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Discourse on the Thai Nation by Progressive DISCOURSE ON THE THAI Thai culture. Furthermore, they NATION BY PROGRESSIVE recognised the importance of all Thai people, regardless of class, and. the INTELLECTUALS FROM minority ethnic groups in shaping the Thai THE 1950's - 1960's Nation. · Sopha Chanamool1 Introduction Abstract The old concept of 'nation' seems to face criticism in the modem world, which has A discourse on the Thai Nation by been affected by globalization. Since the progressive intellectuals in Thailand concept of the nation state emerged in during 1950's-1960's is discussed. During many Asian countries during the 18th this period they formed a narrative, and a century, nations were created with respect 2 new meaning of "Chat Thai" or Thai to borders and geo-body. These nation. The progressive intellectuals, such countries not only identified themselves as Malai Chupinit, Sod Kuramarohit, with the new idea of modem geography Assani Ponlachan and Chit Phumisak but they also identified themselves with debated a new meaning of national their origin. In this way, the concept of identity. They described the Thai Nation nation-states involved the integration and differently to the previous elite groups, centralization of themselves with such as King Rama VI in the 1920's and autonomous power. Luang Wichitwatakan in the 1940's. King Rama VI wrote about the great ancient In response to the view of some western kingdom of Sukhothai. Luang groups during the colonial period that Wichitwatakan expanded on that to show Thais were barbarian, the concept of "Chat the greatness of the Thai nation since Thai" or Thai Nation was produced by ancient times, and also that the Thai race Thai elite groups in the early 20th Century. was shaped from a pure race and had a At that time King Rama VI wrote the unity of Thai culture. Conversely, the narrative of Thai History in his work, progressive intellectuals argued that the 'Thiaw Muang Phra Ruang' (Travel to Thai nation was not shaped from a pure Phra Ruang's City), which described the Thai race, and also that it did not have a Golden Age in Sukhothai, the first unity of Thai culture. According to them Kingdom of Siam (Thailand). (see the Thai nation was formed from ethnic Mongkudklaochaoyuhao, 1967). After the heterogeneity and cultural diversity. Their 1932 revolution there was no change to this ideas a bout the communities which made idea or this narrative even though the up the Thai nation held that Thai people absolute monarchy had ended. Challenging from different regions have their own this idea of Thai History was Luang . cultures (their own historical background, their own local languages, their own way 2 The word 'geo-body' used with the meaning of of life), which are different to the central nation was used with respect to modern geography. For more detai~ please see Thongchai Winitchakul 1994. Siam Mapped· The Geo-Body 1 Ph.D., Department of History, Faculty of Arts, of the Nation. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Chulalongkom University Press. Downloaded from Brill.com10/09/2021 11:38:54AM via free access Discourse on the Thai Nation Wichitwatakan in Phibunsongkram's Ponlachan (1918-1987) and Chit government (1938-1944 and 1948-1957). Phumisak (1930-1966). He employed the concept of "Chat Thai" in a new narrative in which the Thai nation The Plot of Thai National Identity was shaped from a pure Thai race and by Elite Groups there was a long history of the Thai kingdom since ancient times. The King Rama VI (King Wachirawut), who Kingdom of Nanchao, in southern China had many pen names for writing, such as was described as the first kingdom of Thai Aksawaphahu, and RamChitti, began to History. Later, this group of Thai explore Thai History when he traveled to immigrants from the south of China to Nakorn Prathom and was inspired to 'Suwannaphum' or the "Golden Peninsula" investigate the plot of Thai History. He settled the kingdom of Sukhothai, and then began to clarify the meaning of "Chat" or Ayutthaya and Rattanakosin which are part 'nation' from the point of view of of modem Thailand. Therefore, the plot of language, meaning that Thai people must Thai History was a narrative employing speak Thai. He wrote the article "Khwam the concept of a pure Thai race and the Pen Chat Doi Thae Ching" (The Real Thai harmony of Thai identity. Nation) in 1915, and he expected to form the real nation as follows: In this paper, I would like to argue that there is a discourse surrounding the "The vocabulary of this "nation" narrative of Thai national identity, which has been translated in many was constructed by the mainstream ways, and each way should be ideology until the 1950's. At that time, corrected to form one national Thai progressive intellectuals, most of language. However, that is not them journalists in magazines such as the end of the debate as to Aksonsan, Siamsamai and Pituphum, whether it should be called a real were against the ideals of the government nation because each language of Field Marshal P. Phibunsongkram. forms a different character of the They also debated the plot of Thai History nation" and went against the theories o f the elite (Aksawaphahu, 1977: 71-72) groups. The new narrative of the 'Thai nation' presented by progressive At that time, the challenge to the nation intellectuals had two meanings. Firstly, state was the Chinese movement in that the nation had formed from ethnic Thailand which opposed the role of the heterogeneity as well as from cultural Manchu Dynasty in China and also diversity. Secondly, that the economy of opposed the Japanese who tried to capture the Thai nation was formed for the people China. The activity of the Chinese in and supported the people, rather than Thailand, which was called 'look }in nai being concerned only for the government. Siam' (meaning Chinese who were born in Thailand) was trouble for King I will present the new analysis of the 'Thai Wachirawut and he thought it might affect nation' from progressive intellectuals, the stability of his throne (see Tejaperi, such as Malai Chupinit (1906-1963), Sod 2001 and Murashima, 1996). Tejaperi's Ktiramarohit, ( 1908-1978), Assani work mentioned the political situation of King Wachirawut: 33 Downloaded from Brill.com10/09/2021 11:38:54AM via free access MANUSYA: Journal ofHumanities 7.2, 2004 "For the Siamese Government surname, compulsory primary schooling the peculiar trouble with thes~ and the establishment of the "Wild Tiger lookjin communists was that they Corps" (Kong Suea Pa). The Wild Tiger were in a legal sense "Thai" and Corps was the controversial para-military hence could not be easily organization he established at the expelled. It was the National Act beginning of his reign. This organization of 1913, a legal invention of none other than the arch-anti­ is generally held to have provided the communist King Wachirawut monarchy with a forum for disseminating himself, which, while furnishing his ideas to the officials of the realm the government with the power (Mongkudklaochaoyuhao, 1962). In this to banish Chinese and Vietnamese way, the official nationalist discourse that communist immigrants, precluded King Wachirawut articulated and set in . deportation of the arrested place in the context described above can lookjin communists, for it be seen as a particular expression of things claimed as Thai "every person like 'selective tradition'. Barrne said in his who was born on Thai territory" thesis that in the case of King Wachirawut, (fejaperi, 2001: 22). the 'selective tradition' involved a delineation of the nature of 'Thai' identity, We can see that the creation of. an official together with an explication of the slogan nation began during the reign of King 'Nation, Religion and King' which had Wachirawut, but the concept was not first been articulated at the end of the concerned with the people's rights or nineteenth century. These ideas were first freedom. There were three main themes made public in a series of speeches the which King Wachirawut considered to king made to the Wild Tiger Corps represent the Thai identity; loyalty to (Barrne, 1989: 26). King, loyalty to religion and loyalty to nation. In addition, he attempted to make Therefore, the concept of 'Chat Thai' or the monarchy the focal point of Thai 'ThaiN ation' has been further developed nationalist sentiment. However, he by state ideology since it's creation by appears to have met with early difficulties King Wachirawut. Later, following the as well. The King began by noting that commencement of the Phibunsongkram the kingdom contained a growing number government in 1938, this period was of people who felt compelled to pass influenced by the nationalism policy. A judgment on the government and its key player in the development of this policies. He added that there was nothing policy was Luang Wichitwatakan. In the necessarily wrong with this in that it latter period, it is argued that he was signified that people were coming to instrumental in formulating an official perceive the country as being their own. notion of Thai identity on behalf of the The problem was said to lie with the fact military-dominated state, and helped to that most people still lacked a "true have this deployed on a broad scale via the understanding" of national affairs media and through the expanding school (Copeland, 1993: 34). system. During his reign of about 15 years, laws Luang Wichitwatakan (1898-1962) was were passed to assist the building of the from a Chinese family background and he natiqn, such as legal nationality, legal was given the Chinese name 'Kimliang'. 34 Downloaded from Brill.com10/09/2021 11:38:54AM via free access Discourse on the Thai Nation However, in his speech for his uncle, Thai Embassy in Paris.
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