WHY STUDY THE MONS ?

Why is understanding Mon culture significant for Thais? The answer is simple: To understand Mon culture is to understand part of our own past.  According to leading historian Dr Nithi Eowsriwong, most Thais, as a multiracial population, have Mon blood in their background.

The estimated Mon population around the world is four million. Two million live in Burma . Mon leaders in Thailand estimate that roughly two million live in Thailand , Dr Nithi said.

The earliest traces of Mon civilisation can be found in the Chao Phraya basin during the Dvaradi period. Later, the Mons moved and prospered in the Irrawaddy and Salawin basins, where the Mon state was eventually founded before it lost its independence to Burma in 2301 BE (1858 CE).

While some historians believe that the population of the Dvaradi period was Mon, Dr Nithi stands on the theory that the population was multiracial. It is undeniable, however, that Mon culture was one of the most prominent during this period, and the Mon language was considered prestigious.

Dr Nithi believes that the Mons during this period must have assimilated with other races and eventually lost their identity. Meanwhile, Mon culture emerged rather prominently in the Irrawaddy and lower Salawin basin in Burma .

From this perspective, Dr Nithi said the local population in the lower Chao Phraya basin which eventually became Thai must contain some Mon blood.

Apart from the early assimilation of the Mon with other races from the Dvaradi period, there were successive population assimilations following a series of migrations of the Mons in the Ayuthaya and Rattanakosin periods between 2082 and 2357 BE (1539-1814 CE).

Dr Nithi said the records show that between those periods, there were nine major influxes of Mons as they escaped a series of wars with Burmese invaders.

Together with inter-racial marriages among trade travellers from the Mon state, it is believed that a large numbers of Mons settled into various communities across Thailand .

Many of the artistocratic Mon immigrants would eventually serve in the Ayutthaya royal court, he said. Others were allowed to settle in the border cities in the west and the north.

It was the migration in 2316 BE (1773 CE) during the King Taksin period which saw the Mon settlement of the present day communities across the central region.

Nevertheless, the migration during the Ayutthaya period saw a significant increase in the Mon population, which became a major population segment in the ancient capital.

There was a report in 2376 BE that most of the population in Ratchaburi at that time was Mon.

Dr Nithi cited the political policy in Ayutthaya and Rattakosin periods that gave authority to Mon leaders to be in charge of their own immigrant people by rewarding them with artistocratic titles for serving the country.  Through this political tactic, descendants of the Mon leaders followed the tradition to earn titles and serve the country.

Some families had their daughters serve as royal concubines. The most well known example was the Mon concubine of King Rama III, whose son married an aristocratic Mon woman. Their daughter married King Rama IV and became the mother of King Rama V.

The Mons brought with them their cultural heritage as well as artefacts and treasures that have made Thailand the richest source of Mon cultural heritage outside Burma , said Nithi.

A huge collection of palm-leaf Buddhist scriptures could be found in the some 200 Mon Buddhist temples across central Thailand , Dr Nithi said.

Unfortunately, more than half do not have monks who speak the language.

As the Mons blended into Thai society, their language, too, was absorbed. 

Apparently, there are at least 700 Thai words that have traces of Mon roots, he said.  Not only language, but Mon literature, thinking as well as music have all left their mark on Thai society.

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