A programme to create a new, civilised Thailand thus began. As the Prime Minister himself put it, “we must be as cultured as other nations otherwise no country will come to contact us. Or if they come, they come as superiors. Thailand would be helpless and soon become colonised. But if we were highly cultured, we would be able to uphold our integrity, independence, and keep everything to ourselves.”
Another six cultural mandates followed between March 1940 and January 1942. Two stressed the importance of working hard and the need to assist aged-people or invalids, while one banned all men from appearing in public bare-chested or with loose shirt-tails. They must wear either uniforms or western-style suits. Women were also encouraged to adopt a more westernised appearance by wearing not only skirts and hats but also gloves with matching handbags and shoes. On September 8, 1940, a cultural mandate emphasising the need to use time efficiently was issued. Thais were instructed to organise their lives by dividing the day into three: between six and eight hours had to be allocated for sleep, the daylight hours to work, and the rest of the time to physical exercise, gardening, cultural pursuits and listening to the radio. It was also decreed that no more than four meals should be eaten per day, and the chewing of betel nut – which blackened teeth - was banned altogether, with provincial governors being instructed to destroy all betel trees unless some industrial use could be found for them.
1940s Thai Nationalism
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1940s Thai Nationalism
http://www.2bangkok.com/06/nationalism.shtml
Re: 1940s Thai Nationalism
Do Thai people still chew the betel nuts nowaday? I was doing research about this habbit ten years ago. I found that beside Vietnamese, people in Taiwan, Guam, Phillipine, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia also practice this habbit.King Maker wrote:http://www.2bangkok.com/06/nationalism.shtml
A programme to create a new, civilised Thailand thus began. As the Prime Minister himself put it, “we must be as cultured as other nations otherwise no country will come to contact us. Or if they come, they come as superiors. Thailand would be helpless and soon become colonised. But if we were highly cultured, we would be able to uphold our integrity, independence, and keep everything to ourselves.”
Another six cultural mandates followed between March 1940 and January 1942. Two stressed the importance of working hard and the need to assist aged-people or invalids, while one banned all men from appearing in public bare-chested or with loose shirt-tails. They must wear either uniforms or western-style suits. Women were also encouraged to adopt a more westernised appearance by wearing not only skirts and hats but also gloves with matching handbags and shoes. On September 8, 1940, a cultural mandate emphasising the need to use time efficiently was issued. Thais were instructed to organise their lives by dividing the day into three: between six and eight hours had to be allocated for sleep, the daylight hours to work, and the rest of the time to physical exercise, gardening, cultural pursuits and listening to the radio. It was also decreed that no more than four meals should be eaten per day, and the chewing of betel nut – which blackened teeth - was banned altogether, with provincial governors being instructed to destroy all betel trees unless some industrial use could be found for them.
One misconception about this teeth blacken thing is probably false. In Vietnam, the teeth were chemically blackened to protect them. With multiple coating of this chemical, the teeth would last a life time.
Paddy.
Organizing time.
Its interesting about the organization of the day, and work hour and restriction of meals.
Most cities in Europe had clock towers or at least ringing of church bells at reguar times through out the day from the Middle Ages on, even in the countryside within ear shot of a village church. So the days were organized that way for a long time. Was that sort of thing true in Siam before these regulations or was this really a big change?
Most cities in Europe had clock towers or at least ringing of church bells at reguar times through out the day from the Middle Ages on, even in the countryside within ear shot of a village church. So the days were organized that way for a long time. Was that sort of thing true in Siam before these regulations or was this really a big change?
Re: 1940s Thai Nationalism
Nope - except very old ones.Paddy wrote: Do Thai people still chew the betel nuts nowaday? I was doing research about this habbit ten years ago. I found that beside Vietnamese, people in Taiwan, Guam, Phillipine, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia also practice this habbit.
One misconception about this teeth blacken thing is probably false. In Vietnam, the teeth were chemically blackened to protect them. With multiple coating of this chemical, the teeth would last a life time.
Paddy.
BTW, betel nuts now mostly used for dye while the betel leaves are for herbal medicine
Re: 1940s Thai Nationalism
Here is another example of Ratthaniyom - no more walking barefoot
http://topicstock.pantip.com/library/to ... 36002.html
Re: 1940s Thai Nationalism
In addition to Ratthaniyom, another aspect for Field Marshall Plaek is the People Party Arts and Architecture (1932-1947)
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... 432&type=1
http://human.aru.ac.th/www/images/stories/chartree.pdf
http://prachatai.com/journal/2007/09/14218
http://www.khaosod.co.th/view_newsonlin ... V6TkE9PQ==
http://www.matichon.co.th/news_detail.p ... catid=0207
http://www.scribd.com/doc/48622270/%E0% ... E%E0%B8%A3
http://www.dekchildkong.com/2011/04/blo ... 1C3csQW31U