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KingnBhumibol Adulyadej, Thailand’s head of state, also known as Rama IX,nwill lead his family to the royal chapel today. There they will payntheir respects to the eight earlier kings of the dynasty (a line ofnrulers who inherit the crown from family connections, usuallynfather-to-son). They will lay a wreath at the statue of King Rama I,nthe first Chakri ruler, who became king on this day in 1782. This isnalso the year that Bangkok became the capital of the nation.
KingnBhumibol Adulyadej, Thailand’s head of state, also known as Rama IX,nwill lead his family to the royal chapel today. There they will payntheir respects to the eight earlier kings of the dynasty (a line ofnrulers who inherit the crown from family connections, usuallynfather-to-son). They will lay a wreath at the statue of King Rama I,nthe first Chakri ruler, who became king on this day in 1782. This isnalso the year that Bangkok became the capital of the nation.n
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nBynthe way, Rama IX took the throne on June 9, 1949. He is the world’snlongest-serving head of state who is still in power today. And he isnalso the longest-reigning monarch in Thai history!
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Thailandnis the only Southeast Asian nation that has never been colonized.nWhen Vietnam and the rest of Indochina were colonized by the French;nFilipino revolutionaries were fighting off rule by Spain, only to benawarded to the U.S.; the Netherlands East Indies were ruled by thenDutch; and Burma and Malaya were colonies of Great Britain—duringnall that colonization, Thailand was able to maintain itsnindependence!
Thailandnis the only Southeast Asian nation that has never been colonized.nWhen Vietnam and the rest of Indochina were colonized by the French;nFilipino revolutionaries were fighting off rule by Spain, only to benawarded to the U.S.; the Netherlands East Indies were ruled by thenDutch; and Burma and Malaya were colonies of Great Britain—duringnall that colonization, Thailand was able to maintain itsnindependence!n
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nHowever,nThailand did lose some of its territory to Britain and France. Andncertainly the Thai people felt the influence of the European peoplenwho fought and traded and lived all around them.
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What’snin a name?
What’snin a name?n
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nFornmany, many years, people called Thailand Siam. It is thoughtnthat this name came from the Malay word for “dark brown people,”nand it was probably a term meant to be a bit insulting to the Thainpeople. The Thais called their own nation “Meuang Thai,” or “Landnof the Free.” That makes sense for the only country in the areanthat was able to stay free of European masters!
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nInn1939, the name was officially changed from Siam to Thailand.n(Actually, “Thailand” is an English translation of the name!)
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nIt’snalways interesting to me to learn about exonyms, which are namesngiven to places or people by foreigners—but that are not used bynthe people themselves. Some examples include the cities of Florencenin Italy and Moscow in Russia—which are called Firenze innItalian and Moskva in Russian—and the term Eskimo fornthe group of northern Amerindians who call themselves Inuit.
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nFornmore about Thailand, including some interesting (and one odd)nvideos, check out this earlier post. (Scroll down.)
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nAlsonon this date:
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nAnniversary of the first modern Olympic Games
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nBe sure to check out the story of Robert Garrett, pictured here. It’s pretty strange and cool!n
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nNational Tartan Day
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nIMPORTANTnNOTE:
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nnPlannahead for International Pillow Fight Day on Saturday, April 7!
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nThere’sna plan for a huge pillow fight near me. Maybe there will be one near you, too!nCheck it out here.
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