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I have found it to be a very interesting and stimulating discussion that has given me some new areas/ideas for research. Thanks guys, gotta love these forums I feel the same way, Guava; it's pretty cool when we can learn something new about our favorite subject. And it came in a quite unexpected way too!

Khun Don, thanks for the links. This information puts the Thai resistance movement in new light.

Or they could teach that the myth that they have never been controlled by an outside country is just that-- a myth. Can't see that happening anytime soon, iGotNoTime. In Thailand, national pride defies logical reasoning, as it was demonstrated so many times before. Just recall the Ramkamhaeng-controversy. The two scientists were subjected to a witch-hunt - almost literally. And there are many other things that one cannot even write about. 'Honest education' seems to be an utopian wish in this context.


Thai History 101

After succesfully refuting the notion that Thailand somehow managed to get through colonial times all by herself, allow me to dispel yet another false myth in the same venue. Namely, the notion that participating in the politics of the country is somehow exclusive to those with Royal invitation; an activity which simple 'guests of the kingdom' should stay away from. As you'll see below, a simple check on basic historical facts easily dispels this myth.

I left off the story of Constantine Phaulkon when the young man arrived to Siam as a simple deckhand. What distinguished him from the majority of foreigners at that time is that he had a knack for languages and quickly mastered Siamese. Later he gained a small fortune and was able to invest in a trading boat of his own. However, for all that, he would've remained a mere guest worker, were it not for an incident that put him at odds with the Siamese authorities. Yes, that's right!

You see, Phaukon worked for a commanding officer of the East India Company, the major English trading partner of Siam at that time. A rebellion broke out in the south: Songkhla rose up against the Kingdom (familiar situation). This officer saw it as a golden opportunity to profit from the uprising by secretly sending arms and other supplies to the rebels. He assigned this task to Phaulkon. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it), a storm broke out that sank the smuggler's boat. Before the destruction, however, Phaulkon and his crew threw his contraband overboard.

This commotion was witnessed by locals on the shore. Authorities were notified, and the shipwrecked crew was promptly captured. The governor himself went down to investigate the matter. However, Phaulkon was able to talk himself out of trouble - using native Siamese tongue! He managed to impress not only the Siamese governor, but also his foreign boss, who promptly pushed Phaulkon into the service of the Siamese foreign ministry, to save himself from suspicion and to further his personal interest. From here on, the rest is history.

Despite his initial status as a simple guest of the Kingdom, Phaulkon played the political game, and doing so, he managed to obtain the trust of the most influential power figures of Siam. Being at odds with the establishment didn't hinder him the slightest way - in fact, it was a necessity. Without that incident, he would likely have lived and died in the shadow of the East India Company.

Many things can be concluded from this little historical piece - not the least of which is that getting the facts straight before writing them down in a public debate is the best way to avoid making an embarrassment out of one's self.