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Whole Brain Intelligence (WBI) during the Time of Siam Revolution in 1688:

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Udomsak Soponki/

ABSTRACT Organization development (OD) consulting, executive coaching and process fa­ cilitation engagement have increasingly adopted the concept and framework of whole brain intelligence (WBI) in the past few years. The main objective of this paper is to explore the use of WBI in a reflective analysis of a historical event on the area of coaching and succession planning development in Thailand. It is also the intent of the researcher to enter into the thought patterns of that position of authority and responsibility and identify thinking processes and practices that reflect in part and/or in totality the WBI perspective and framework. The expected end result of this reflective analysis is to draw out implica­ tions for succession leadership planning and leadership coaching. The researcher had reviewed many documents regarding a well-known history of Thailand during King Narai of Ayutthaya Dynasty and found out some interesting charac­ teristics of King Narai, Lord Phetracha (King Phetracha), Lord Sorasak (King Sorasak), and Lord Constantine Phaulcon. These interesting characteristics were perfectly mapped with the four brain quadrants of humans in order to help explain the processes of succession leadership planning and leadership coaching.The whole brain intelligence secret is the wholeness is greater than the sum of its parts. It doesnt matter which type of the metaphor the leaders or the successors are, but it is by far more important to learn that the leaders and successors can have the whole brain intelligence. It means that the holistic worldview in the mindset of a person is more important than his/her static comfort zone.

Keywords: whole brain intelligence (WBI)

1Dr. Lecturer, Graduate School of Business Assumption University 64 ll'iiill'if!l:ljjUrnMVIl.Jif.JfllJflliilfi{ (wUUIJtii:Wflliilfi{Uiil~if.JfllJflliilfl{l uri 1 wuuri 2 ifumuu - liullfllJ 2554

Introduction been under any colonizer from the West Organization development (OD) con­ nor from the East. While revolutions have sulting, executive coaching and process fa­ come and gone, Thailand has remained to cilitation engagement have increasingly be free with its own history of monarchy. adopted the concept and framework of For Thailand, in order to better under­ whole brain intelligence (WBI) in the past stand the reflection of WBI on a modem few years. At the extreme end of continuum, coaching and succession planning develop­ some scholars have argued that WBI is not ment, it may help to use a well-known valid and it is a fad. Those who have used it history of Thailand during King Narai of among others have argued that WBI is not Ayutthaya Dynasty as a metaphor. What only valid but also very practical in coach­ make the revolution of 1688 in the kingdom ing, consulting, training, .conceptualizing, of Siam (Thailand) very popular both for strategizing, negotiating, assessing, and fa­ Thais and foreigners are the interesting char­ cilitating events and activities in many OD acteristics of King Narai, Lord Phetracha (King engagements. The main objective of this Phetracha), Lord Sorasak (King Sorasak), and paper is to explore the use of WBI in a Lord Constantine Phaulcon. For many reflective analysis of a historical event on foreigners, the main reason that the revolu­ the area of coaching and succession plan­ tion of Siam in 1688 is very interesting is not ning development in Thailand. It is also the only the domestic politics but also the very intent of the writers to enter into the thought rich history of Thai foreign relations. patterns of that position of authority and According to Michael Smithies (2004), responsibility and identify thinking· processes during King Narai period between 1680-1688 and practices that reflect in part and/or in there were many famous contacts and totality the WBI perspective and framework. ambassadors exchanged between the court The expected end result of this reflective of King Narai and the court of King Louis analysis is to draw out implications for suc­ XIV of France. cession leadership planning and leadership Most of the Ayutthaya records were coaching. destroyed in the 18th century when the invading Burmese army destroyed the Historical Context capital city of Ayutthaya in 1767 and the Thailand is a free nation. The mean­ oldest descriptions of this 1688 event in the ing of its name speaks for itself. It is "land chronicles were recorded more than a of the free." This is a very significant histori­ century later (Terwiel, 2005). However, cal fact that Thailand is distinctively differ­ contemporary accounts of foreigners, ent from many of its neighbors. It has not missionaries, and Louis XIV records were 11'itn'if!J:Iijiffujjmn.JilUflu~1Nfl{ lwuuulil:W~1Nfl{uiil:ifllfiU~1Nfi{J ml 1 wuuii 2 numuu - 6u11AU 2554 1 Ei5 well documented. Francois-Henri Turpin acted as minister of foreign affairs and trade, published in Paris the event of Siam Revo­ and who cultivated the French dominance lution from the reports of Christian mission­ in the country to support his own position. aries in Siam (Turpin, 1771, 1908, 1997). During that time, the French had stationed Turpin's work, therefore, mentioned the troops in Bangkok and Mergui, under the period of the French attempts to conquer treaty between King Narai and King Louis the trade route, to promote Christianity, and XIV of France. to endeavor of Constantine Phaulcon to the During this disturbance on May 15th - highest government post during the late of 20th in 1688, Lord Phetracha had Lord Man King Narai era. Phi arrested together with many conspira­ tors, in whose pocket was found a docu­ The Revolution of Siam in 1688 ment containing the complete coup plot, According to the Archives Nationales, signed by many supporters of Lord Phaulcon Paris, Col. Cl 24 (ff. 130-139) and Archives and Lord Phaulcon himself. Having no need of the MEP, val. 859, p.498 et seq., translated of further proof of the conspiracy and it by Michael Smithies (2004), in May 1688 the was no longer in the king's power to save King Narai of Siam was so weak from his his adopted son, Lord Petracha had Lord sickness, and was forced to keep to his bed Man Phi executed. at his palace in Lopburi. It was said that the In addition, Lord Petracha had troops king had placed all the governance of the assembled from all provinces under the name kingdom in the hands of the most impor­ of the king. Lord Petracha summoned, in tant mandarins named Lord Petracha, and the king's name, Lord Phaulcon and the his adopted son Lord Sorasak. French General M. des Fargues to come from Such an unusual practice caused the Bangkok to Lopburi. They only obeyed when rumor of the death of King Narai in the ordered to do so for the third time. capital city Ayutthaya, and caused so much Upon the arrival Lord Phaulcon was tension among the courtiers and factions. arrested and put to death. The French Lord Phaulcon conspired with King Nani's general left his two sons and the Bishop of adopted son, Lord Man Phi, a plot to as­ Rosalie as hostages until after the French semble up to 14,000 men from Phitsanulok fort was handed over to Siam. Shortly after plus the help from several hundred French the coup, all the 250 French troops in troops to take the full control of Siam. Bangkok, 150 French troops in Mergui, plus According to Smithies (2004), the suc­ merchants, and missionaries were ordered cession of Siam was complicated by the role to withdraw from their settlements and must of Lord Phaulcon, a Greek adventurer who abandon the kingdom. 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On July 9'h in 1688, Lord Petracha and and commerce policies. Lord Sorasak seized the Ayutthaya palace The seizure of power by Lord and had the young prince and princess Phetracha and his adopted son Lord Sorasak placed in sacks of scarlet velvet before from Lord Phaulcon and his French alliance being beaten to death. The King Narai was while King Narai was dying was well sup­ so struck by grief that he became incapable ported by most Thais and Buddhist monks. of taking action and died on July 11th in Lord Phetracha became a very powerful king 1688. of Siam during 1688-1703. His metaphor was According to Turpin (1771, 1908, 1997), the tiger. He was a man of the actions, very the coup of 1688 was managed so quietly practical achiever, and knew best how to that there were no major changes in public use his momentum to gain support from all affairs. The palace was the scene of some events and surrounding people. disturbance, but outside everything was very Lord Phaulcon (Greek origin, 1647- peaceful. Lord Petracha succeeded quietly 1688) was the minister of foreign affairs and to the throne and moved to stay in Ayutthaya, trade, the highest government post ever where he was formally proclaimed the King granted to any foreigners in the history of of Siam. Siam and Thailand. The metaphor given to him was the bird. He was a visionary man, The Four Metaphors of Successor Charac­ an explorer, and a very creative leader. To teristics many Thais, another interesting character was King Narai (the Great King of Siam Lord Sorasak (King of Siam during 1703-1708). during 1656-1688) was one of the great plan­ He was very loyal to his kingdom, to King ners, a good organizer, and a controller. His Narai and later on to King Phetracha. He metaphor was a monkey. He was well known had waited very long time from King Narai to develop the king­ to King Phetracha un­ dom of Siam to be­ til his time was ripe come a very modern­ to become one of the ized and civilized na­ most famous kings of tion. He developed Thailand. His meta­ the second capital city phor was the dog. He of Lopburi, sent many was a defender, a re­ missions and ambas­ lationship preserver, sadors to Europe, cre­ and a people-oriented ated successful trade leader.

Figure 1: The Metaphor of Four Successors 1l'iNKfjtti]UrutifMhlA\I~I.M1illfK (i:IUUU\il:ill~lillfl~lliil:if\I~UfllillfK) ilfi 1 >:~tTufi 2 numuu - fiU11~U 2554 r~~-l J

As shown on Figure 1, it is very vital reached a mature stage may require a break­ to assess a type of the leader and succes­ through in order to push the company into sors. Sometimes it is even better to diag­ the second life cycle. A Dog is needed es­ nose a type of main competitor. It is quite pecially when there is a political concern. A common that the founder of an organiza­ Dog successor focuses on human relation­ tion is a Tiger. If the Tiger is succeeded by ship and the process rather than the content another Tiger, it is likely that nobody is tak­ and context. A Dog is often forgotten be­ ing care of the administration, internal con­ cause a Dog is very loyal and patient. trol and systems. Therefore, a Tiger might consider a successor that is not another Ti­ The 3 Levels of Whole Brain Intelligence ger, perhaps a Monkey could be a good (WBI) choice. A Monkey is good at administrative As shown on Figure 2, each metaphor work, internal/external control, plus orga­ can represent each of the brain quadrants nizing what the Tiger has conquered previ­ according to the Whole Brain Intelligence ously. Model (WBI). The WBI model can be A Bird is needed when there is a great explained in 3 levels as the following: challenge for transformational change in a 1. Aware of your own metaphor or difficult time. An organization that has dominant brain quadrant.

Good at Abstractions. Integrating Concepts. Global focus. Empathy

Good at Fine Print. r l··· l ····.· It y r ~J Good at Hunching.

Seeing Linearly. Positive · > · ' ' Seeing Spatially. outputs. "logic· Holistic outputs. "Magic"

Good at Openness, Playfulness. Emotional Energy

Figure 2: The Metaphors of Whole Brain Intelligence (WBI) for Coaching and Succession Planning Development modified from Lynch (2004) and Tayko, P. & Talmo, M. (2010) Ei8 ll'il1'if!HjjUruriAri1\I~\IAIJ"1ii1AS (i::IIJUIJLfl:t001ii1ASlliii:~\IAIJ"1ii1flS) TiiJ 1 ilUUrJ 2 fiumuu - liUllAIJ 2554

2. Learn multiple lenses/mindsets comfort zone. In conclusion, a good coach­ inside your own metaphor or dominant brain ing and succession planning development quadrant. Going beyond your comfort zone. in Thailand should be based on the whole 3. Have the whole brain intelligence brain intelligence and all kinds of metaphor by expanding your brain connectivity or con­ derived by the model of Siam Revolution in nect all metaphors together. 1688.

Conclusion References Lynch, D. (2006). BrainMap: A selfware profile from Brain Technologies Corporation, P.O. Box 260886, Plano, Texas, 75026 USA ( www.braintechnologies.com). Smithies, M. (2004). Witnesses to a Revolu­ tion: Siam 1688. Bangkok: The Siam Society. Tayko, P. & Talmo, M. (2010). Whole Brain Literacy for whole brain learning. Valenzuela City: Bookchoice Publish­ ing. Terwiel, B. J. (2005). Thailand's Political His­ tory: From the Fall of Ayutthaya in Figure 3: The Multiple Lenses of Whole 1767 to Recent Times. Bangkok: River Brain Intelligence (WBI) for Coaching and Books. Succession Planning Development Turpin, F. H. (1997). A History of the King­ dom of Siam up to 1770 (compiled by The whole brain intelligence secret is M. Turpin from manuscripts 1771 re­ the wholeness is greater than the sum of its ceived from M. the Bishop of Tabraca parts (see Figure 3). It doesn't matter which Vicar Apostolic of Siam and from other type of the metaphor the leaders or the suc­ Missionaries in the Kingdom translated cessors are, but it is by far more important from the original French by B. 0. to learn that the leaders and successors can Cartwright, B.A., Committee of the have the whole brain intelligence. It means Vajiranana National Library, Bangkok, that the holistic worldview in the mindset of 1908). Bangkok: White Lotus Co., Ltd. a person is more important than his/her static **************