The history of Thailand

HISTORY

 Thailand, known as Siam until 1939, actually has its roots in prehistory, in fact, that the valley of the Khorat Plateau and Maekhong were already inhabited some 10,000 years ago by a people so highly evolved as to suggest that this zone has been the point of origin of the various Asian ethnic groups.

After a long period of migration, subdivisions and short reign, between the seventh and thirteenth century AD the whole region was united under the influence of the Khmer kingdom of Angkor until the principles of Thai coalition failed to reject the current Cambodian Khmer giving life to the Sukhothai period (1238 AD).

This was a golden age, a fact confirmed today by the remains of the splendid buildings, which enabled an enormous economic and social development which continued even during the Lanna (fourteenth century).

From the fifteenth century began the Ayuthaya period where the economy flourished further thanks to contacts with Europeans. Portuguese, Dutch, English, Danish and French made ​​their appearance in Siam between the years 1605 and 1662, during this time the term was coined farang, still in use to indicate a foreigner, the abbreviation of farangset meaning "French ".

In 1782, Chao Phaya Chakri came to power with the title of Rama I, who finally brought the capital to Bangkok.

The advanced and modern Thailand began with Rama IV, King Mongkut of the movie "Anna and the King," which opened across the state schools and in line with modern standards of the time and shook occcidentali numerous trade agreements with Western partners. But the real turning point took place with the accession to the throne of his son Chulalongkorn Rama V, who reigned from 1868 to 1910. Educated in European schools, continued the reformist path taken by his father abolishing slavery, establishing a new legal code, building roads and railways, and, above all, interweaving those relationships of economic cooperation, political and military alliance with the United States that still continues today.

 Despite this wave of reforms of the monarchy remained anchored to a despotic regime, development of education while favoring the emergence of an intellectual elite who could not bear exclusion, until it came to 1932, when a coup abolished the monarchy acquitted and the king imposed a constitution and a parliament.

Phanomyong Pridi, who inspired the movement, however, was ousted by the military, who regarded him as too left-wing. Nel1944 Only later, he was able to return to power, reaping the benefits of its resistance against the Japanese during the war.

Concerned by the presence of colonial powers that surround the country, Thailand was oriented towards a militaristic nationalism that tended to strengthen its association with Japan.

This trend was stimulated in particular by Pibul Songgram that he had at first to retire, following the defeat of the Japanese, but resumed power in 1947, after the mysterious assassination of King Ananda Mahidol, elder brother of the present king.

Between the years 1932 and 1958, seven succeddettero six coups and constitutions, which did nothing but reinforce the military oligarchy in power. In 1963 he became Prime Minister Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn: his despotism helped fuel the growth of the internal opposition, which then culminates in the student revolt in October 1973.

 

 Faced with a difficult economic environment, largely due to American disengagement in Southeast Asia, is threatened by increasingly militant and organized opposition, the Prime Minister had broken any illusion of democracy with yet another coup in November 1971. The following year, the students began to organize themselves and to express their discontent. There were also many manifestations of violence against Japan (the Japanese are accused of ruining the Thai economy).

Backed by some progressive personalities, the student movement demanded a new constitution. The King tried to mediate, but October 14, 1973 it came to confrontation: the military armored cars and helicopters launched against demonstrations by protesters. There were over 350 dead and a thousand injured.

In October 1974 a new constitution was proclaimed by the ephemeral civilian government headed by Professor Sanya Dharmasakti.

After the riots of 1974 (strikes, peasants, anti-Japanese demonstrations, bloody riots in Bangkok) the year 1975 offers a brief respite to the historians of the coups.

And 'in this period that the B52 evacuate the Thai territory (the last American soldier leaves the delights of Patpong July 20, 1976) and the government exchanged ambassadors with Beijing Kukrit Pramot, under the new "diplomacy of the bamboo."

But the country certainly does not improve his condition, because a new coup, intervened in October 1976, leading to suppression of the right to strike and to a drastic censorship of the publishing and printing, as well as a new constitution (the tenth since 1932 ) consists of only 29 articles (compared to 200 of the Constitution of 1974).

 A year after the power changed hands again, but the new government failed and he resigned. General Prem Tinsulanonda undertook to lead a coalition government in April 1981 and succeeded in foiling, thanks also to the king, yet another coup, the government reshuffle.

In this democracy, sick and always made fun of, it translates the profound malaise of Thai economic and social life, aggravated by the state of war at its borders. The balance of diplomacy advocated in the bamboo reveals a dangerous exercise, in the context of alliances Washington-Beijing-Moscow and Hanoi.

In any case, whatever the capacity and willingness of the forces in power, the "five serious hazards remain as a poisoned gift that any government move to the next:" The Communist guerrillas, corruption, poverty, crime and factions subversive ".

While the Chakri dynasty is still in power with Rama IX, HM Bhumibol Adulyadej, in recent years, Thailand has witnessed many coups by military juntas until the last of February 29, 1991.

Following bloody uprisings, democracy was restored in 1992 and subsequent years until free elections were held the last of 1997, necessitated by the fall of the government overwhelmed by the crisis in Asian economies.

 

Currently, Thailand is a constitutional monarchy, political, military, while maintaining a privileged position, have been joined by democratically elected politicians and, at the time, the social and political situation does not present conflicts or subversive threats.