in colored tiles with finials and roof ridges. Although the building is made of bricks, the exterior is covered with gilt and colored glass mosaics in geometric patterns, awash with extravagance.
Shoes off as you enter into the Convocation Hall to see the Emerald Buddha.
The other significant structure that catches the eye is the Phra Sri Rattan Chedi, which is the golden stupa. A structure of 1855, the Phra Sri Rattana Chedi housed the relics of the Buddha. In Rama V’s reign, the brick and mortar stupa was dressed in the golden attire with imported gold mosaic tiles from Italy. This was an effort to celebrate the centennial of Bangkok in 1882.
In 1982, another shipment came from Italy to retile the stupa, for the bicentenary of Bangkok, during the reign of Rama IX.
I think the photograph conveys just exactly how dazzling the Phra Sri Rattana is.
Since I am not a Buddhist, and I tend not to enjoy the sight of Buddhist statues, I appreciate the cultural, aesthetic and historical (as opposed to religious) significance of the temples as the main lesson I take in visiting the temples of the world. The Phra Mondop embodies all such significance in one.
The Thai mondop spired roof of the Phra Mondop points to the azure sky of the day. The “exterior walls are covered in glass mosaic and around the base are rows of gilt-stucco Thepanom folded-palm deities atop a row of Asura giants interspersed with mythical Garudas” (descriptions on site) The Mondop is known as the library. A construction from the reign of Rama I, Phra Mondop houses a large lacquered mother-of-pearl inlay cabinet containing palm leaf Buddhist Tritaka Scriptures.
The Phra Vihara Yod Chapel was also beautiful. The historical significance of this chapel is that it houses the fragments of Buddha images collected from the ruins of temples in the old capital of Ayutthaya, the glorious kingdom that preceded the founding of Siam by the Chakri dynasty. “The building is decorated with porcelain dishes and plates imported from China or pieces that were broken during transport and fashioned into floral and geometric patterned mosaics,” (descriptions on site) with Thai Crown spire surmounted on the roof.
The Grand Palace remains the official place of residence for the Chakri kings. However, the current King of Thailand, King Vajiralongkorn (Rama X), resides primarily in Germany. He does not live in the Grand Palace on any regular basis. Due to his living in Germany, there has been longstanding diplomatic issues raised by the German government. It is problematic for a head of state to be living in another country and running his own country’s affairs in a jurisdiction other than his own, owing to the territoriality principle of international law.
A thorough exploration of the Grand Palace, including the museums, will take at least 2 hours. If you are pressed for time, be sure to visit the few key structures that I have introduced here.
After a busy session photographing the beautiful architecture of the Grand Palace, it was only appropriate to have an afternoon coffee boost. We arrived at the Golden Place across from the main entrance of the Grand Palace, and sat down with Golden Coffee.
The Golden Coffee was a social project undertaken by Rama IX (the last Thai king) to transform the highland fields of northern Thailand. In those earlier times, the farmers of the highlands at Doi Mae Salong, Chiang Rai, grew opium. In an act of royal benevolence, Rama IX resolved to help farmers plant cash crops instead of opium.
In 2018, Golden Coffee was founded to support the coffee farmers at the former opium plantations. The Arabica coffee beans go through a “washed process,” then roasted to perfection. There is a marketing angle to Golden Coffee, in that it seeks to offer unique flavors in its hot and cold beverages. My cup of Golden Coffee was indeed delightful with a very pleasant aroma.
Descriptions on site at the Grand Palace in Bangkok.
The Wikipedia on Buddhism in Thailand.
The Wikipedia on King Vajiralongkorn.
Thailand is known for its food. Not just Thai cuisine, but any type of cuisine to which its chefs dedicate themselves. Since we were staying at the Grand Hyatt, we had quite a few meals at the restaurants in the hotel. Top that up with …
Thailand is known for its food. Not just Thai cuisine, but any type of cuisine to which its chefs dedicate themselves. Chef Pom Phatchara has been the rising star in Bangkok’s dining scene. Although she hasn’t yet earned the Michelin Star, she has run such …
Military and monarchic groups, often relying on each other’s capability and ideological strength, have intervened frequently to subvert the democratic rule of law. Those who have tried to build democracy meanwhile remain much less well known. In a region where state-enforced historical amnesia is rife, Thailand has turned it into an art form.
~ Arjun Subrahmanyan at 2
The year 1932 would prove to be a pivotal year for Thailand. A “bloodless revolution” resulted in Rama VII agreeing to the establishment of a constitutional monarchy. When negotiations about the limits of monarchial powers broke down, Rama VII abdicated his throne. He was the only Chakri dynasty king that had ever done so.
But that pivotal moment in history was not in any real sense a bright, unobstructed path to democracy. After the birth of a constitutional monarchy, Thailand came under six decades of unstable governance that wavered between military rule and a fragile democracy. As it turned out, the People’s Party that sought to overthrow Thailand’s absolute monarchy was itself anything but democratic.
In a wonderfully informative book, author Arjun Subrahmanya explains Thailand’s struggle in its path to democracy in an intellectual fluency that was at once welcoming to novice readers of Thai politics and challenging to the student of world history.
At the time of the bloodless revolution, Thailand was the only remaining absolutist monarchy in the world. A quick and perfectly executed ambush by the promoters of the People’s Party took the royalty by surprise in June 1932. The key royal strongholds of Bangkok were besieged, along with a few members of the royalty and nobility.
King Rama VII had a few options, and he decided to return to Bangkok and negotiate for a preservation of royal power and standing in Thailand. He accepted constitutional monarchy. The People’s Party then proposed the establishment of the Constitution and the National Assembly.
Between 1933 and 1938, in the nascent but tumultuous years of Thailand’s constitutional monarchy, the institutional features that usually defined a viable democracy had failed to develop. Some public intellectuals had attempted to set up an opposing party but failed. The National Assembly also failed to function as envisioned.
The politics of this critical first post-revolution decade consisted of much chaos, with the People’s Party struggling against the royalist forces that sought to restore the monarchy. There were a lot of back and forth between the royalists and the People’s Party in 1932, but the Bowondet rebellion of 1933 was a critical event that resulted in the brutal smothering of all critical dissents in the Thai society against the People’s Party.
As a matter of history, the events of this era have, first and foremost, resulted in the rise of military rule as a common feature in Thai politics and government. The successful crackdown of the Bowondet rebellion was credited to Plaek Phibunsongkhram, who would seal his status and power as the prime minister in 1938. He was the one that would navigate much of Thailand’s positioning during WWII.
The way with which Plaek Phibunsongkhram cracked down on dissents following the Bowondet rebellion was a harbinger of the fragility of Thai democracy that would come and continue well into the 21st century. 19 military coups would follow in Thailand’s history after 1932, although the recent two coup d’états were bloodless. Despite its initial idealism, the People’s Party had to consolidate its power in ways that clearly went against the spirit of democracy. The freedom of speech was mute soon, and there would be no opposing political party in proper governance for years to come.
As of 2025, Thailand has had the second civilian prime minister since the military coup of 2014 by General Prayut Chan-o-cha. The current prime minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, of the Pheu Thai party, was elected after the Constitutional Court removed the previous civilian prime minister Srettha Thavisin for ethics violation in 2024. Paetongtarn Shinawatra is the youngest daughter of Thaksin Shinawatra, who served as the 23rd prime minister of Thailand. She is the second woman in Thailand’s history that served as the prime minister, after her own aunt Yingluck Shinawatra.
General Prayuth Chan-ocha, as the last military ruler of Thailand, served as the prime minister of Thailand between 2014 and 2023. During his tenure, a controversy arose that he had way exceeded the term limit of eight years for the premiership as provided for in the Constitution. Although he “won” the issue with the Constitutional Court, he announced the decision to step down after failing the bid in extending his rule via a general election in 2023.
Surely, the frequency with which the military takes over the government in Thailand probably tops the world, but that is not to say that the military seizes power without popular support. The people of Thailand have a practical eye to the way that a democratic government worked in their country. Where it fails to deliver its end of the bargain, the people do come around to a military rule that will subject itself to elections and openness.
Finally, a word of conclusion on this brief study of Thailand’s history. What I had not managed to do in this series is a thorough and proper study of the role of religion in Thai society. I do think that this is as important as understanding standard history and politics in Thailand. There will be such opportunity, however. In the future, I would like to visit northern Thailand for a longer period of time. There are plenty of cultural heritage and significant temples in that area.
Even a cursory stay in Bangkok showed me how the Thai people embrace religion in every aspect of their daily lives. Needless to say, the monks of Thailand had their clout and influence historically. There are also contending schools within the same umbrella faith of Theravada Buddhism. In due course, that study will come.
Arjun Subrahmanyan, Amnesia: A History of Democratic Idealism in Modern Thailand (2021).
The Wikipedia on Paetongtarn Shinawatra.
The Wikipedia on Prayut Chan-o-Cha.
Lipikar Narayaem Lindman, Military Coups in Thailand: The Strategic Arguments to Justifiy a Democratic Setback, Uppsala Universitet, available here.
In the last entry on Thailand in the modern era, I have discussed why Siam maintained its independence against the threats of colonialism in the 18th and 19th centuries. One question remained for me in this brief study of Thailand’s history. How did Thailand fare …
“Whatever it is that you do in Thailand, just do not criticize the Thai king in any way,” my uncle said to us, “I know the people that will get you out even for a murder, but if you offend the Thai king, nobody can …
It is said that Thailand was the only Southeast Asian country that survived the onslaught of western colonialism, which swept the world between the 15th and 19th centuries. That itself is a provocative food for thought.
Thailand also emerged relatively unscathed from World War II, as it immediately pledged alliance with Japan after coming under a five-day invasion by Japan in 1941.
There had to be a way that Thailand was unique as a nation in surviving the disastrous currents of history. With these two points in mind, I learned something about Thailand’s history.
In times beyond immemorial, there were early settlement in this area of Southeast Asia by the prehistoric humans. The fossils of the Lampang man dated to one million to 500,000 years ago, suggesting that the early Homo erectus have found it home here.
Perhaps as early as 2000 B.C., what were akin to civilizations showed their traces in the excavated artefacts consisting of skilled metallurgy, such as complex bronze instruments. This historical fact suggests that the Bronze Age had a flourishing presence in this part of the world as well.
Modern day Thailand is a large mass of land in the north with a southern coast, and a panhandle in the southwest that would extend to the Malaysian Peninsula. Its long southern coastline enables the maritime trade that was a lifeline for multiple kingdoms in its history.
At this part of the world, Thailand falls within the center of a melting pot, where the sweeping influences of various ancient religions and cultures slowly bound themselves together and resulted in myriad expressions of norms, practices and faiths of the modern Thai’s. Between 2000 B.C. and 1000 A.D., Thailand was part of the maritime jade trade for three thousand years. The traveling merchants from India was the great driving force that introduced Hinduism and Buddhism to Southeast Asia.
The first known kingdom in Thailand’s history was Funan, existing as early as 1st century B.C. (or even earlier, in 4th century B.C.). There was little known of Funan that is definitive, but the Indianization of this kingdom that spanned parts of modern-day Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Malaysia is beyond contest. Scholars have found evidence that the Funan kingdom engaged in heavy maritime trade, with control of part of an established sea route that went from India to China via the Gulf of Siam. Furthermore, it had a sophisticated bureaucracy that hired Brahmin clerks for administration, and the language of the court was Sanskrit. This kingdom had fallen by 6th century A.D.
The Mon people would be the first in Southeast Asia to adopt Buddhism. Between 6th and 11th centuries, the Mon kingdoms were known to be Dvarati and they contended for influence in this part of the world against the Srivijaya Empire, which was based in Sumatra and had vast influence in the southern part of modern day Thailand and the Malay peninsula. Maritime trade was also critical for Srivijaya.
The modern country of Thailand began with the migration of Tai people, who are the ancestors of the Thai people today. There are contesting theories about where the Tai people originated. The older generation of historians believed that the Tai people moved from southwestern China into this land mass by the ocean. The scholars now believe that the Tai people came from northern Vietnam, in the Dien Bien Phu area. Whatever the origin was, the Tai people’s migration would go on between the 8th and 10th centuries.
Between the 9th and 13th centuries, the Khmer kingdom rose to dominance. The Khmer kingdom had a territory that extended about half of modern-day Thailand. As opposed to the Mon people, who were predominantly Buddhists, the Khmers were heavily influenced by Hinduism, as the world-famous Angkor Wat attests. The Tai people then began to borrow these ideas of the Khmers, from royal etiquettes to literature and dance.
As the Khmer empire declined and fell during the 13th to 14th centuries, there followed a period of various states in the area, known as the Tai, Mon, Khmer and Malay Kingdoms. The Tai kingdom would eventually prevail. The first unified Thai kingdom that would lay the foundation for the development of the country that would be known as Siam was established in the mid 14th century.
The Sukhothai kingdom existed between 1238 and 1438 following the Tai people’s revolt against the Khmer kingdom. Sukhothai was the capital of this kingdom. The era is known for the development of art, architecture and governance, with particular emphasis on the embrace of Theravada Buddhism (as opposed to Mahayana Buddhism) from Ceylon. Theravada Buddhism was established as the official state religion at this time. Most Thai people today still abide by Theravada Buddhism.
The Ayutthaya kingdom was established in 1351 and ushered in an age of glory for this part of Southeast Asia. With territorial expansion centered along Menam, the Ayuthaya kingdom would eventually overtake the influence of the Sukhothai kingdom. In 1431, the rising kingdom invaded Angkor, resulting in the Khmer abandoning it. The kingdom instituted a system of governance that balanced central authority with local autonomy, maintaining the room for growth in its regions.
Ayutthaya would prove itself to be a thriving center for trade in Asia with the network of riverways within its ever-expanding territory. This would be the opening by which European involvement began in this part of the world.
Soon enough, Siam would be known to the European powers as it caught on with the world relations that would necessitate significant modernization in Asia. The Chakri dynasty of Siam followed the heels of the fall of the Ayutthaya kingdom.
Britannica on the History of Thailand.
Thailandembassy.org on Thailand History.
www.thethailandlife.com on A Brief History of Thailand.
The Wikipedia on History of Thailand
The Wikipedia on Bronze Age.
The Wikipedia on Funan.
This was not the first time in Thailand for me, but surely my first time visiting Bangkok. My last trip to Thailand was more than a decade ago in Phuket. I was quite excited about this trip because it was organized by my uncle with …