Execution of Thai royalty
Encyclopedia
The execution of Thai royalty (th:
การสำเร็จโทษด้วยท่อนจันทน์; RTGS:
kan samret thot duai thon chan; the act of executing royalty by using sandalwood cudgel) was the process of executing Thai royalty by means of one sandalwood
cudgel or more upon his or her neck or stomach. It was the ceremony most frequently performed in Thai
history from the Ayutthaya period to the initial period of Rattanakosin. This kind of execution has not been performed since the reign of King Mongkut
, and has officially been abolished by the first Criminal Code
of Thailand promulgated in 1781 by King Chulalongkorn
.
Prof Nidhi Eoseewong, renowned Thai academician, gave an opinion that: "I don't know how to translate this magnificently elegant ceremony of executing royalty into any foreign language. In the English
there exists a term derived from Latin
, 'regicide', the literal meaning of which is an act of killing a monarch. The foreigner uses this word in such direct meaning, namely, knifing a monarch to death as being on a par with an act of MacBeth
, or decapitating a monarch with guillotine
which is not a royal guillotine as it can be used for every kinds of person from prostitute to royalty......therefore, the Thai style of executing monarch can daze and dumbfound foreigners (and the Thai people whom does not understand the Thai history). The execution of Thai royalty is not like that of the foreigner."
The first promulgating time of such Palace Law is a controversy in the present Thai academic circle.
However, there appeared on the first page of the oldest Palace Law that:
The Era appeared in the said page was Chunlasakkarat (CS)
, the Era commenced by King Anawrahta
of Myanmar and has popularly been used in South Asian countries in the olden time.
Poramin Khrueathong (th:
ปรามินทร์ เครือทอง), a Thai independent academician whom wrote the book "Samret thot duai thon chan" (th:
สำเร็จโทษด้วยท่อนจันทน์; Executing with sandalwood cudgel), has examined all royal Thai chronicles and revealed that the year King Borommatrailokkanat accessed to the throne has been recorded differently as follows:
Prince Damrong Rajanubhab
, whom is now credited as Father of the Thai history, has stated that: "I believe that the Era as recorded in the Royal Thai Chronicle, Luang Prasoet-asksonnit Edition, was correct." In this case, the era in such Chronicle was CS 720, for which was before the accession of King Borommatrailokkanat for ninety year (CS 810); the Prince replied to this case that it should be the royal recorder's mistake as he might write the number "๘" (8) as "๗" (7), the correct era should be CS 820. However, according to the standard calendar
, CS 820 was the Year of Dog
, the Year of Rat should be CS 722.
Thai language
Thai , also known as Central Thai and Siamese, is the national and official language of Thailand and the native language of the Thai people, Thailand's dominant ethnic group. Thai is a member of the Tai group of the Tai–Kadai language family. Historical linguists have been unable to definitively...
การสำเร็จโทษด้วยท่อนจันทน์; RTGS:
Royal Thai General System of Transcription
The Royal Thai General System of Transcription is the official system for rendering Thai language words in the Latin alphabet, published by the Royal Institute of Thailand...
kan samret thot duai thon chan; the act of executing royalty by using sandalwood cudgel) was the process of executing Thai royalty by means of one sandalwood
Sandalwood
Sandalwood is the name of a class of fragrant woods from trees in the genus Santalum. The woods are heavy, yellow, and fine-grained, and unlike many other aromatic woods they retain their fragrance for decades. As well as using the harvested and cut wood in-situ, essential oils are also extracted...
cudgel or more upon his or her neck or stomach. It was the ceremony most frequently performed in Thai
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
history from the Ayutthaya period to the initial period of Rattanakosin. This kind of execution has not been performed since the reign of King Mongkut
Mongkut
Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramenthramaha Mongkut Phra Chom Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Rama IV, known in foreign countries as King Mongkut , was the fourth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri, ruling from 1851-1868...
, and has officially been abolished by the first Criminal Code
Criminal Code
A criminal code is a document which compiles all, or a significant amount of, a particular jurisdiction's criminal law...
of Thailand promulgated in 1781 by King Chulalongkorn
Chulalongkorn
Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramintharamaha 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 . He is considered one of the greatest kings of Siam...
.
Prof Nidhi Eoseewong, renowned Thai academician, gave an opinion that: "I don't know how to translate this magnificently elegant ceremony of executing royalty into any foreign language. In the English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
there exists a term derived from Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, 'regicide', the literal meaning of which is an act of killing a monarch. The foreigner uses this word in such direct meaning, namely, knifing a monarch to death as being on a par with an act of MacBeth
Macbeth
The Tragedy of Macbeth is a play by William Shakespeare about a regicide and its aftermath. It is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy and is believed to have been written sometime between 1603 and 1607...
, or decapitating a monarch with guillotine
Guillotine
The guillotine is a device used for carrying out :executions by decapitation. It consists of a tall upright frame from which an angled blade is suspended. This blade is raised with a rope and then allowed to drop, severing the head from the body...
which is not a royal guillotine as it can be used for every kinds of person from prostitute to royalty......therefore, the Thai style of executing monarch can daze and dumbfound foreigners (and the Thai people whom does not understand the Thai history). The execution of Thai royalty is not like that of the foreigner."
History
There existed in Section 176 of the Palace Laws under the Three-Seal Law, King Phutthayotfachulalok's Revision Edition, that:The first promulgating time of such Palace Law is a controversy in the present Thai academic circle.
However, there appeared on the first page of the oldest Palace Law that:
The Era appeared in the said page was Chunlasakkarat (CS)
Chula Sakarat
The Minor Era is a year numbering system used primarily in Thailand. Its first year corresponds with the year 639 CE. The name Minor Era is a loan translation from the Thai, which itself is derived from Pali cula "small" and Sanskrit śaka + rāja "royal era"...
, the Era commenced by King Anawrahta
Anawrahta
Anawrahta Minsaw was the founder of the Pagan Empire. Considered the father of the Burmese nation, Anawrahta turned a small principality in the dry zone of Upper Burma into the first Burmese Empire that formed the basis of modern-day Burma...
of Myanmar and has popularly been used in South Asian countries in the olden time.
Poramin Khrueathong (th:
Thai language
Thai , also known as Central Thai and Siamese, is the national and official language of Thailand and the native language of the Thai people, Thailand's dominant ethnic group. Thai is a member of the Tai group of the Tai–Kadai language family. Historical linguists have been unable to definitively...
ปรามินทร์ เครือทอง), a Thai independent academician whom wrote the book "Samret thot duai thon chan" (th:
Thai language
Thai , also known as Central Thai and Siamese, is the national and official language of Thailand and the native language of the Thai people, Thailand's dominant ethnic group. Thai is a member of the Tai group of the Tai–Kadai language family. Historical linguists have been unable to definitively...
สำเร็จโทษด้วยท่อนจันทน์; Executing with sandalwood cudgel), has examined all royal Thai chronicles and revealed that the year King Borommatrailokkanat accessed to the throne has been recorded differently as follows:
- 1. The Royal Thai Chronicle, Bradley Edition : CS 796 (1434);
- 2. The Royal Thai Chronicle, Royal Rescript Edition : CS 796 (1434);
- 3. The Royal Thai Chronicle, Luang Prasoet-asksonnit Edition : CS 810 (1448), the Year of DragonDragon (zodiac)The Dragon , is one of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar, and the only animal that is legendary...
.
Prince Damrong Rajanubhab
Damrong Rajanubhab
Ditsawarakuman Damrong Rajanubhab was the founder of the modern Thai education system as well as the modern provincial administration...
, whom is now credited as Father of the Thai history, has stated that: "I believe that the Era as recorded in the Royal Thai Chronicle, Luang Prasoet-asksonnit Edition, was correct." In this case, the era in such Chronicle was CS 720, for which was before the accession of King Borommatrailokkanat for ninety year (CS 810); the Prince replied to this case that it should be the royal recorder's mistake as he might write the number "๘" (8) as "๗" (7), the correct era should be CS 820. However, according to the standard calendar
Calendar
A calendar is a system of organizing days for social, religious, commercial, or administrative purposes. This is done by giving names to periods of time, typically days, weeks, months, and years. The name given to each day is known as a date. Periods in a calendar are usually, though not...
, CS 820 was the Year of Dog
Dog (zodiac)
The Dog is one of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar. The Year of the Dog is associated with the earthly branch symbol 戌...
, the Year of Rat should be CS 722.