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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 07 April 2011
John Fairbank wrote of China that “the missionary movement … was a profound stimulus to China's modernization”, and he cited missionary medical, educational, and humanitarian work, including extensive rural contacts, as the basis for his conclusion. And George Antonius in his classic study of Arab nationalism noted that in the Arab revival of the last century, the American Presbyterian Mission in Syria played an important role in the rebirth of Arab literature and education. The Presbyterian missionaries were one important source of the emergence of the Arabs into the modern world. A reading of Thai history suggests that the missionaries in Siam might well have had a similarly important impact. However, the role of the missionaries after the decades of the 1830s to the 1850s has been little studied and is hardly understood. This has been especially true because the historical study of Thai modernization has focused primarily on national policies and strategies where the missionaries had less influence after the reign of King Mongkut (1851–68).
1 Fairbank, John King, The United States and China, 3rd ed. (Cambridge, Mass., 1971), p. 178Google Scholar.
2 Antonius, George, The Arab Awakening (New York, 1946), pp. 37–51Google Scholar.
3 In this article, the noun “Siam” and the adjective “Thai” will be used throughout to refer to Thailand and its inhabitants during the period covered in the article.
4 “Modernization” is used here to describe the processes of social change in which a traditional society is confronted with new ideas and technologies, primarily Western in origin, and changes as a result of that confrontation.
5 See Bunnag, Tej, The Provincial Administration of Siam 1892–1915 (Kuala Lumpur, 1977)Google Scholar; Ramsay, James Ansil, “Modernization and Centralization in Northern Thailand, 1875–1910”, Journal of Southeast Asian Studies VII, 1 (Mar. 1976): 16–32CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Vickery, Michael, “Thai Regional Elites and the Reforms of King Chulalongkorn”, Journal of Asian Studies XXIX, 4 (Aug. 1970): 876Google Scholar.
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8 Taylor, Hugh, “The Narrative of Nan”, Historical Sketch of Protestant Missions in Siam 1828–1928, ed. McFarland, George Bradley (Bangkok, 1928), p. 146Google Scholar; Starling, Lucy, Dawn Over Temple Roofs (New York, 1960), p. 75Google Scholar.
9 Dr. S.C. Peoples to Robert E. Speer, 29 Aug. 1896, microfilm, Records of the Board of Foreign Missions, Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (hereafter cited as Board), 13. At the Manuscript Division, Payap College; the original is at the Presbyterian Historical Society, Philadelphia, USA.
10 Peoples to Speer, 15 May 1894, Board, 11; John. H. Freeman, Report, 29 Aug. 1896, Board, 13; Robert Irwin to Dear Friends, 28 July 1899, Board, 15; Laos News VI, 3 (Aug. 1909): 61Google Scholar.
11 Taylor, Hugh, “A Missionary in Siam”, unpublished manuscript (San Francisco, 1947), p. 281Google Scholar. The Papers of Paul A. Eakin, RG 017/80 at the Manuscript Division, Payap College.
12 Peoples to Speer, 16 Aug. 1894, Board, 11.
13 See Nan Folder, Papers of Paul A. Eakin, RG 017/80 at the Manuscript Division, Payap College.
14 These figures taken from annual reports published in Laos News and Siam Outlook.
15 Robert Irwin to Speer, 14Feb. 1896, Board, 13; and “Annual Report of Muang Nan Station for the year ending Oct. 31, 1896”, Board, 22.
16 Laos News XI, 3 (July 1914): 107Google Scholar.
17 Taylor, “A Missionary”, p. 164.
18 Siam Outlook VI, 10 (Apr. 1929): 332Google Scholar.
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24 Taylor, “A Missionary”, p. 93.
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26 See Siam Outlook VI, 3 (Jan. 1927): 48–49Google Scholar; “Station Reports of the Laos Mission for the Year Closing Nov. 30th, 1899”, Board, 16; Laos News X, 3 (Apr, 1913): 54Google Scholar; and Taylor, Hugh, “Reaping where others have sown”, Laos News VI, 4 (Nov. 1909): 117Google Scholar.
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31 “Report for Boys' School of Nan 1910–1911”, Maen Research; “Report Nan Girls' School 1910–1911”, Maen Research.
32 See Palmer, M.B., “Nan Boys' School”, Laos News VIII, 4 (Oct. 1911): 136–38Google Scholar, Landon, Kenneth Parry, Thailand in Transition (Chicago, 1939), pp. 125, 251Google Scholar; “Report Nan Girls' School 1910–1911”, Maen Research.
33 Vella, Walter F., Chaiyo! King Vajiravudh and The Development of Thai Nationalism (Honolulu, 1978), pp. 158–59Google Scholar; Laos News IX, 3 (July 1912): 79–80Google Scholar.
34 Taylor, “A Missionary”, p. 366; Laos News XIII, 4 (Oct. 1916): 87Google Scholar.
35 Siam Outlook III, 3 (Jan. 1924): 63Google Scholar; VIII, 1 (Jan. 1932): 35; and IX, 1 (Jan. 1933): 40. Taylor, D. Irene, “The Law of the Jungle Changes”, Siam Outlook III, 1 (July 1923): 267Google Scholar.
36 Taylor, “A Missionary”, p. 379.
37 Laos News IV, 4 (Oct. 1907): 107–8Google Scholar; Siam Outlook VIII, 1 (Jan. 1932): 36Google Scholar; “Nan Station Report 1911–1912” and “Out-District Evangelistic Work — Nan Province, Sept. 1916”, Maen Research.
38 See Wyatt, David K., The Politics of Reform in Thailand: Education in the Reign of King Chulalongkorn (New Haven, 1969), p. 270Google Scholar; Laos News IV, 2 (Apr. 1907): 35Google Scholar.
39 See Thamornpak, Satien, tan acharn em. bee. palmer kab krungtheb khristian withayalai kaw. saw. 1920–1938 (Acharn M.B. Palmer and Bangkok Christian College 1920–1938) (Bangkok, n.d.), p. 37Google Scholar; Taylor, “A Missionary”, pp. 382, 441–42; and Laos News IX, 1 (Jan. 1912): 14Google Scholar.
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41 Taylor, “A Missionary”, pp. 370–71, 295–96.
42 Ibid., p. 259ff; Laos News X, 3 (July 1913): 50Google Scholar.
43 Starling, Dawn, pp. 77, 107; Taylor, “A Missionary”, pp. 263–64; Siam Outlook I, 1 (July 1921): 20Google Scholar.
44 Laos News XI, 1 (Jan. 1914): 8Google Scholar; Taylor, “A Missionary”, pp. 295'96.
45 Taylor, “A Missionary”, pp. 264–66, 298–301, 419–20; Laos News XI, 3 (July 1914): 105Google Scholar.
46 Laos News XIV, 4 (Oct. 1917): 124Google Scholar. Taylor, “A Missionary”, pp. 396–97. Siam Outlook VI, 9 (Oct. 1928): 304Google Scholar; and XI, 1 (Jan. 1935): 29.
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48 Hanks, Lucien M., “The Thai Social Order as Entourage and Circle”, Change and Persistence in Thai Society, ed. Skinner, G. William and Kirsch, A. Thomas (Ithaca, 1975), pp. 197–218Google Scholar.
49 See Taylor, “A Missionary”, p. 246, for a description of missionary relations with “domestic staff”. The widespread use of the titles paw kru (father teacher) and maa kru (mother teacher) for the missionaries in general and paw Hang (father benefactor) for mission doctors is one measure of their high status in society. See Siam Outlook Annual Reports Issue (Jan. 1926): 99; and XI, 1 (Jan. 1935): 29. Curtis, The Laos of North Siam, p. 123n.
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51 Lauer, Robert H., Perspectives on Social Change, 2nd ed. (Boston, 1977), pp. 260–61Google Scholar.
52 Peoples to Speer, 30 Apr. 1894, Board, 11; see also McGilvary, Daniel, A Half-Century Among the Siamese and the Lao: An Autobiography (New York, 1912), p. 163Google Scholar; Taylor, “A Missionary”, pp. 70–74.
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54 Laos News II, 2 (Apr. 1905): 6–7Google Scholar; and XV, 1 (Jan. 1918): 26. “Nan Station Report 1910–1911”, Maen Research. Starling, Dawn, p. 107.
55 Laos News III, 1 (Jan. 1906): 26Google Scholar; and VIII, 1 (Jan. 1911): 29–31. Rev. McCluer, Donald, “A Visit to the Palace of the King of Siam”, Laos News VIII, 2 (Apr. 1911): 59–62Google Scholar.
56 Bunnag, Provincial Administration, p. 182.
57 Laos News I, 1 (Jan. 1904): 13–14Google Scholar; and VI, 1 (Feb. 1909): 11. Peoples, “Nan Station”.
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61 Peoples, “Nan Station”.
62 See Wyatt, The Politics of Reform; Vella, Chaiyo!, pp. 106ff.
63 Laos News V, 1 (Jan. 1908): 7Google Scholar; and V, 2 (Apr. 1908): 34. Park, David, “Opening of the Boys' Christian High School of Nan”, Laos News IV, 3 (July 1911): 83–85Google Scholar.
64 See Park, , “Opening”; Laos News XIII, 3 (July 1916): 61Google Scholar.
65 Beach, W.H., “Air Castles, Ideals, and Stern Realities”, Siam Outlook (Apr. 1930): 395–96Google Scholar; Wells, Kenneth E., “History of Protestant Work in Thailand 1828–1966”, rev. unpublished manuscript (Bangkok, 1970), ch. vii, p. 4Google Scholar.
66 Siam Outlook II, 2 (1922): 196–97Google Scholar; also see Dr.Crooks, Chas. H., “A Brief Survey of Medical Work in North Siam from Its Inception to the Present Time”, Laos News XIV, 3 (July 1917): 99Google Scholar.
67 Zimmerman, Siam Rural Economic Survey, pp. 233, 236.
68 Official figures for 1919–1920 put the population of Nan Province at 164, 525; see Statistical Yearbook of the Kingdom of Siam, Bangkok: Ministry of Finance, B.E. 2470 (1927–28)Google Scholar.
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70 “Nan Station Report 1910–1911”, Maen Research; Siam Outlook VIII, 1 (Jan. 1932): 35–36Google Scholar.
71 Siam Outlook VI, 3 (Jan. 1927): 49–50Google Scholar; government and local school figures were calculated from Nan Province census figures and Monthon Mahrashtra school enrolment figures in Statistical Yearbook of the Kingdom of Siam.
72 “Report of Nan Station for 1898”, Board, 22; “Annual Report of Muang Nan Station for the year ending Oct. 31, 1896”, Board, 22.
73 David Park to Fellow-workers, 27 Feb. 1902, Board, 272; Starling, “Nan Notes”, pp. 62–63.
74 Laos News II, 4 (Oct. 1905): 101–102Google Scholar; and Taylor, “A Missionary”, pp. 256–59, 273.
75 See Laos News X, 4 (Oct. 1913): 9Google Scholar; Rev. White, Henry, “The Aim and Value of Mission Enterprise”, Laos News VIII, 1 (Jan. 1911): 14–17Google Scholar.
76 Taylor, “A Missionary”, p. 331.
77 Ibid., p. 330.
78 See Pierre, Richard T. La, Social Change (New York, 1965), pp. 130ffGoogle Scholar.
79 See Lauer, Perspectives, p. 259.
80 Wyatt, The Politics of Reform, p. 376.
