VAJIRAYANATALE: THE SOCIAL REFLECTION OF THAILAND DURING THE REIGN OF KING CHULALONGKORN 1KREEKAMON NOOKUR, 2NITION PORNUMPAISAKUL 1,2Thai Languege Studies Curriculum, Faculty of Humanity, Srinakharinwirot University. E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] Abstract- This article aims at studying Vajirayana Tale, a Thai literary work composed in the period of King Chulalongkorn. It has been revealed that Vajirayana Tale represented the two vivid developments of Thai Society at the time: government system and transportation. About the government system, the king ran his reformation process by abolishing slavery, whereas he improved the by-land transportation system, for important examples: to construct road and to found trolley lines and railways. All manifested King Chulalongkorn’s remarkable aptitude,which was to develop the country to become “civilized” that fundamentally led to later improvement. Keywords- King Chulalongkorn, Social Reflection, Vajirayana Tale I. INTRODUCTION II. DETAILS EXPERIMENTAL Vajirayana Tale is a literary work that was composed 2.1. Scope of Research and Procedures during the reign of King Chulalongkorn, in which The 2nd edition of Vajirayana Tale by Fine Arts literature was contextually related to its society. It Department, Office of Literature and History. Study was also a social tool to express social reflection and by documentary research and results by descriptive lifestyle of the period as it was said that “literature is analysis. an expression of society.” Vajirayana was first published in the newspaper of Vajirayana Library, III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION which was originally founded in 1881 under the reign of King Chulalongkorn. The library was agreed to Thailand had been invaded by the West since the establish by the cooperation of the royal sons and reign of King Rama III because the western or daughters of King Mongkut to commemorate him at European countries were seeking for the colonies the Palace of Saranrom. with their pretext of occupying the territories that it Vajirayana Library published its newspaper including was the “white man’s burden” to bring the Vajirayana Newspaper, VajirayanaWiset civilization of the West into the uncivilized Newspaper, Vajirayana Newspaper of New Year, territories. and Vajirayana Club Newspaper, which printed numerous literature. Later, the Fine Arts Department King Chulalongkorn wished to develop the nation to collected the literary works, which were published in its prosperity in order to be consistent with the the newspapers of Vajirayana Library, and called condition of the world in which the western countries them “Vajirayana Tale.” used the pretext of occupying territories. The king agreed that one way to help prevent colonization was Vajirayana Tale is valuable fiction because it was to develop the country more prosperous and to create originally written in the time when Thailand was “civilization” in the western eyes. Vajirayana Tale changing in various fields, so it shows the reflection shows two major changes in the society at that time: of past society like the Fine Arts Department government system and transportation. said,“The published literature is interesting, educational, and also reflects the way of life, tradition 3.1. Government system: “abolition of slavery” and society in the past, which is an example of how Thailand was a long feudal society, and “slaves”were young people can live, learn, and appreciate the a class lacking of freedom, traded as a commodity, evolution of society that has been developed into and the lowest group of people in the society. Still prosperity.” having slaves, it was one thing that led Thailand to be despised by western countries as a country with The change of the country during the reign of King barbaric and outdated tradition. It also depressed the Chulalongkorn to equalize the civilization to other value and honor of being human, obstructed national countries gave Vajirayana Tale, which was created in development, and demonstrated the backwardness the period of change, some interesting information and unequal with the civilization. Therefore, King about the social conditions; therefore, the study of Chulalongkorn abolished slavery, which was his great this set of data will allow us to understand the social task showing that the king’s heart was overflowing change in that period. with kindness to the his people, and it was also to Proceedings of 87th The IRES International Conference, Tokyo, Japan, 6th-7th November, 2017 4 Vajirayanatale: The Social Reflection of Thailand During the Reign of King Chulalongkorn create justice in Thai society. It was written in the control over provinces. Transportation is Vajirayana Tale that, important to make contact easy and fast as well as to show the prosperity of the country. In Vajirayana The servant saw the contract of voluntary Tale, there are three major changes in land slavery, so she didn’t dare to open it. The transportation during that period that are the master came open it and sat there near the construction of roads, train construction, and tram servant. The master smiled and looked at the business. servant to see she said nothing. The servant got confused but laughed and felt King Chulalongkorn paid much attention to building pleased to see the master let her free as well as roads as it is said, “King Rama V was a road-building thinking, “the master has compassion on her era” because many roads were built for ease of travel, hard working.” and some built in the reign of the former king were repaired as it is explained in the example below, The excerpt from Vajirayana Tale above demonstrates the abolition of slavery from the The police, “Where is that man’s home? sentence, “the servant got confused but laughed and Where does he work?” felt pleased to see the master let her free.” It shows Little girl, “He tells me he lives in a that there was a declaration of slavery abolition in garden in Hua Lamphong, but he works as that period. The master can inform the contract of a bill collector for renting a building in voluntary slavery. The slaves will be free if the ThanonPhahurat and Bang Rak.” master pays for the contract of voluntary slavery. Vajirayana Tale shows the declaration of slavery The police, “Have you ever been to his abolition. The abolition of slavery of King home, or do you know where he works?” Chulalongkorn began in 1874 and took more than 30 Little girl, “ I have tried to find his home years. With the “gradual approach,” no serious event and workplace, but he insists it will be occurred after the declaration of slavery abolition. In inconvenient for a lady to go in the addition, Vajirayana Tale also expresses the feelings garden, but for his work as a bill collector, of the people to the king’s kindness as the example he allow me to follow him.” below, The example above shows the image of Phahurat The son asked, “I want to know what my Road, a commercial street which was known as the mother thinks about slavery. Would it be golden line, for it was a source of cloth and various good or not to have the slavery tradition?” products for ceremonies. Phahurat Road was a road So the mother answered, “In my opinion, it built during the reign of King Chulalongkorn to would not be good to have the slavery dedicate to his royal daughter, “Princess tradition, so I feel greatly pleased that our BahuradaManimaya,” who died at the age of 10. king is very kind to his people, who live From the example, there were the rent for commercial under his reign in Siam, to abolish the building on Phahurat Road, so it showed that slavery, which is a vicious tradition in our Phahurat Road in that period was a commercial street country, with his wisdom to see the where people rented the building for career. Today, condition in the present and future.” this street is also a zone that sells fabric goods, sewing supplies, and products of ceremonies. The sentence from the example above, “so I feel greatly pleased,” shows loyalty and joy in the Another main road under the reign of King Rama V is kindness of King Chulalongkorn. “Greatly pleased” is “Ratchadamnoen Road” because it is the road he was happiness, a feeling of joy under the reign of the king, impressed by the road in Europe, such as the Mall in who is full of compassion to the people, with such London and the Champs-Elysees in Paris like Prince great task of the abolition of slavery. Chula Chakrabongse said, It can be said that the abolition of slavery was a change in social structure that was full of inequality King Rama V kindly built Dusit Palace in to bring justice and equality for the people. It also the wall north-east outside the city, and showed other civilized countries that Thailand was kindly built a long road pressed on two sides not backward and uncivilized so that the West would by growing tamarind, and named claim to take over the territories. The abolition of “Rajdamnoen Road,” which is a road slavery also brought joy, love, and faith in the Thai connecting the Grand Palace and Dusit monarchy as well. Palace. The king was impressed by the road in Europe, such as the Mall in London and 3.2. Changes in transportation the Champs-Elysees in Paris. The threat of western colonization prompted the country to accelerate its own development, especially Proceedings of 87th The IRES International Conference, Tokyo, Japan, 6th-7th November, 2017 5 Vajirayanatale: The Social Reflection of Thailand During the Reign of King Chulalongkorn This road is not only being inspired by the roads of son, so my master gives me money to buy Europe, but also considered a road built for the good but cheap things from Sampheng and elegance of the country.