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VNU.JOURNAL OF SCIENCE, soc.. SCI., HUMAN., N05E, 2006 MONGKUT, CHULALONGKORN AND THE GENERATIONS OF SIAM REFORMERS IN THE PREMODERN PERIOD Pham Hong Tungr) The premodern history of the King Mongkut (Rama IV). Totally Kingdom of Thailand is closely Mongkut had 39 wives and 82 children associated with the names of King including 43 princesses and 39 princes. Mongkut (Rama IV, 1851-1868), Chulalongkorn was not the first son of Chulalongkorn (Rama V, 1868-1910) and Mongkut. However, because he was the three genarations of reformers who first son born to Queen Rampoey, he was successfully led the modernization cause the official successor of Mongkut. of Siam Kingdom (former name of The talent and career of Thailand) which helped this kingdom Chulalongkorn was firstly associated overcome the hazard of invasion from with the talent and personality of his colonialism. Nowadays, Thai people still father, and the story of King Mongkut worship these two kings as Buddha- was also one of the most interesting ones Emperors who enlighted and set the in the premodern period of Thailand. foundation for the birth of modern Thai. Mongkut was not the fisrt son either. This article focuses on studying the However, he was the first son born to the biography, career and especially elements Queen and King Rama II (1809-1824). which have created the talent of these He was 20 when his father passed away. two kings as well as the generations of It was also the period when Siam national talent who successfully led this kingdom under the ruling of Chakri famous movement of reform. Based on dynasty was facing vital challenges. At this, it is possible to make remarks on the end of the 18th century and the the importance of national talent in this beginning of the 19th century, Western movement of reform in premodern Siam capitalism invasion and colonialization in order to gain historic experiences for were at their height in East Asia. Among the strategy of talent development in colonialist nations, Britain and France Vietnam nowadays. were the most powerful. Many countries 1. Historical background, and peoples in this region were biography and the process of conquered and dominated while others becoming talents of Mongkut were facing the hazard of being and Chulalongkorn attacked, invaded or divided. Chulalongkorn was born on Chakri dynasty was founded in 1782, September 20th in 1853. His father was which put an end to a chaotic time in the n Assoc.Prof. Dr., Vietnam National Univeristy, Hanoi 49 50 Pham Hong Tung history of this country after the collapse (due to the tradition of the mornachy in of Ayudhya dynasty and the dominance Siam, the incumbent king always of the Burman. Under the reigns of designates a viceroy to be the successor Rama I and Rama II, Siam kingdom in case the king dies unexpectedly). It recovered quickly and reached the peak was likely that he implicitly reserved of decentralistic Buddhist mornachy. this position for Mongkut, who should The territory was more extended than have been the successor of Rama II. ever before. However, this was also the As for Mongkut, after following his time when Western colonialists began to father’s order to shave his head and pay attention to Siam and threaten the become a monk, he immediately devoted independence of this kingdom[1, p. 113]. all of his mind and strength to this In 1822, British colonialist government career. However, he did it in his own in India sent a mission led by John way. Fisrt of all, he tried his best to Crawfurd to Bangkok to ask for study Pali, a kind of dead language permission to trade. However, nobody in which costs an ordinary monk many Rama IFs court could understand years to master if he wants to English [1, p. 114]. The failure of the understand Buddhist scripture. negotiation made Crawfurd leave in However, with his prominent talent, fury, which foretold that a real hazard Mongkut only took less than 2 years to was on its way. Soon after that Rama II master Pali and then passed the fell ill and the white elephant, the sacred examination of Buddhist Supreme symbol of the Royal family, also died. Council to become the leader of Buddhist As if he could predict future events, Church of this kingdom. Also during this Rama II made decisions which. He did time, he got acquainted with a Freeh not designate Mongkut as his successor missionary named Mosignor Pallegoix. although Mongkut was the only official He taught Mosignor Pali and Thai while crown prince. On the contrary, he the missionary taught him English, ordered Mongkut to shave his head and French, Latin and some Western become a monk, then designated his fundamental sciences. Besides, he also eldest son (who was 43 at that time) to made acquaintance with other several be the successor to the throne. Western missionaries to learn scientific After his accession to the throne, knowledge from them. He learned these strange knowledge and languages with Rama III (1824-1851) always special intelligence and wisdom. remembered his fathers recommendation to be “absolutely At the end of 1825, the second cautious about the relationship with British mission led by Henry Burney Western countries”. It seemed that he was sent to Bangkok to make also predicted this challenge in the negotiation and request Siam to open future, so he didn’t designate a viceroy the country for trade. At that time VNU, Journal of Science, Soc., Sci., Human., N£E, 2006 Mongkut, Chulalongkom and the generations of Siam.. 51 British colonialists had just declared the such as China, Vietnam, Siam, Burma, first invasion to conquer Burma. The etc., increased day by day. In pagodas, negotiation lasted for nearly a year and Mongkut, Chuang Bunnag and the came to a standstill. However, when group of young aristocrat intellectuals British army won the war and forced implicitly monitored latest incidents in Emperor of Burma to sign a peace the world and the region and they treaty, Rama III invited Mongkut to join became more positive in studying the negotiation and he cleverly convinced Western learning. both sides to sign a treaty in 1826 which In April 1851, Rama III passed away. minimized disadvantages for Siam. With the strong support of powerful Mongkut also promptly forwarded aristocrat forces, especially Bunnag two things which later played decisive lineage, Mongkut gave up the frock and roles in the reform of him and his son. came to the throne crowned as Rama IV. First, he declared the reform in the Right after his accession to the Buddhist Church of Siam towards throne, Mongkut had to face with strong eliminating the superstition, stagnation pressure from Western colonialism. In and degradation of the clergy and the years 1850 and 1851, Britist restoring the rationalism and secularism colonialists continuously sent missions of primitive Buddihism. As a result, to Bangkok to ask Chakri dynasty to after years of consistent persuasion, open the country for trade. In March Mongkut founded and became the leader 1855, another mission led by John of a new sect called Dhammayaut which Bowring was sent to Bangkok to demand gathered Siam reformatory chapters for trade. This demand was pertained together. Second , he gathered around with the public threat of violent attack. himself a force including several young At the same time, British army declared princes and members of most powerful the Second invasion to annex Burma. aristocrat families, especially the Bunnag, to focus on studying Western When Bowring arrived in Bangkok, languages, sciences and technology. This the manner of Siam court changed was the first step in the preparation of completely. King Mongkut and Minister of Foreign Affairs and South East talents which were one of the decisive Chuang Phraya Bunnag (Suriyawong) factors determining the destiny of the themselves welcomed him at the wharf. reform afterwards [1, p.119; 2, p.117]. During the talk afterwards, the King After the Opium War (1839-1842), himself even offered Boring coffee, cigars Western colonialist countries intensified and began the talk by narrating in the race to invade Asia and fought with English what he had read in the one another over remaining lands to Hongkong Daily that day. All of this make them their colonies. The pressure made a special impression on Bowring on national sovereignty of kingdoms about an innovated and trusty court. In VNU, Journal of Science, Soc., Sci., Human.,NJE, 2006 52 Pham Hong Tung April 1855, the new treaty between Siam reforms the success of which was and Britain was signed, in which absolutely ensured. Mongkut decided to strongly reduce It appeared that Mongkut import-export tax and ensure the free understood the mission of forwarding trade while Britain pledged to recognize the reform would be put on the Siam’s sovereignty over peripheral areas shoulders of his successor. As a result, in the North of Malaysian peninsula and he set up a special training program for Northeast Burma. Afterwards, Siam also the crown prince Chulalongkorn very signed a series of similar treaties with early. This training program was France, The United States, Denmark, designed by Mongkut himself based on Portugal and the Netherlands. These his own experiences of self-education in treaties created significant changes in order to create most favourable the trade between Siam and Western preparation for Chulalongkorn to countries. If in 1852 only three Western become an innovative king who could merchant ships arrived at Bangkok port, face with challenges in the near future. this figure in 1856 was 200. As a result, Chulalongkorn began to learn under a reform in the aspects of tax system, the guidance of Thai Royal lecturers services, etc.