From prostration to prostration
published : 5 Mar 2021 at 04:00
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After leading a coup in 2014, Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha announced a code of Twelve Thai Values , telling people how to think and behave. It is difficult to imagine Angela Merkel announcing Twelve German Values , or even Narendra Modi announcing Twelve Indian Values . Since the mid-19th century, there have been lots of Thai manuals about proper body language and oral language in social encounters. These books tell a story about power and hierarchy that Patrick Jory narrates in fascinating detail.
In 1873, King Chulalongkorn banned prostration at the royal audience. Foreigners found it uncivilised . In fact, the practice continued within the palace. The idea of dramatising power relations through relative height was too deeply entrenched. But in other ways, public behaviour began to change.
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