LANGUAGE LEARNING IN EUROPE AND THAILAND AS A PARADIGM OF CULTURAL TRANSITION Pornsan Watananguhn 1 Introduction: A Lesson from the Revolution of 24th June 1932 " I am determined to give my simultaneously, both insta·nt democracy absolute power to all of my people and prosperity to Siam. But as we now in the Kingdom of Si;im, but I do know, the Revolution did not lead to any not intend to give this supreme basic structural changes in Thai society. authority to any single person or to any groups of men for his or their The People 's Party 's understanding of own advantage." democracy suggests that their political consciousness had its roots in the These above words, spoken by King Rama westernization of the Siamese educational VII before he abdicated in March 1935, system, which took place in the reign of constitute the Majesty' s response to King Rama V (r.1868-1910). The core of Siam' s transition from absolute to the People 's Party, especially those who cons~itutional monarchy, a very dramatic had been trained in Europe, were convinced political event which was fostered by that so long as Siam remained an absolute groups of civilians and military officers monarchy, the country was unwesternized, of the Siamese Army. All of the military and therefore, undeveloped. To elevate officers and civilians were Western­ Siam to western standard demanded that trained. Many of the military officers had the old political system be replaced with a received training in Germany and France; new, democratic one. In the opinion of the while all of the civilians had been People 's Party, this charge would make the educated in France or England. people of Siam democratic and civilized. The group, the so-called People's Party, Democracy in this sense emphasizes the 1 which c.arried out the Revolution of 24 h democratic form of the state rather than June 1932, believed that the abolition of its actual content. This idea of democracy the absolute monarchy would bring, as a ready-made product can be explained as an aftermath of the westernization of the educational system in the reign of King 1 Associate Professor Rama V, when the traditional Siamese Department of Western Languages concepts of knowledge and how to gain Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University knowledge were completely transformed. Downloaded from Brill.com10/04/2021 12:43:03AM via free access Language Leaming in Europe and Thailand as a Paradigm ofCultural Transition Knowledge in the traditional Thai way In the year 1822, an English delegation led of thinking referred to knowledge of by John Crawfurd arrived in Siam. It was Buddhist precepts. Education, therefore, noted that: served a religious purpose. With educational reform, the idea of knowledge as religious "The negotiation was extremely content was replaced by the concept of difficult, as it could not be carried knowledge as worldly content which on without several interpreters. existed in the West. This change was John Crawford spoke in English decisive as it consequently transformed to his Malay interpreter. Then the the traditional concept of gaining conversation was translated into knowledge. More emphasis was placed Thai by another interpreter. The on the acquisition of worldly knowledge translation process of the answer such as mathematics, geography, science, from Siamese ministers took place in political science etc, which could be the same manner. This negotiation did obtained from books rather than from not bring about any treaty."2 experience. Accordingly, the concept of importing western civilization and The negotiation made Siam conscious of democracy, which culminated in the the importance of English as a means of political change of 1932, represents the communication. King Rama III (r. 1824- concept of Thai way of thinking that 1851), who was then in charge of foreign most of the Thais principally are not affairs, was also very impressed by the interested in reaching a real understanding discipline and uniforms of the Indian of the genesis of and philosophy behind soldiers who accompanied British-trained western culture and technology. It was, Crawford' s delegation. King Rama III and it is still more convenient for a Thai directed that his own guard be trained in to adopt western knowledge as a ready­ the western way.3 Further, His Majesty made product, which deprives one's own had a textbook on cannon firing translated initiative. into the Thai language and ordered many cannons and much ammunition for his This main idea of the paper will be army. His successor Rama IV (r. 1851- illustrated in the concept of learning 1868), ordered gunboats directly from foreign languages in Europe and Thailand England. His Majesty also arranged for as a paradigm of cultural transition, which the formation and training of troops also encompasses in the next example following the western military model. from Thai history. "Kt:iowledge as Power" and 2 My translation. The History ofth e Ministry Foreign Language as a "Bridge to ofEducation 1892-1964, published on the Gain Power: An Experience from occasion of 72 years of the Ministry of Education. Bangkok: Kurusapa 1964, p. 6. the Delegation of John 3 The History ofth e Armed Forces during the Crawford" Rattanakosin Period, published in a book given at the funeral of Colonel Phraya Damgoeng-ronnapob at Thepsirin Temple 1967, pp. 23-27. 87 Downloaded from Brill.com10/04/2021 12:43:03AM via free access MANUSYA: Journal of Humanities Vol. 1 No. 2 1998 This is the origin of the present-day Royal means of attaining western ideas and ThaiArmy.4 thinking.6 The fact that Burma, for centuries a "Knowledge is power" as Francis Bacon traditional enemy of Siam, became a said about 400 years ago reflecting the colony of Britain in 1886 during the reign process of intellectual enlightenment in of King Rama V, and the arrival of a few Europe at that time. In the meantime, the French gunboats at the mouth of the intellectuals in Europe gradually changed Chao-Phraya River in 1894 made Siam from monks to laymen. It can be said aware of the threat the West posed to the that Siam, a hundred years ago, also went political independence of the Kingdom. through a fairly similar experience. The only difference being perhaps that western The People 's Party was also seduced by technology was born within its own the power of western technology. During culture and society, whereas science in 1 the Revolution of 24 h June 1932 it Thai society was imported from abroad. practiced its own version of gunboat diplomacy warning one of the leading The educational reforms of King Rama V princes, Prince Boripat, that gunboats involved both the sending of members of would be used to prevent his escape from the Royal Family and some civilians to the capital.5 study in Europe and the evolution of the idea of gaining knowledge from overseas It was the world political situation and bringing it back to Siam. A prince that induced King Rama V, or King who took part in the reforms expressed his Chulalongkorn, (r. l 868-1 910), to undertake views thus: extensive educational reforms. Already King Rama IV had been aware of the "As western technology was not realities of 19th century colonialism, the made in Siam, it had to be transferred contributions of the christian missionaries, into our country. A foreign language particularly in the field of medicine, and (in this case English) does not have the superiority of western technology. His any value by itself, but should be Majesty was convinced that English was considered as a device or a bridge, indispensable as an access to western and the teacher as a means of knowledge, technology and power. Thus, importing western knowledge. 7 the study of English became an important 6 Bertha Blount. McFarland of Siam. New York: Vantage Press Inc. 1958, p. 45. In: Supannie Kanchanathiti: The Role of Missionaries in Thailand from King Rama Ill 4 ibid., p. 36. -King Rama V., M.A. Thesis, Department of 5 See: Satuean Suppasophon. The Life and History, Graduate School, Chulalongkorn Struggle ofPhraya Songsuradet, published by University 1964, p. 95. the Sub-Committee for the Book Production of 7 Wit Witsatavet. The Philosophy ofThai the Project 60 Years of Democracy. Bangkok: Education 1868-1932. Bangkok: Funny Creative Publishing, 1992, p. 98. Publishers 1983, pp. 66. 88 Downloaded from Brill.com10/04/2021 12:43:03AM via free access Language Learning in Europe and Thailand as a Paradigm ofCultura[ Transition The fact that Thailand could not produce It could be said that western languages did its own technology but had to import not play a significant role in the history it from the west, emphasized the idea of language learning in old Siam. The of acquiring western knowledge and Novice School, founded by the French technology as instant knowledge. This Catholics in the year 1668 in the reign of idea led to what I call a consumer King Narai the Great during the A yutthaya mentality of learning, whereby Thais period, was the only western language · believed they could import, consume, and school worthy of mention in old Siam. instantly absorb Western knowledge Although not popular among the Thais, without any consideration of the origin or the Novice School was supported by King goals of the imported knowledge or its Narai for reasons of diplomacy and compatibility with Thailand's own cultural politics. The first boarding school in background. Efforts by King Rama VI Siam, it was based on a French model (1910-1925) and some government officers where foreign languages, Latin, French, to modify western knowledge and technology and lessons on Christianity were based on Thai traditions were in vain.