1.
Buddhism
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Buddhism is a religion and dharma that encompasses a variety of traditions, beliefs and spiritual practices largely based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. Buddhism originated in India sometime between the 6th and 4th centuries BCE, from where it spread through much of Asia, two major extant branches of Buddhism are generally recognized by scholars, Theravada and Mahayana. Buddhism is the worlds fourth-largest religion, with over 500 million followers or 7% of the global population, Buddhist schools vary on the exact nature of the path to liberation, the importance and canonicity of various teachings and scriptures, and especially their respective practices. In Theravada the ultimate goal is the attainment of the state of Nirvana, achieved by practicing the Noble Eightfold Path, thus escaping what is seen as a cycle of suffering. Theravada has a following in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia. Mahayana, which includes the traditions of Pure Land, Zen, Nichiren Buddhism, Shingon, rather than Nirvana, Mahayana instead aspires to Buddhahood via the bodhisattva path, a state wherein one remains in the cycle of rebirth to help other beings reach awakening. Vajrayana, a body of teachings attributed to Indian siddhas, may be viewed as a branch or merely a part of Mahayana. Tibetan Buddhism, which preserves the Vajrayana teachings of eighth century India, is practiced in regions surrounding the Himalayas, Tibetan Buddhism aspires to Buddhahood or rainbow body. Buddhism is an Indian religion attributed to the teachings of Buddha, the details of Buddhas life are mentioned in many early Buddhist texts but are inconsistent, his social background and life details are difficult to prove, the precise dates uncertain. Some hagiographic legends state that his father was a king named Suddhodana, his mother queen Maya, and he was born in Lumbini gardens. Some of the stories about Buddha, his life, his teachings, Buddha was moved by the innate suffering of humanity. He meditated on this alone for a period of time, in various ways including asceticism, on the nature of suffering. He famously sat in meditation under a Ficus religiosa tree now called the Bodhi Tree in the town of Bodh Gaya in Gangetic plains region of South Asia. He reached enlightenment, discovering what Buddhists call the Middle Way, as an enlightened being, he attracted followers and founded a Sangha. Now, as the Buddha, he spent the rest of his teaching the Dharma he had discovered. Dukkha is a concept of Buddhism and part of its Four Noble Truths doctrine. It can be translated as incapable of satisfying, the unsatisfactory nature, the Four Truths express the basic orientation of Buddhism, we crave and cling to impermanent states and things, which is dukkha, incapable of satisfying and painful. This keeps us caught in saṃsāra, the cycle of repeated rebirth, dukkha
2.
Wat
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A wat is a Buddhist temple in Thailand, Cambodia or Laos. The term is borrowed from Pali vatta, which goes on or is customary, i. e. duty, service, custom, function. Strictly speaking a wat is a Buddhist sacred precinct with a vihara, a temple, an edifice housing an image of Buddha. A site without a minimum of three resident bhikkhus cannot correctly be described as a wat although the term is used more loosely. As a transitive or intransitive verb, wat means to measure, to take measurements, compare templum, from which temple derives, in everyday language in Thailand, a wat is any place of worship except a mosque or a synagogue. Thus a wat chin is a Chinese temple, wat khaek is a Hindu temple and wat khrit or wat farang is a Christian church, in Cambodia, a wat is used to refer to all kinds of places of worship. Technically, wat generally refers to a Buddhist place of worship, a Christian church can be referred as វិហារយេស៊ូ vihear Yesaou or Jesus vihear. Angkor Wat អង្គរវត្ត means city of temples and these temples are divided into, Royal temples, established or patronised by the king or his family members. Private temples, established by private citizens, despite the term private, private temples are opened to the public and are sites of public religious activities also. Samnak song are temples without state endorsement and wisungkhamasima, architecturally it is similar to the vihara, the main differences are the eight cornerstones placed around the bot to ward off evil. The bot is usually more decorated than the viharn, hall - library where Buddhist texts are kept drum tower bell tower multipurpose hall is a building in a wat. In the past this hall was only for monks to study in, the living quarters of the monks, including the กุฏิ are separated from the sacred buildings. The roofs of Thai temples are adorned with chofas
3.
Bangkok
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Bangkok is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep. The city occupies 1,568.7 square kilometres in the Chao Phraya River delta in Central Thailand, over 14 million people live within the surrounding Bangkok Metropolitan Region, making Bangkok an extreme primate city, significantly dwarfing Thailands other urban centres in terms of importance. Bangkok was at the heart of the modernization of Siam—later renamed Thailand—during the late 19th century, the city grew rapidly during the 1960s through the 1980s and now exerts a significant impact on Thailands politics, economy, education, media and modern society. The Asian investment boom in the 1980s and 1990s led many multinational corporations to locate their headquarters in Bangkok. The city is now a regional force in finance and business. It is a hub for transport and health care, and has emerged as a regional centre for the arts, fashion. The city is known for its vibrant street life and cultural landmarks. The historic Grand Palace and Buddhist temples including Wat Arun and Wat Pho stand in contrast with other tourist attractions such as the scenes of Khaosan Road. Bangkok is among the top tourist destinations. It is named the most visited city in MasterCards Global Destination Cities Index, Bangkoks rapid growth amidst little urban planning and regulation has resulted in a haphazard cityscape and inadequate infrastructure systems. The city has turned to public transport in an attempt to solve this major problem. Five rapid transit lines are now in operation, with more systems under construction or planned by the national government and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. The history of Bangkok dates at least back to the early 15th century, because of its strategic location near the mouth of the river, the town gradually increased in importance. Bangkok initially served as a customs outpost with forts on both sides of the river, and became the site of a siege in 1688 in which the French were expelled from Siam. After the fall of Ayutthaya to the Burmese Empire in 1767, the newly declared King Taksin established his capital at the town, in 1782, King Phutthayotfa Chulalok succeeded Taksin, moved the capital to the eastern banks Rattanakosin Island, thus founding the Rattanakosin Kingdom. The City Pillar was erected on 21 April, which is regarded as the date of foundation of the present city, Bangkoks economy gradually expanded through busy international trade, first with China, then with Western merchants returning in the early-to-mid 19th century. As the capital, Bangkok was the centre of Siams modernization as it faced pressure from Western powers in the late 19th century, Bangkok became the centre stage for power struggles between the military and political elite as the country abolished absolute monarchy in 1932
4.
Thailand
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Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand, formerly known as Siam, is a country at the centre of the Indochinese peninsula in Southeast Asia. With a total area of approximately 513,000 km2, Thailand is the worlds 51st-largest country and it is the 20th-most-populous country in the world, with around 66 million people. The capital and largest city is Bangkok, Thailand is a constitutional monarchy and has switched between parliamentary democracy and military junta for decades, the latest coup being in May 2014 by the National Council for Peace and Order. Its capital and most populous city is Bangkok and its maritime boundaries include Vietnam in the Gulf of Thailand to the southeast, and Indonesia and India on the Andaman Sea to the southwest. The Thai economy is the worlds 20th largest by GDP at PPP and it became a newly industrialised country and a major exporter in the 1990s. Manufacturing, agriculture, and tourism are leading sectors of the economy and it is considered a middle power in the region and around the world. The country has always been called Mueang Thai by its citizens, by outsiders prior to 1949, it was usually known by the exonym Siam. The word Siam has been identified with the Sanskrit Śyāma, the names Shan and A-hom seem to be variants of the same word. The word Śyâma is possibly not its origin, but a learned, another theory is the name derives from Chinese, Ayutthaya emerged as a dominant centre in the late fourteenth century. The Chinese called this region Xian, which the Portuguese converted into Siam, the signature of King Mongkut reads SPPM Mongkut King of the Siamese, giving the name Siam official status until 24 June 1939 when it was changed to Thailand. Thailand was renamed Siam from 1945 to 11 May 1949, after which it reverted to Thailand. According to George Cœdès, the word Thai means free man in the Thai language, ratcha Anachak Thai means kingdom of Thailand or kingdom of Thai. Etymologically, its components are, ratcha, -ana- -chak, the Thai National Anthem, written by Luang Saranupraphan during the extremely patriotic 1930s, refers to the Thai nation as, prathet Thai. The first line of the anthem is, prathet thai ruam lueat nuea chat chuea thai, Thailand is the unity of Thai flesh. There is evidence of habitation in Thailand that has been dated at 40,000 years before the present. Similar to other regions in Southeast Asia, Thailand was heavily influenced by the culture and religions of India, Thailand in its earliest days was under the rule of the Khmer Empire, which had strong Hindu roots, and the influence among Thais remains even today. Voretzsch believes that Buddhism must have been flowing into Siam from India in the time of the Indian Emperor Ashoka of the Maurya Empire, later Thailand was influenced by the south Indian Pallava dynasty and north Indian Gupta Empire. The Menam Basin was originally populated by the Mons, and the location of Dvaravati in the 7th century, the History of the Yuan mentions an embassy from the kingdom of Sukhothai in 1282
5.
Hindu
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Hindu refers to any person who regards themselves as culturally, ethnically, or religiously adhering to aspects of Hinduism. It has historically used as a geographical, cultural, or religious identifier for people indigenous to South Asia. The historical meaning of the term Hindu has evolved with time, by the 16th century, the term began to refer to residents of India who were not Turks or Muslims. The historical development of Hindu self-identity within the Indian population, in a religious or cultural sense, is unclear, competing theories state that Hindu identity developed in the British colonial era, or that it developed post-8th century CE after the Islamic invasion and medieval Hindu-Muslim wars. A sense of Hindu identity and the term Hindu appears in texts dated between the 13th and 18th century in Sanskrit and regional languages. The 14th- and 18th-century Indian poets such as Vidyapati, Kabir and Eknath used the phrase Hindu dharma, the Christian friar Sebastiao Manrique used the term Hindu in religious context in 1649. In the 18th century, the European merchants and colonists began to refer to the followers of Indian religions collectively as Hindus, in contrast to Mohamedans for Mughals, scholars state that the custom of distinguishing between Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs is a modern phenomenon. Hindoo is a spelling variant, whose use today may be considered derogatory. At more than 1.03 billion, Hindus are the third largest group after Christians. The vast majority of Hindus, approximately 966 million, live in India, according to Indias 2011 census. After India, the next 9 countries with the largest Hindu populations are, in decreasing order, Nepal, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, United States, Malaysia, United Kingdom and Myanmar. These together accounted for 99% of the worlds Hindu population, the word Hindu is derived from the Indo-Aryan and Sanskrit word Sindhu, which means a large body of water, covering river, ocean. It was used as the name of the Indus river and also referred to its tributaries, the Punjab region, called Sapta Sindhava in the Vedas, is called Hapta Hindu in Zend Avesta. The 6th-century BCE inscription of Darius I mentions the province of Hidush, the people of India were referred to as Hinduvān and hindavī was used as the adjective for Indian in the 8th century text Chachnama. The term Hindu in these ancient records is an ethno-geographical term, the Arabic equivalent Al-Hind likewise referred to the country of India. Among the earliest known records of Hindu with connotations of religion may be in the 7th-century CE Chinese text Record of the Western Regions by the Buddhist scholar Xuanzang, Xuanzang uses the transliterated term In-tu whose connotation overflows in the religious according to Arvind Sharma. The Hindu community occurs as the amorphous Other of the Muslim community in the court chronicles, wilfred Cantwell Smith notes that Hindu retained its geographical reference initially, Indian, indigenous, local, virtually native. Slowly, the Indian groups themselves started using the term, differentiating themselves, the poet Vidyapatis poem Kirtilata contrasts the cultures of Hindus and Turks in a city and concludes The Hindus and the Turks live close together, Each makes fun of the others religion
6.
Ayutthaya Kingdom
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The Kingdom of Ayutthaya was a Siamese kingdom that existed from 1351 to 1767. In the sixteenth century, it was described by foreign traders as one of the biggest and wealthiest cities in the East, the court of King Narai had strong links with that of King Louis XIV of France, whose ambassadors compared the city in size and wealth to Paris. By 1550, the kingdoms vassals included some city-states in the Malay Peninsula, Sukhothai, Lan Na and parts of Burma and this part of the Kingdoms history is sometimes referred to as The Ayutthayan Empire. In foreign accounts, Ayutthaya was called Siam, but many say the people of Ayutthaya called themselves Tai. The name of the city indicates the influence of Hinduism in the region and it is believed that this city is associated with the Thai national epic, the Ramakien, which is the Thai version of the Ramayana. Ayutthaya began its hegemony by conquering northern kingdoms and city-states like Sukhothai, Kamphaeng Phet, before the end of the fifteenth century, Ayutthaya launched attacks on Angkor, the classical great power of the region. Angkors influence eventually faded from the Chao Phraya River Plain while Ayutthaya became a new great power, the emerging Kingdom of Ayutthaya was also growing powerful. Yuttitthira urged Borommatrailokkanat to invade Phitsanulok, igniting the Ayutthaya-Lan Na War over the Upper Chao Phraya valley, in 1460, the governor of Chaliang surrendered to Tilokaraj. Borommatrailokkanat then used a new strategy and concentrated on the wars with Lanna by moving the capital to Phitsanulok, Lan Na suffered setbacks and Tilokaraj eventually sued for peace in 1475. However, it was evident that from time to local revolts, led by local princes or kings. Beginning in the century, Ayutthaya showed an interest in the Malay Peninsula. Ayutthaya launched several abortive conquests against Malacca which was diplomatically and economically fortified by the support of Ming China. In the early fifteenth century the Ming admiral Zheng He had established a base of operation in the port city, under this protection, Malacca flourished, becoming one of Ayutthayas great foes until the capture of Malacca by the Portuguese. Starting in the middle of the 16th century, the kingdom came under repeated attacks by the Taungoo Dynasty of Burma, the Burmese–Siamese War began with Burmese an invasion and a failed siege of Ayutthaya. A second siege led by King Bayinnaung forced King Maha Chakkraphat to surrender in 1564, the royal family was taken to Bago, Burma, with the kings second son Mahinthrathirat installed as the vassal king. In 1568, Mahinthrathirat revolted when his father managed to return from Bago as a Buddhist monk, the ensuing third siege captured Ayutthaya in 1569 and Bayinnaung made Mahathammarachathirat his vassal king. After Bayinnaungs death in 1581, uparaja Naresuan proclaimed Ayutthayas independence in 1584, the Burmese–Siamese War was a Thai attack on Burma, resulting in the capture of the Tanintharyi Region as far as Mottama in 1595 and Lan Na in 1602. Naresuan even invaded mainland Burma as far as Taungoo in 1600, after Naresuans death in 1605, northern Tanintharyi and Lan Na returned to Burmese control in 1614
7.
Damrong Rajanubhab
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Prince Tisavarakumarn, the Prince Damrong Rajanubhab was the founder of the modern Thai educational system as well as the modern provincial administration. He was an autodidact, a historian, and one of the most influential Thai intellectuals of his time, at the age of 14, he received his formal education in a special palace school created by his half-brother, King Chulalongkorn. In 1887, he was appointed as grand-officer to the army, at the same time he was chosen by the king to become the Minister of Education in his provisional cabinet. When King Chulalongkorn began his administrative reform programme in 1892, Prince Damrong was chosen to lead the Ministry of the North, in his time as minister, he completely overhauled provincial administration. Formal education of staff was introduced. Prince Damrong was among the most important advisors of the king, for further information, see, Gustave Rolin-Jaequemyns #Situation in Siam Legal traditions made little if any sense to foreigners. Nor did they have knowledge of the ancient political climate, nor aware that the Bowring Treaty, which nearly all considered a significant advancement, had accomplished none of its objectives and had been set-back for the Siamese for the ensuing decades. Monthon reforms met resistance, complicated by French interference in Siamese authority. Prince Damrong went to Europe in search of a European general advisor for the king by way of the Suez Canal, following a hasty correspondence with Bangkok, the prince was able to offer Rolin-Jaequemyns an annual salary of ₤3,000. Among his successors were Edward Strobel, the first American adviser in affairs, followed with lesser titles by Jens Westengard, Eldon James. Strobel, Westengard, James, and Sayre were all Harvard law professors, after the death of King Chulalongkorn in 1910, the relationship with his successor King Vajiravudh was less productive. Prince Damrong finally resigned in 1915 from his post at the ministry, officially due to health problems, during the brief reign of King Prajadhipok, the prince proposed that the king found the Royal Institute, mainly to look after the National Library and the museums. He became the first president of the Royal Institute of Thailand and he was given the title Somdet Phra Chao Borommawong Thoe Krom Phraya Damrong Rajanubhab by King Prajadhipok in recognition to his work. This became the name by which he is generally known, in the following years, Damrong worked as a self-educated historian, as well as writing books on Thai literature, culture and arts. Out of his works grew the National Library, as well as the National Museum, being one of the main apologists for absolute monarchy, after the Siamese revolution of 1932 which introduced Constitutional monarchy in the kingdom, Damrong was exiled to Penang in British Malaysia. In 1942, after the old establishment had substantially regained power from the 1932 reformists, he was allowed to return to Bangkok, Prince Damrong is credited as the father of Thai history, the education system, the health system and the provincial administration. He also had a role in crafting Bangkoks anti-democratic state ideology of Thainess. On the centenary of his birth in 1962, he became the first Thai to be included in the UNESCO list of the worlds most distinguished persons
8.
Taksin
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Taksin the Great or the King of Thonburi was the only King of the Thonburi Kingdom and was of Thai Chinese heritage. He was a leader in the liberation of Siam from Burmese occupation after the Second Fall of Ayutthaya in 1767, and he established the city Thonburi as the new capital, as the city Ayutthaya had been almost completely destroyed by the invaders. His reign was characterized by numerous wars, fought to repel new Burmese invasions and to subjugate the northern Thai kingdom of Lanna, the Laotian principalities, and a threatening Cambodia. He was executed and succeeded by his long-time friend Maha Ksatriyaseuk who then assumed the throne, founding the Rattanakosin Kingdom and the Chakri dynasty, which rules Thailand to this day. Although warfare took up most of King Taksins time, he paid a great deal of attention to politics, administration, economy, and he promoted trade and fostered relations with foreign countries including China, Britain, and the Netherlands. He had roads built and canals dug, apart from restoring and renovating temples, the king attempted to revive literature, and various branches of the arts such as drama, painting, architecture and handicrafts. He also issued regulations for the collection and arrangement of texts to promote education. In recognition for what he did for the Thais, he was awarded the title of Maharaj. Taksin was born on April 17,1734 in Ayutthaya and his father, Yong Saetae, who worked as a tax-collector, was a Teochew Chinese descent from Chenghai County, Shantou, Guangdong Province, China. His mother, Lady Nok-iang, was Thai, impressed by the boy, Chao Phraya Chakri, who was the Samuhanayok in King Boromakots reign, adopted him and gave him the Thai name Sin meaning money or treasure. When he was 7, Sin was assigned to a monk named Thongdee to begin his education in a Buddhist monastery called Wat Kosawat, after seven years, he was sent by his stepfather to serve as a royal page. He studied Min Nan, Annamese, and several Indian languages, when Sin and his friend Thong-Duang were Buddhist novices, they reportedly met a Chinese fortune-teller who told them that both had lucky lines in their hands and would both become kings. Neither took it seriously, but Thong-Duang would become the successor of King Taksin, in 1764, the Burmese army attacked the southern region of Thailand. Led by Muang Maha Noratha, the Burmese army was victorious, here, the Burmese were confronted by Thai soldiers led by two generals, Kosadhibodhi and Phraya Tak. The Thai army beat the Burmese back to Singkhon Pass, in 1765, when the Burmese attacked Ayutthaya, Phraya Tak defended the capital, for which he was given the title Phraya Vajiraprakarn of Kamphaeng Phet. But he did not have a chance to govern Kamphaeng Phet because war broke out again and he was immediately called back to Ayutthaya to protect the city. For more than a year, Thai and Burmese soldiers fought fierce battles during the siege of Ayutthaya and it was during this time that Phraya Vajiraprakarn experienced many setbacks which led him to doubt the value of his endeavours. On January 3,1766, shortly before Ayutthaya fell in 1767, he cut his way out of the city at the head of 500 followers to Rayong, on April 7,1767, Ayutthaya was facing the full blast of the Burmese siege
9.
Emerald Buddha
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The Emerald Buddha is considered the palladium of the Kingdom of Thailand. It is a figurine of the meditating Buddha seated in yogic posture, made of a green stone, clothed in gold. It is housed in the Temple of the Emerald Buddha on the grounds of the Grand Palace in Bangkok, historical sources indicate that the statue surfaced in northern Thailand in the Lanna kingdom in 1434. One account of its discovery tells that lightning struck a chedi in Wat Pa Yia in the Chiang Rai, the Buddha was then placed in the abbots residence, who later noticed that stucco on the nose had flaked off, revealing a green interior. The abbot removed all the stucco and found a Buddha image made of a green semi-precious stone, Emerald here simply means green coloured in Thai. Some art historians describe the Emerald Buddha as belonging to the Chiang Saen Style of the 15th century AD, which would mean it is of Lanna origin. King Sam Fang Kaen of Lanna wanted it in his capital, Chiang Mai and this was taken as a divine sign, and the Emerald Buddha stayed in Lampang in a specially-built temple for the next 32 years. In 1468, it was moved to Chiang Mai by King Tiloka, the Emerald Buddha remained in Chiang Mai until 1552, when it was taken to Luang Prabang, then the capital of the Lao kingdom of Lan Xang. However, Prince Setthathirath also became king of Lan Xang when his father, Photisarath and he returned home, taking the revered Buddha figure with him. In 1564, King Setthathirath moved it to Vientiane, which he had made his new capital due to Burmese attacks, the Buddha image would stay in Vientiane for the next 214 years. In 1779, the Thai General Chao Phraya Chakri put down an insurrection, captured Vientiane and it was installed in a shrine close to Wat Arun in Thonburi, its new capital. Chao Phra Chakri then took over the reins and founded the Chakri Dynasty of Rattanakosin Kingdom. Wat Phra Kaew was consecrated in 1784, and the Emerald Buddha was moved with great pomp, the story is a mix of fact and fables with some variations to the story. According to the legend, the Emerald Buddha was created in India in 43 BC by a saint in India named Nagasena in the city of Pataliputra. Nagasena was said to have made the Emerald Buddha image made with the help of Hindu god Vishnu, the legends state that after remaining in Pataliputra for three hundred years, it was taken to Sri Lanka to save it from a civil war. A version of the stated that in 457, King Anuruth of Burma sent a mission to Ceylon to ask for Buddhist scriptures. These requests were granted, but the ship lost its way in a storm during the return voyage and landed in Cambodia. When the Thais captured Angkor Wat in 1432, the Emerald Buddha was taken to Ayutthaya, Kamphaeng Phet, Laos and finally Chiang Rai, where the ruler of the city hid it until it was found in 1434
10.
Wat Phra Kaew
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Wat Phra Kaew is regarded as the most sacred Buddhist temple in Thailand. The Emerald Buddha housed in the temple is a potent religio-political symbol and it is located in Phra Nakhon District, the historic centre of Bangkok, within the precincts of the Grand Palace. The main building is the central phra ubosot, which houses the statue of the Emerald Buddha. Historical records however dates its finding to Chiang Rai in the 15th century where, after it was relocated a number of times and it was enshrined in Bangkok at the Wat Phra Kaew temple in 1782 during the reign of Phutthayotfa Chulalok, King Rama I. This marked the beginning of the Chakri Dynasty of Thailand, whose current sovereign is Vajiralongkorn, the Emerald Buddha, a dark green statue, is in a standing form, about 66 centimetres tall, carved from a single jade stone. It is carved in the posture in the style of the Lanna school of the northern Thailand. Except for the Thai King and, in his stead, the Crown Prince, no other persons are allowed to touch the statue. In 1767, the Kingdom of Ayutthaya fell to the Burmese, in 1778, Taksins army under the command of Chao Phraya Chakri captured Vientiane and took the Emerald Buddha back to Thonburi. In 1782, King Rama I succeeded to the throne and founded the Chakri Dynasty, the site chosen for the palace is situated between two old wats, Wat Pho and Wat Mahathat, an area inhabited by Chinese residents who were then moved to the present Chinatown. He started the construction of the Grand Palace so that the palace may be ready for his coronation in 1785. Wat Phra Kaew, which has its own compound within the precinct of the palace, was built to house the Emerald Buddha, Wat Phra Kaew was completed in 1784. The formal name of Wat Phra Kaeo is Phra Sri Rattana Satsadaram, Wat Phra Kaew has undergone a number of renovations, restoration and additions in its history, particularly during the reign of King Rama III and Rama IV. Further restoration was undertaken by Rama VII on Bangkoks 150th Anniversary in 1932 and it is not known when the statue of the Emerald Buddha was made, but it is generally believed that it was crafted in 14th-century Thailand. However, there are claims that the statue originated in India or Sri Lanka. None of these theories can be established as none of the historians could get a close look at the statue. According to one account, the Emerald Buddha was found in Chiang Rai, Lanna in 1434, the statue remained the it to his new capital of Lan Xang in Vientiane in the 1560s. The statue remained there for twelve years, King Chaiyasetthathirat then shifted it to his new capital of Lan Xang in Vientiane in the 1560s. He took the Emerald Buddha with him and the image remained in Vientiane for 214 years until 1778, in the reign of King Taksin, Chao Phya Chakri defeated Vientiane and moved the Emerald Buddha from Vientiane to Thonburi where it was installed in a shrine close to Wat Arun
11.
Rama I
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Phra Phutthayotfa Chulalok, born Thongduang and also known as Rama I, was the founder and the first monarch of the reigning House of Chakri of Siam. His full title in Thai is Phra Bat Somdet Phra Paramoruracha Mahachakkriborommanat Phra Phutthayotfa Chulalok and he ascended the throne in 1782, after defeating a rebellion which had deposed King Taksin of Thonburi. He was also celebrated as the founder of Rattanakosin as the new capital of the reunited kingdom, during this time he emerged as Siams most powerful military leader. Thongduang was the first Somdet Chao Phraya, the highest rank the nobility could attain, in 1782, he took control of Siam and crowned himself as the monarch. The most famous event in his reign was the Burmese-Siamese War of 1785, like other high-ranking figures of old Siam, Rama Is name changed several times during his lifetime, depending on his respective position, and even posthumously the way he was referred to change. His name at birth was Thongduang, family names had not yet introduced in Siam at that time. When Thongduang served as deputy governor of Ratchaburi Province during the rule of King Ekkathat of Ayutthaya, finally Taksin created him the title of Somdet Chaophraya Maha Kasatsuek, a noble title as high as no Siamese official had born before him, making him quasi-royalty. When he ascended to the throne in 1782, he took the name Ramathibodi and his full title was much longer, intended to demonstrate his universal claim to power like of earlier Siamese kings. After his death, the referred to him simply as Phaendin Ton. Continuing this system consequently, his grandson Rama III would have been the last reign and he demanded to refer to his two predecessors using the names of these Buddha statues. The one dedicated to the first Chakri king was named Phra Phutthayotfa Chulalok and this is how this king is still referred to in Thai history books. His descendant Vajiravudh who had studied in England, realised that most Siamese kings names were difficult to reproduce and he therefore disposed to use for all kings of the Chakri dynasty the name Rama together with the respective ordinal number. So this king is Rama I in Western literature, in 1982,200 years after his accession, the Thai cabinet decided to award him the epithet Maharat. 1782–1809, Phra Bat Somdet Phra Borommarachathirat Ramathibodi Sisin Borommaha Chakkraphat Rachathibodin etc and his father was Thongdi, a Mon noble serving the royal court who was Phra Akson Sunthonsat. Phra Akson Sunthonsat was also a descendant of Kosa Pan, the leader of King Narais embassy to the French court, Thongduang at a young age entered the Royal Palace as one of the royal pages of King Uthumphon, where he met his childhood friend Taksin. In 1757, aged 21, he became a monk temporarily, in 1760, he married Nak, daughter of a town patron in Samut Sakorn. He was later appointed the Luang Yokkrabat of Ratchaburi Province by King Ekkathat in 1758, on the eve of the fall of Ayutthaya, Phraya Wachiraprakan had foreseen that the fall of the city was certain. Wachiraprakan decided to break the siege of the city of Ayutthaya by the Burmese army, Phraya Ratchaburi also joined this venture
12.
Chulalongkorn
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Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poraminthra Maha Chulalongkorn Phra Chunla Chom Klao Chao Yu Hua, or Rama V, was the fifth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri. He was known to the Siamese of his time as Phra Phuttha Chao Luang and his reign was characterized by the modernization of Siam, governmental and social reforms, and territorial concessions to the British and French. As Siam was threatened by Western expansionism, Chulalongkorn, through his policies and acts, all his reforms were dedicated to ensuring Siams survival in the face of Western colonialism, so that Chulalongkorn earned the epithet Phra Piya Maharat. King Chulalongkorn was born on 20 September 1853 to King Mongkut and Queen Debsirindra, in 1861, he was designated Krommamuen Pikhanesuan Surasangkat. His father gave him an education, including instruction from European tutors such as Anna Leonowens. In 1866, he became a monk for six months at Wat Bawonniwet according to royal tradition. Both father and son fell ill of malaria, Mongkut died on 1 October 1868. Si Suriyawongse, the most powerful government official of the day, managed the succession of Chulalongkorn to the throne, the coronation was held on 11 November 1868. Chulalongkorns health improved, and he was tutored in public affairs, traveled to India and he was crowned king in his own right as Rama V on 16 November 1873. Si Suriyawongse then arranged for the Front Palace of King Pinklao to be bequeathed to King Pinklaos son, the young Chulalongkorn was an enthusiastic reformer. He visited Singapore and Java in 1870 and British India during 1870–1872 to study the administration of British colonies and he toured the administrative centres of Calcutta, Delhi, Bombay, and back to Calcutta in early-1872. This journey was a source of his ideas for the modernization of Siam. As regent, Si Suriyawongse wielded great influence, Si Suriyawongse continued the works of King Mongkut. He supervised the digging of several important khlongs, such as Padung Krungkasem and Damneun Saduak, and he was also a patron of Thai literature and performing arts. At the end of his regency, Si Suriyawonse was raised to Somdet Chao Phraya, Si Suriyawongse was the most powerful noble of the 19th century. His family, Bunnag, was a one, of Persian descent. It dominated Siamese politics since the reign of Rama I, Chulalongkorn then married four of his half-sisters, all daughters of Mongkut, Savang Vadhana, Saovabha, and Sunandha, and Sukumalmarsri. Chulalongkorns first reform was to establish the Auditory Office, solely responsible for tax collection, as tax collectors had been under the aegis of various nobles and thus a source of their wealth, this reform caused great consternation among the nobility, especially the Front Palace
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