Loss of Vocabularies, Adding Vocabularies and Meaning Change of Criminal Punishment Vocabularies in Rattanakosin Period

Abstract

This research aimed at studying the Changing of Vocabularies and Meaning of the Criminal Punishment Vocabularies in the Three Seals Law, the Penal Code for Kingdom of Siam and the current Criminal Code. The result of study showed that 162 from 164 of Criminal Punishment Vocabularies in the Three Seals Law were Loss of Vocabularies. Only “Fine” and “Forfeiture of property”were still using in the Penal Code for Kingdom of Siam and the current Criminal Code. For Adding Vocabularies, there were 4 compound words: “Death” “Imprisonment” “Restriction of residence” and “Security for keeping the peace” which occurred for the first time in the Penal Code for Kingdom of Siam and “Confinement”, synonymous compound, which occurred for the first time in the current Criminal Code. The word “Confinement” was defined for using instead of the word “Restriction of residence”For the Meaning Change, the result of study showed that “Fine” and “Forfeiture of property” using in the Penal Code for Kingdom of Siam and the current Criminal Code had the different meaning from “Fine” and “Forfeiture of property”using in the Three Seals Law with restricted meaning. Due to the Criminal Punishment Vocabularies in the Three Seals Law were the words explained how severe punishment so the people in society did not dare to violate the law but when those vocabularies in the Penal Code for Kingdom of Siam and the current Criminal Code became to Academic Language it made the loss of reflection of severe punishment. The result was the reduction of fear to violate the law. For my opinion, the determination of higher penalty rates may be the one of method to make the people in society did not dare to violate the Criminal Law. As such then the Criminal Law will be able to control the society effectively.