The Rise and Fall of Ayutthaya

Ayutthaya's past glories as a vital trading port in Southeast Asia have captured the imagination of not just Thais but also the Japanese for some time now. The recent launch of Japanese and English editions of "Discovering Ayutthaya", the book that noted Thai historian Charnvit Kasetsiri first published in 2003, is proof that, in the year that marks 120 years of diplomatic relations between the two powers, Japan takes Thailand - the country and its history - seriously.

And what better way to celebrate such a long-running relationship than with translations - by respected historians Prof Toshiharu Yoshikawa and Michael Wright - of a book that deals with a time when Japanese nationals were prominent characters in the history of Ayutthaya? Published and sponsored by the Toyota Thailand Foundation, the book will be a comprehensive source on the period for the general reader.

According to Toyota Motors Thailand vice-president Suparat Siriwanangkool, the book, the result of three years of research, benefits from the joint effort of 35 historians led by Dr Charnvit Kasetsiri, who specialises in Southeast Asia studies. Prof Toshiharu of Kansai University is himself an expert on the Thai-Japanese relations, with numerous books to his credit, including "600 Years of Japan-Thailand Relations", "Thailand-Burma Railway during World War I" and the "Encyclopaedia of Thailand".

Meanwhile, the English historian Michael Wright, also known in Thai as Mek Maneewaja, is an academic adviser and a Thai history scholar who writes for the Silpa Wattanadham magazine.

"It's the first time that a history book has been simultaneously published in these three languages. Each edition has an initial print-run of 8,000, and the book will be reprinted four times over the next decade," says Suparat, adding that the publication project's sponsorship has come from the Toyota Thailand Foundation's Bt400 million capital.

The result is a well-researched chronicle of Ayutthaya in 350 pages, and a visual feast of more than 1,000 illustrations. Despite having the feel of an authoritative work on history, "Discovering Ayutthaya" will double as a guidebook - it shares the same size and paper quality as the Eyewitness travel guides. The book tracks Ayutthaya's rise and decline, charting that course against various backdrops that can't be explored in great depth, but can't be ignored either.

There are 10 major sections: the history of the capital, its riverine life, places of cultural heritage, ethnic groups, the Royal Family, historical personalities, politics, the economy, society and culture. However, much of the focus is on the numerous temples, the royalty and the foreigners in Ayutthaya. This is understandable considering that in its 417-year history as a capital, Ayutthaya was ruled by 34 kings from five rival dynasties, many of whom, King Narai included, seemed to welcome foreign visitors with open arms.

Ayutthaya's liberal society saw an influx of merchants and migrants, this at a time when Japan was expelling Christian missionaries from its soil, London was beset by plague and fire and Paris was seeing religious persecution of the Huguenots. But then Ayutthaya was second to these world cities only in terms of population size - its trade, government and heritage were such invigorating forces that it became a source of envy for its neighbours and visitors from overseas alike.

The portrait that emerges from Wright's breezy text is of a charming city, whose mystique and beauty was well documented by foreigners rather than locals, from envoys and missionaries to merchants and mercenaries. But perhaps what mattered most to outsiders were Ayutthaya's numerous natural resources, that, coupled with its foreigner-friendly atmosphere, made it an irresistible destination.

The authors profile the assortment of ethnic groups that came to trade with Siam, exploit its open-mindedness or simply seek new lives. Besides the Laotians, the Mons and the Cambodians - the capital's labourers and mercenaries - Ayutthaya was home to a community of expats made up of the Japanese, the French, the English and the Portuguese. One bonus of the book is the illustrations of their everyday lives in the capital city, reproduced from temple murals or foreign chronicles.

Indeed, few in the city at the time could match the level of recognition enjoyed by seven personalities of Ayutthaya's international enclave. They were Japanese mercenary Yamada Nagamasa, Chevalier de Chaumont, Chevalier de Forbin, Simon de La Loubere, Kaemfer, Phaulcon and Thao Thong Kip Ma. Of the crop, it seems Phaulcon, the Greek adventurer who rose to become King Narai's minister, grew highest in terms of prestige and trust, notwithstanding his untimely death after the throne changed hands.

Besides the more familiar historical facts stands a chapter on Ayutthaya's penal codes and conditions, bringing home to the reader a darker side of the former capital's history. Chapter 21 describes the appalling methods of execution in the period, as set out in the Treason Act drafted during the reign of King Rachathirat II. Here are the least shocking of all:

l Break open the skull and drop in red-hot iron so the brain spouts out like boiling liquid.

l Slash the skin of the torso from neck to waist and again slash from waist to ankles. Then tear down the skin of the torso so that it forms a skirt.

l Shackle both elbows and both knees and insert a stake making movement impossible. Then, apply a flaming torch to the body until death.

Well, even the Spanish Inquisition would look pretty tame by Ayutthaya standards.

This book is a great eye-opener for anyone wishing to learn more about Ayutthaya's history.

"Discovering Ayutthaya", published by Toyota Thailand Foundation, is available at leading bookshops for Bt700.



 Manote Tripathi

The Nation