Document 29-5: KING VAJIRAVUDH, On the Siamese Nation (1914, 1917, 1920)

The King of Siam Promotes Siamese Nationalism

Vajiravudh (1881–1925) was king of Siam from 1910 until his death in 1925 and — like his father before him — a major reformer in Siamese or Thai history. He took great pains to avoid the colonization of Siam and to guide Siamese involvement in the First World War through deft political alliances with powerful European and Asian nations. He also continued his father’s policy of nourishing modern, Western-style reforms. Perhaps most important, Vajiravudh was instrumental in fostering Siamese nationalism, which would form the seeds of Thai nationalism after the 1933 coup d’état that created the nation of Thailand. Vajiravudh produced a range of speeches, essays, plays, poems, and even cartoons instructing the Siamese populace on the meaning and merits of Siamese nationalism. The first excerpt that follows is from a 1914 play; the second is from a 1917 poem written to commemorate the national flag that Vajiravudh himself designed.

From Phra Ruang (1914)

I ask the Thai to join in love,

To join in fellowship,

So that when the enemy comes

We can fight him in full strength.

The Thai combining their power

Will be able to raise a staunch defense.

Even if a powerful foe comes,

He will be defeated.

I ask only that we Thai not destroy our nation.

Let us unite our state, unite our hearts, into a great whole.

Thai — do not harm or destroy Thai,

But combine your spirit and your strength to preserve the state

So that all foreign peoples

Will give us increasing respect.

Help one another to further our progress

So the name “Thai” will redound throughout the world.

Help one another to sustain

Both our nation and our faith

So they will last to the end of time.

Let us progress, Thai! Chaiyo!9

Poem on the Flag (1917)

Let me speak of the meaning

Behind the three colors.

White is for purity and betokens the three gems

And the laws that guard the Thai heart.

Red is for our blood, which we willingly give up

To protect our nation and faith.

Blue is the beautiful hue of the people’s leader,

And is liked because of him.10

Arranged in stripes, these three colors form the flag

That we Thai love.

Our soldiers carrying it forth to victory

Raise up the honor of Siam.

READING AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. What themes does Vajiravudh use in the two excerpts to illustrate the virtues and importance of nationalism? What does Siamese/Thai nationalism mean to the king?
  2. The three colors of the Thai flag (still in use today) are found in the flags of several prominent Western nations. How might these color choices have resonated on the international stage? What does the choice of these colors suggest about Vajiravudh’s understanding of modern nationalism?
  3. The idea of a head of state producing plays, poetry, and cartoons may seem foreign to twenty-first-century readers. What is your reaction to Vajiravudh’s personal involvement with defining Siamese/Thai nationalism? What might his contributions suggest about early-twentieth-century nationalism in Asia, or nationalism in general?