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**betraaaus** · 09-21-2012, 12:15 PM

Call to re-name country Siam

The Nation, Published on Jun 28, 2004

A proposal that the Kingdom's name be changed back to Siam yesterday won support from the chairman of the National Human Rights Commission.

Prof Saneh Chamarik said that with problems threatening Thai-land's unity, including renewed violence in the deep South, it was time to reconsider the issue.

He said he supported the proposal by political activist Surachai Dantrakul that Siam once again be used as the country's name as it reflected the country's diversity better than the name Thailand.

Speaking at a panel discussion on "Stateless People" at Thammasat University, Saneh said that for him the name Thailand was a symbol of centralised power.

Siam was the country's official name until May 1949. The name Thailand was first used under an ultra-patriotic government in 1939. The old name was re-adopted during World War II, but it was changed back to Thailand after Field Marshal Plaek Pibulsongkram returned to power.

Saneh also called for systematic action to solve the problem of stateless people. The law on nationality should be amended to "better focus on people's security rather than the country's security", he said.

Sirinart Sirisunthorn

THE NATION

09-21-2012, 12:15 PM	#14
betraaaus Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 425 Senior Member	Proposal to change name of country Call to re-name country Siam The Nation, Published on Jun 28, 2004 A proposal that the Kingdom's name be changed back to Siam yesterday won support from the chairman of the National Human Rights Commission. Prof Saneh Chamarik said that with problems threatening Thai-land's unity, including renewed violence in the deep South, it was time to reconsider the issue. He said he supported the proposal by political activist Surachai Dantrakul that Siam once again be used as the country's name as it reflected the country's diversity better than the name Thailand. Speaking at a panel discussion on "Stateless People" at Thammasat University, Saneh said that for him the name Thailand was a symbol of centralised power. Siam was the country's official name until May 1949. The name Thailand was first used under an ultra-patriotic government in 1939. The old name was re-adopted during World War II, but it was changed back to Thailand after Field Marshal Plaek Pibulsongkram returned to power. Saneh also called for systematic action to solve the problem of stateless people. The law on nationality should be amended to "better focus on people's security rather than the country's security", he said. Sirinart Sirisunthorn THE NATION
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