The Siam Society Lecture: A History of Ayutthaya (28 June 2017)

The Siam Society Lecture
A History of Ayutthaya
A talk by Dr Chris Baker and Dr Pasuk Phongpaichit
Early European visitors placed Ayutthaya alongside China and India as the three great powers of Asia. 250 years ago, the city was destroyed, and its history has been neglected. This new book is the first English-language study of the full 400-plus years from Ayutthaya’s emergence in the 13th century until its fall in 1767. With a focus on themes of commerce, kingship, Buddhism, and war, the book draws on chronicles, memoirs, visitors’ accounts, laws, literary works, wat murals, landscape, language and recent scholarship. “With thorough research and examination, and exquisite articulation, the book will not be surpassed for years, perhaps decades to come” (Thongchai Winichakul).
Dr Chris Baker is a historian, long-time resident, and honorary editor of The Journal of the Siam Society. Dr Pasuk Phongpaichit is Professor of Economics at Chulalongkorn University. Together they have written widely on Thailand’s history, political economy and current affairs including A History of Thailand, Thaksin, and Unequal Thailand. They have also translated historical works, laws, and literary classics including The Tale of Khun Chang Khun Phaen; Yuan Phai, the Defeat of Lanna: A 15th Century Thai Epic Poem; and The Ayutthaya Palace Law and the Thammasat.
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Disclaimer
The Siam Society is diffusing this lecture for academic, educational and scholarly research purposes only. At no times does The Siam Society take responsibility for any ideas and opinions presented by the lecturer or persons making comments or asking questions.
The Siam Society is deeply grateful to the James H.W. Thompson Foundation
for its generous support of the Lecture Series.

[@mombetty100]

This is so wonderful indeed that in this time of lockdown that we can partake the wonderful talks done at the Siam Society over the years. Look forward to even more.

[@chayutpanvilai2157]

Just recently coming across your book, A History of Ayutthaya, Siam in the Early Modern World, finished it then searching internet and saw this.
The book and lecture are wonderful, it's really enlightened me a lot on history of Thailand and especially on Ayutthaya Kingdom, thank you very much.

[@TravelingontheGo]

Interesting lecture.. thx for the link.. fun to see China's influence to Ayutthaya

[@rataplanrrr]

Fine stuff - hungry for more.

[@punyathornjeungsmarn9112]

Incredible work of historiography

[@colinellesmere]

Very good lecture. The fall of Ayutthaya in the 18th century is so very depressing. One Buddhist society sacks another Buddhist society. All for stealing wealth. And I thought Buddhist societies escaped the worst excesses that Christian societies incurred.

[@dayangmarikit6860]

Ironically Siam/Ayutthaya also sacked Angkor a couple of centuries earlier and they looted the city, taking gold, gems, artworks and humans with them.

[@tipp1515]

@@dayangmarikit6860 No strange. Common practice Thai did that to northern Vietnam, Laos, and Burma, as well.

[@user-qy9xj5eh9s]

The recent DNA test results found that Indian DNA is witnessed in the South , Mons mainly in the Central and Khmers in NE ect.

[@user-ol1qm9ey7g]

ขายเนื้อสเต็กร้านเจ๊เนื้อเพียวๆไม่ปนเส้น

[@bxsaid]

The Chinese got the term from the Khmer’s. Cause khmers called tai Siam. Khmers gave tai refuge when they migrated south to escape genghis khan. Then rebelled against the Khmer state sukorhai and claimed it as their first city. Which was established by the Khmer already. In which they assimilated into Khmer culture.

[@hub6490]

This presentation talking about history of Ayutthaya in academic manner, please keep your fake history from cambodian propaganda away from this video.

[@Urlocallordandsavior]

Source(s)?

[@Katcom111]

@@hub6490 Yes, its an academic manner but Thai history isn't very honest blame it the nationalist movement and the dictatorship distorting the history.

[@Handle_Edit]

@@Katcom111 no such thing as Siam bro…listen to the old man carefully…what Thailand and Cambodia had become is from Europeans intervention. Nationalism occurred later. This is what I call Divide and conquer tactics to colonialism.

[@Katcom111]

@@Handle_Edit That I can certainly agree though, in Thai case the obsessions of brits and other westerner is way overboard despite not being colonized like the Japanese. Plus those foreigners that had monarchy ties were the ones that also wrote their history book. I mean prince Damrong was working with them. I've read outdated books that says that the Tai came from the Altai mountain and mentioning the Shans removing away from the Khmer yoke.