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“White Elephant” the King's Auspicious Animal

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“White Elephant” the King's Auspicious Animal แนวทางการบริหารการจัดการเรียนรู้ภาษาจีนส าหรับโรงเรียนสองภาษา (ไทย-จีน) สังกัดกรุงเทพมหานคร ประกอบด้วยองค์ประกอบหลักที่ส าคัญ 4 องค์ประกอบ ได้แก่ 1) เป้าหมายและ หลักการ 2) หลักสูตรและสื่อการสอน 3) เทคนิคและวิธีการสอน และ 4) การพัฒนาผู้สอนและผู้เรียน ค าส าคัญ: แนวทาง, การบริหารการจัดการเรียนรู้ภาษาจีน, โรงเรียนสองภาษา (ไทย-จีน) Abstract This study aimed to develop a guidelines on managing Chinese language learning for Bilingual Schools (Thai – Chinese) under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. The study was divided into 2 phases. Phase 1 was to investigate the present state and needs on managing Chinese language learning for Bilingual Schools (Thai – Chinese) under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration from the perspectives of the involved personnel in Bilingual Schools (Thai – Chinese) under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration Phase 2 was to create guidelines on managing Chinese language learning for Bilingual Schools (Thai – Chinese) under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and to verify the accuracy and suitability of the guidelines by interviewing experts on teaching Chinese language and school management. A questionnaire, a semi-structured interview form, and an evaluation form were used as tools for collecting data. Percentage, mean, and Standard Deviation were employed for analyzing quantitative data. Modified Priority Needs Index (PNImodified) and content analysis were used for needs assessment and analyzing qualitative data, respectively. The results of this research found that the actual state of the Chinese language learning management for Bilingual Schools (Thai – Chinese) in all aspects was at a high level ( x =4.00) and the expected state of the Chinese language learning management for Bilingual Schools (Thai – Chinese) in the overall was at the highest level ( x =4.62). The difference between the actual state and the expected state were significant different at .01 level. The Modified Priority Needs Index revealed that aspects on teaching method and learners were at a high needs (PNImodified = 0.20) and aspects on curriculum and teaching technique were at a low needs (PNImodified = 0.13 and 0.10, respectively). The guidelines on managing Chinese language learning for Bilingual Schools (Thai – Chinese) under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration consisted of 4 main factors: 1) Goal and Principle 2) Curriculum and Teaching facility 3) Teaching technique and Teaching method and 4) Instructor and Learner Development. Keywords: Guidelines, Chinese language learning management, Bilingual Schools (Thai – Chinese) Vol.20 Special Issue (Septemper-October) 2018-JHSSRRU 361 “hite Elephant” the King’s Auspicious Animal sa Klompan1 apa ootatansa2 Kan Kananapimai3, Khanuengnit Aiatugun4 an anuat antako5 Astact White elephants were majestic animals living beside Thai king for ages. They were trained for many purposes, for example, being king’s vehicle both in daily life and in the war as well as being part of the royal rituals. Therefore, white elephants were seen as the king’s auspicious animal. Once the era changed, white elephants’ roles had been altered. According to Gaja Sastra, the textbook indicating the physical characteristics of good elephants, white elephants consist of seven auspicious physical characteristics: white eyes, white hard palate, white toenails, white hair, white skin or light reddish brown skin, white tail hair, and white skin or light reddish brown testis. White elephants who have all those seven characteristics are called, in Thai, “Chang Som Kan” while white elephants whose characteristics don’t fit all are called “Chang Pra Lad” or “Chang Si Pra Lad.” In addition, if elephants have black skin, banana- flower-shape ivory, and black toenails, they will be called “Chang Niam.” Although belief on elephants in Thailand was influenced from India, Thai’s belief is a bit different based on Thai culture and tradition which had been mixed between Buddhism and Brahma-Hindu. Therefore, Thai white elephants would be different from white elephants in other areas. 1Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Surindra Rajabhat University, Thailand; e-mail : [email protected] 2Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Surindra Rajabhat University, Thailand; e-mail : [email protected] 3Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Surindra Rajabhat University, Thailand; e-mail : [email protected] 4Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Surindra Rajabhat University, Thailand; e-mail : [email protected] 5Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Surindra Rajabhat University, Thailand; e-mail : [email protected] 362 Vol.20 Special Issue (Septemper-October) 2018-JHSSRRU White elephants took their parts as Thai king’s animal because they represented the charisma of their possessors. ne eample could be seen through the biography of ord Buddha indicating that there was a white elephant appeared in Buddha mother’s dream before he was born. According to Brahma-indu belief, white elephant was a symbol of greatness, thus Buddha would become the great human being. Apart from this, relating to Brahma-indu belief, white elephants were seen as the national animal. In present, white elephants have been Thai national animals which have been legally preserved under Thai law. They also are the symbol of being Thai people. oreover, they symbolies the relationship among three institutes of Thailand nation, religion, and king. Keos : lephant, White elephant, Auspicious animal, King Intouction Asian elephants lepas aimus are found in the forest of Thailand, India, Burma, Cambodia, Sri anka, and alaysia. Asian elephants are -meter tall when they are completely grown up. They are clever and could be trained to be human labor or to perform the ordered gestures. Their ears are wide and big which the rims are at the head level. Their trunks consist of only one beak. Their backs are curved. Their forelegs consist of five toenails while the hind-leg toenails are only four. In Thailand, the male elephants are called “Chang Plai” as they have the ivory while the female ones, who have no ivory, are called “Chang Pang.” If the female elephant has a very short ivory, she will be called “Chang Ka Nai” while the male elephant with no ivory will be called “Chang See Dor.” oreover, there was a group of dwarf elephants which were called “Chang Kom” appeared at the seaside forest in Song Kla Province, Thailand. nfortunately, they were etinct oubert D., 200 -250. Besides, Thai elephants or Asian elephants have different manners comparing to elephants in other places. They also represent the abundance of forest as elephants balance the forest ecology. In human society Anthropocene, elephants were caught and trained to be used for many purposes: for eample, towing timbers, being human vehicle both in daily life and in the war, and being part of rituals. Therefore, catching elephants to be used and trained was important. That made human combined knowledges on types and specific physical characteristics of good elephants which were then called Vol.20 Special Issue (Septemper-October) 2018-JHSSRRU 363 “Kotchakam” or method of elephant catching. This was assmed as the origin of “Gaja Sastra,” the ancient tetbook indicating seven physical characteristics of good elephants which worth catching. In addition, this tetbook was inflenced by the belief on elephant in India which spread over Sotheast sia inclding Thailand. ccording to Gaja Sastra, one of the most important kind of elephants was a grop of white elephants. hite elephants consist of seven aspicios physical characteristics: white eyes, white hard palate, white toenails, white hair, white skin or light reddish brown skin, white tail hair, and white skin or light reddish brown testis. hite elephants who have all those seven characteristics are called, in Thai, “Chang Som Kan” while white elephants whose characteristics don’t fit all are called “Chang Pra Lad” or “Chang Si Pra Lad.” In addition, if elephants have black skin, banana-flower-shape ivory, and black toenails, they will be called “Chang Niam.” These three kinds of elephants were seen as the aspicios animals which belong only to the king. part from this, there were for families of elephants dividing de to God in rahma-ind belief rahma family, Shiva family, ishn family, and gni family. Catching white elephants to be sed in royal activities needs to pay attention to the aspicios characteristics indicating in Kotchalakshanra one part of Gaja Sastra eplaining characteristics of good white elephants. elief on elephants in Thailand is partial different to the belief in India. This is de to the mitre of two religions growing in Thailand, ddhism and rahma-ind. Thais integrated beliefs on Gaja Sastra (Brahma-ind and the charisma king (Bddhism. That is a reason why Thais see the king as a fictional deity. s a divine king, white elephants are needed as they symbolied the high charisma of the king. This can be seen throgh Thai history that Thai Kings always have white elephants beside their thrones to be sed not only in the war bt also in royal ritals. In the reign of King Rama IX, Kingdom of Thailand, role and condition of white elephants were still remained. King Rama IX possessed ten white elephants bt the most important one was named “Phra Sawetadlayadetphahon,” a white elephant in rahma family. Those white elephants were separated and treated by the lephant Institte of Thailand which located in all parts of Thailand. ccording to Thai legislation in , white elephants were legally preserved. The legislation stated
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