VI. In Focus: Francis Chit

Prince Damrong Rajanubhab (1862–1943), a son of King Mongkut (Rama IV, 1804–1868, r. 1851–1868), is celebrated as a founder of Thailand’s modern educational and civic administration systems, and as an amateur historian. The following abridged excerpt is from Damrong’s 1943 account of events during the rule of King Mongkut and his successor, King Chulalongkorn (Rama V, 1853–1910, r. 1868–1910). The text has been translated by scholar Eksuda Singhalampong.

The year 1873, the Year of the Rooster, was the terminal year of the Regency. His Majesty King Chulalongkorn was finally able to rule the country on his own like his predecessors. Firstly, he had to renounce the throne and be ordained as a monk. Afterward, he stayed at the monastery in the Inner Court of the palace for 15 days. This custom demonstrated that His Majesty had finally come of age. I, Prince Damrong Rachanuphab, heard that during his monkhood, Chao Khun Phra Prayoonwong had asked for permission to participate in alms-giving in the hope of seeing His Majesty in his monk’s robe. Henceforth, when His Majesty went about his daily alms rounds, there was only Chao Khun Phra Prayoonwong among the court ladies who was permitted to give alms to him. Consequently, the Second Coronation took place in November 1873, the Year of the Rooster. The regnant name “Phrabat Somdet Phra Chulachomklao Chao Yu Hua” was bestowed upon him in the ceremony. The second coronation ceremony was necessitated by the fact that His Majesty had renounced the throne when he was ordained. After he left the monkhood, an invitation to reassume the throne was therefore required. Moreover, this significantly signalled His Majesty’s royal prerogative to solely rule the country and Chao Phraya Si Suriyawongse no longer acted as the regent. Notwithstanding these reasons, His Majesty also had his own objective: to reveal his western aspirations in the ceremony. The King desired to inform all his people that Thailand was orientating more towards what the West called “civilisation”. He thusly introduced a new custom during the coronation ceremony.

On 16 November 1873, members of the Royal Family and court officials, in full traditional attire comprising a gold embroidered brocade (sua yearabab), an embroidered cloth wrap (pha khem khab) and a robe (suea khrui), in a prostrated position, gathered at the Phra Thinang Amarin Winitchai while they were waiting to have an audience with the king, His Majesty then walked into the hall and was seated on a royal chair. The minister proclaimed his accession to the throne as per custom after which His Majesty directed the scribe to announce the abolition of prostration when having an audience, which had been used since the olden days. This tradition proved to be outmoded for the country in this age. The prostrating was to be annulled, replaced by standing and paying respect by way of a neck bow. Soon afterwards the scribe finished reading an announcement. All those who were prostrated on the floor, including the vice king, thereupon stood up and bowed collectively. It was eerily like changing a picture from one scene to another. I, Prince Damrong, was only 12 years old at that time, and I still wore a top-knot hairstyle, while I was witnessing this scene. It was so compelling that I still remember it now. Then the king made his way to the Inner Court and proceeded to the Bhadrapitha Throne where the female members of the royal family and court officials were prostrated on the floor in order to have an audience. They too stood up after the announcement of the abolition of prostration, and the changing of the scene was repeated, similar to the one that happened at the Outer Court. Henceforth, the traditional style of an audience session that had been practised for several hundred years was discontinued.