#thai history

[city-of-ladies]

A savvy businesswoman, Osoet Pegua (c.1615–c.1658) was connected to both the royal court of Siam (now Thailand) and the Dutch East India Company (VOC). Her business acumen helped her secure a role as an invaluable partner in the region.

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Early Life

Osoet was born around 1615 and was of Mon-Burmese descent, placing her at the margins of Thai society. By unknown circumstances, she ended up in the Dutch compound in Ayutthaya, then the capital of Siam and a major trading post. She lived in a world where female traders often held substantial influence and had strong networks.

Many foreign men who arrived were single and frequently took local wives or concubines. Osoet herself would be involved with three Dutchmen.

At age 16, she became the concubine of Jan van Meerwijck and later had a son with him. After his death in 1635, she sought a new relationship.

A Respected Trading Partner

Osoet’s next partner was Jeremias van Vliet, who became director of the VOC’s office in Ayutthaya. Osoet, already a skilled and well-connected businesswoman, proved invaluable to the Dutch by facilitating connections with the royal court, including the king himself. This helped advance Dutch commercial interests. She also worked with the wives of high-ranking officials, underscoring the political and commercial roles of aristocratic women.

Osoet had three daughters with van Vliet. He wanted to take custody of them and move them out of the country, but Osoet refused. The king supported her decision, a testament to her respected position. Osoet was thus able to keep her daughters.

Behind-the-Scenes Leadership

Osoet later met Jan van Muijden, who also became the VOC director. She entered into a relationship with him when she was around 31 and he was 25. Lacking experience in managing an office and barely speaking the local language, van Muijden relied heavily on Osoet. She unofficially took charge of VOC operations, using her contacts to secure trading licenses for him.

Her influence peaked between 1646 and 1650, during which the company prospered thanks to her court connections. She negotiated lucrative contracts and even gained a monopoly on supplying provisions for the Dutch establishment in Ayutthaya.

Osoet died in 1658 following a stroke that left her paralyzed and unable to speak. At the Dutch’s request, she was given a Christian burial in the Company’s graveyard, rather than being cremated

Further reading:

Delouche Gilles, Une femme d’affaires et d’influence à Ayudhya au XVIIe siècle : Dame O-Sut (? -1658)

Djik Wil O., “Sex and trade in seventeenth century Siam. Osoet Pegu and her Dutch lovers”

Smith Bonnie G., Women's History in Global Perspective volume 2

[heaven-is-in-your-arms-series]

The Empress of Ayodhaya

Set in the 16th Century during the Ayutthaya era.

Four concubines vie for the chance to provide an heir to the King of Ayodhaya and gain the title of Empress.

This is inspired by real historical events, it's a bit like a Thai equivalent to I Claudius or maybe The Tudors 😅

I'm really enjoying it so far. It's on YouTube, the first three episodes have English subtitles.

[sound-and-vision-inspiration]

Wat Arun

The Temple of the Dawn

One of Thailand's best known landmarks and named after the Hindu god Aruna.

The temple has existed since the 17th Century, stretching back to the Ayutthaya era but it's most celebrated feature, the giant central Prang (spire) was constructed in the nineteenth century and was completed in the year ManSuang is set.

The spire represents the mythological sacred mountain, Mount Meru and the four smaller prangs that form a square around it are dedicated to Phra Phai, the wind god.

The prangs are decorated with shards of porcelain and tropical snail shells which give it an iridescent glow when the sun hits it.

The temple was once home to the famous Emerald Buddha, the sacred image of Thailand. It was placed there by the man who would become Rama 1 but when he shifted his capital over the river and had the Grand Palace built, the Emerald Buddha was taken and placed in the newly built Wat Phra Kaew, which stands in the grounds of the Grand Palace.

Apo likes to visit the temple every year for a photo with his favourite sandstone cat.

[sonyaheaneyauthor]

26th December 2004: The moment the Indian Ocean tsunami hit Ao Nang, Krabi Province, Thailand.

In Krabi 476 people were killed, nearly a thousand went missing, and over a thousand were injured.

The earthquake that triggered the tsunami was the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in Asia. Hundreds of thousands of people were killed across multiple countries.

[pokadandelion]

Their Majesties, King Bhumibol of Thailand and Queen Sirikit alongside King Frederik IX of Denmark and Queen Ingrid during a state visit to Denmark.

[memories-of-ancients]

Gold and ruby ring, Ayutthaya kingdom (Thaliand), 15th-16th century

from Sotheby's

[funfunrumine]

The Empress of Ayodhaya

Battle for the throne of Ayodhaya

With the story of an inspiring woman, “Mae Yua”, another name for “Thao Sri Sudachan”, and her path to becoming the “Queen” of Ayutthaya, to a great duty that is wagered with power and heart.

Director

San Srikeawlor

Creator & Script Writer

Sirilux Srisukon

Broadcast date and time

Mae Yua series starts with the first episode on Thursday, October 24th, every Wednesday - Thursday at 8:30 p.m. (GTM+7)

Watch live TV channel one31 TV version | via the oneD app UNCUT version and Netflix

Official Trailer

Cast

[scarefox]

They already knew english in that time period? Whatever time that is... but they also have print and photography... i literally don't know anything about thai history, except that they all didn't have last names just a few decades ago (I learned that form Perths yt video on thai names) 😅

[captainsublimecollectionene-blog]

https://x.com/wwin95782/status/1712424806585634841?t=46tEBZwcPak1oZez_-yhzw&s=09

For those who study Thai history and need to learn Thai language, l hope this helps.

Cheers,

[dimplesandfierceeyes]

Is the reason you researched soap plants in 18th century Thailand is for 'The Supreme art of War....'??😂

Haha yes! I did a lot of research for that fic, mainly on clothes and military operations as well as clothing, which was tricky enough to do in English (I'm sure if I spoke Thai there would have been far more resources for me to look at)

But the soap thing was the one that stood out the most haha. I thought at first it would be simple, after all lye soap had been around for centuries and the less harsh castile soap had been developed in Europe in the 1600s so my first research question was just: had soap made it to Thailand, which I thought would be a simple yes.

It was not.

I couldn't find any reference to soap in Thailand until much later. Of course that doesn't mean it didn't exist and wouldn't have been readily available. It just means the sources I was able to consult (a very meagre handful of open source online materials) didn't reference it. Which still left me needing a new research question.

I knew that saponins from plant sources had been used as cleaning agents for millenia in Europe so I started there. Further research showed that there was a well documented use of soap plants in India, too, which suggested I was on the right track so I started looking into indigenous Thai plant life and, to my surprise and delight, came across an entire research paper on the subject, which just happened to be based in exactly the region of Thailand that my fic was set - Detergent Plants of Northern Thailand: Potential Sources of Natural Saponins

As the title suggests, these are just potential sources so this is not evidence that these were the plants that were definitely used, however among them were plants that were used in India, so had some precedence for actual historic use as a detergent. Then from those, I chose one with the most obvious name so that its use would be apparent to readers: soapnut.

Anyway, I'm sure when you asked this question, you weren't looking for an entire history of my research on this topic but I love nerding out so you got it anyway haha

[historyandarthijinks]

#12 History Shorts

This is Sunanda Kumariratana, a queen consort of Siam, which is now modern day Thailand. She was known as the “Wrecked Queen”. She earned her nickname due to a myth, which is now more wildly to be believed wrong due to the king’s diary depicting people having tried to save her.

In Siam, specifically during the reign of the Chakri Dynasty, it became a capital offense punishable by death to touch the queen. 

The myth goes like this...

The queen consort and her daughter were on a boat when an accident occurred and both drowned. No one dared to touch the queen though to save her life, as it was punishable by death.

The myth certainly isn’t true, but there is a person in history quite deserving of such a fate who met a fairly similar

- The Soviet Dictator, Joseph Stalin

Joseph Stalin died of a massive hemorrhage stroke, however his health could’ve been both better well taken care of, and the doctors would’ve been willing to try to resuscitate him if he hadn’t already sent so many of his previous doctors to gulags. 

[ragsweas]

Yo just read the modern History of thailand in summary and wtf?????

[heaven-is-in-your-arms-series]

A Brief Look at the Thai Mani People

The Maniq or Mani people are an indigenous hunter-gatherer society, found in the Southern areas of modern day Thailand.

They traditionally live nomadic lives in the forests, living off what they can hunt and forage for. Trading goods and moving around as necessary.

Unfortunately deforestation and mono farming has threatened their traditional way of life.

The Mani people are thought to be related to the Semang populations of Malaysia. Both groups have dark skin and curly hair.

Sadly, these people have faced various forms of discrimination over the years and have been given colloquial names which refer to them as being savages.

Khanung

In 1906, an orphan Semang boy was sent to the Thai court where he was perceived as an "adopted son" of king Chulalongkorn.

In Art

In the Lakhon Nok dance drama, Sang Thong, the disguise the hero dons is traditionally supposed to resemble the Mani.

In 1906 King Chulalongkorn wrote a Lakhon Nai dance drama called Ngo Pa, which is inspired by his visit to the South, where he encountered Semang people.

In the recent Thai drama Beyond Destiny, there is a character who appears to be Mani or Semang, although it has not been explicitly stated.

I haven't finished the drama yet, so far her character is cute, if a bit childish. I am hoping she won't just turn out to be comic relief.

[sound-and-vision-inspiration]

Likay Theatre Performance at Mahakan Fort

[valkyries-things]

BAJRAKITIYABHA MAHIDOL // PRINCESS OF THAILAND

“She is a Thai princess and diplomat of Thailand, the first grandchild of King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit of Thailand, and the only one of the seven children of King Vajiralongkorn born to his first wife Princess Soamsawali. In December 2022, Bajrakitiyabha collapsed as a result of a heart condition while out walking her dogs. As of June 2024, she remains in a coma and is not expected to recover.”