Thailand Culture: The Monarchy

Timothy Samuel King

NFS 272
The culture of the Thai people is one of great diversity. From early influences of
neighboring countries such as China and India, the Thai culture has grown into a hybrid of these
countries by adopting religion, foods, and cultural practices from each. The aspect that most
intrigued me, and the one I would like to focus on, is the fact that Thailand, formerly known as
Siam, is a country never settled by European civilization and have maintained even until this day
a form of monarchial government.
Until the year 1932, Thailand was ruled under a form of government known as an
absolute monarchy. This form of government is one in which the king or ruler at that time holds
all political power and has the absolute authority in all matters pertaining to the law, politics, and
societal function. However, in 1932, the Thai people enacted a new form of government known
as a constitutional monarchy. The constitutional monarchy is one in which the king remains
appointed but his power is limited by a constitution and parliamentary power of which the people
elect. Various military dictators ruled the nation until the early 1970s when a form of peace was
restored.
The current king Bhumibol Adulyadeg, also known as Rama IX, has reigned since June
9, 1946, and is the worlds longest serving current head of state and the longest reigning monarch
in Thai history. The king is seen as inviolable and there is a law currently in effect in Thailand
aptly titled, the lese-majeste law. The Thai people, media outlets in Thailand, and any one
visiting the country may not speak any ill thing against the king and doing so is punishable by
law. The king, who is loved by the people has recently fallen ill but maintains many

constitutional powers such as being the head of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, the power of
assent and pardon, as well as being the upholder of the Theravada Buddhist religion.
To make a long story short, the current illness of the king has resulted in a mad power
struggle. The people of Thailand view the current crowned prince as a buffoon. As a result, a
wealthy former prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, has attempted to maintain a close
relationship with the prince. This is seen by the people as an obvious attempt to gain power and
influence over the throne upon the beloved current kings passing. Currently the country of
Thailand is under declared martial law by the current leader of Juntas National Council for
Peace and Order or NCPO, General Paiboon Koomchaya. This martial law was brought about
by a bloodless coup of the current government by the military in order to establish order in the
turbulent power struggle between the ruling house and outside coalitions. The future of Thailand
is currently uncertain, and the rest of the world watches in anticipation.
It amazes me that countries in the year 2014 still operate under monarchial rule, though
fragmented as it may be. Respect of the king, such as is found among the Thai people, is rare
today in western civilized countries and is quickly becoming lost even among that country. It is
important to appreciate a capable and hard-working leader and I feel like some of that respect is
lost in the constant struggle to best one another in my own cultural upbringing. That is why the
idea of monarchial rule and respect in this country was the most intriguing thing about it to me.

References
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-30140596
http://www.everyculture.com/Sa-Th/Thailand.html
http://www.reachtoteachrecruiting.com/guides/thailand/culture-in-thailand/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/behind-thailands-coup-is-a-fight-over-the-king-and-hissuccessor-but-its-hush-hush/2014/06/05/d0cac579-374c-4671-b418-b8dda46c76ed_story.html