Phuttha (buri) monthon: Buddhism and the Communication of Political Ideology after the 1932 Revolution
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Abstract
Phutthamonthon was one of the large-scale planning projects initiated by Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram. In 1944, Phibun had to resign when two government bills mandating the construction of Phutthaburimonthon (a Buddhist city in Saraburi) and the new capital at Phetchabun were defeated in the National Assembly. The field marshal returned as prime minister in 1948, a turbulent year for Thailand. He had to deal not only with the spread of communism in Thailand but also vicious political struggles among various elitist groups, especially between the palace and the executive branch of government. Phibun attempted to maintain stability and consolidate his power against conservative groups by using cultural policy and Buddhism as political tools. The Phutthaburimonthon project was revived under the name Phutthamonthon, and it became one of the most significant features of the 25th Buddhist century celebrations in 1957.
This research article examines and analyzes the design concept and development of the Phutthamonthon construction project from the reign of Field Marshal Phibunsongkhram to its completion in the reign of General Prem Tinsulanonda, the 16th prime minister of Thailand. This study was carried out by collecting primary evidence, including photos, minutes of meetings, and various design documents of Phutthamonthon’s master plan, as well as secondary historical textual data such as funeral memorial books, master’s theses, and published articles. According to the literature reviews, the developments of Phutthamonthon can be divided into four periods: Phutthamonthon for the 25th Buddhist century celebrations (1952–1960); Phutthamonthon after Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram lost his power (1957–1977); Phutthamonthon under the royal patronage of His Majesty the King for the celebration of the 200th anniversary of Rattanakosin (1978–1982); and Phutthamonthon in honor of His Majesty the King (1983–1987). The results indicate that the construction project Phutthamonthon initiated by Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram was a continuation of the idea of Phutthaburimonthon, a Buddhist city in Saraburi. It was planned based on the City Beautiful idea, similar to the new city plan of Saraburi. Phutthamonthon was a collection source of Buddhist history and disciplinary rules and a place where inscriptions of Thai political history were exhibited. Nevertheless, the construction of Phutthamonthon project proceeded very slowly after Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram lost his power due to the instability of Thai politics. At the same time, the conservative-royalist forces tried to transform Phutthamonthon into a sacred platform to gain the political support of the Thai people, who have subsequently all but forgotten the monument’s original purpose.
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References
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