The Ram Khamhaeng Inscription

The fake that did not come true
1. Auflage 2010
ISBN: 978-3-940527-39-4
Verlag: OSTASIEN Verlag

Buch, Englisch, Thai, Band 5, KART, Format (B × H): 140 mm x 205 mm, Gewicht: 178 g

Reihe: Reihe Gelbe Erde

In 1833 Prince Mongkut found a remarkable inscription, reputedly written in the year 1292. When the text was finally deciphered it revealed the existence of an ideal state, ruled from the town of Sukhothai by a wise and devout king, named Ram Khamhaeng. This inscription has long been regarded as Thailand's most important historical document.

It came therefore as a shock when in the late 1980s two renowned scholars announced that they had proof that the inscription was a recent fabrication. From that moment on the authenticity of the inscription was fiercely debated, and up to the present there are some who consider the matter to be unresolved.

Terwiel, who has taken part in the debate from the outset, presents some novel ideas and interpretations as a contribution to the closure of the debate.

At the end of this booklet the inscription is presented line by line, transcribed and with a fresh translation.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Terwiel, Barend J

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Introductory
1: The Discovery
2: The Deciphering
3: What the Inscription Tells Us
4: The Challenge
5: The First Reactions
6: The First Rebuttals
7: The Extensive Debates
8: The Stalemate
9: Re-examining the Inscription’s Purpose
10: Interpreting the Main Text Anew
11: Reading the Epilogue
12: Concluding Remarks
Appendix 1: The Ram Khamhaeng Inscription, Side by Side
Appendix 2: The Ram Khamhaeng Inscription, Line by Line
Appendix 3: The Ram Khamhaeng Inscription, Translation
Appendix 4: The Kathina Festival
Appendix 5: The Forest Monastery
Epilogue: Ram Khamhaeng in Göttingen
List of Illustrations
Bibliography

Über Autor(innen)

Barend Jan (Baas) Terwiel was born in 1941. For his PhD which was awarded in 1972 he wrote an analyisis of religion in a Thai village. During his academic career he taught in Canberra, Munich, Leiden and Hamburg. His final appointment, prior to his retirement in 2006 was Professor of Thai and Lao Languages and Literatures in Hamburg. He still writes extensively on Thailand. In 2010 a new edition of his book Thailand’s Political History will appear by River Books (Bangkok).