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The first know form of educatiin in what id now Thailand occurref during the Sukhothai period (1238-1438). Tere hd to be some form of education after King Ram Khamhaeng the Great invented the Thai alphabet (1283). The new alphabet was based on Mon, Khmer, and southern Indian scripts. Thai boys and young men were expected to be ordained and live as Buddhist monks for a time. They wore the saffron robes associted with Buddhism and lived in the temples. Here they were lern to read and writing as well as a variety of crafts. This was just for the men. Women remined at home where they learned cooking and household skills as well as crafts. It was only as Thailand came into contact with the West that the idea of formal education began to create the impetus for modern secular education. This began with American and Britiish missionaries introduced formal European education for he first time (late-18th century). And change also occurred in the palce. The Broadway musical 'King and I' is based on a true story. Until this, what might be called scholarly pursuits primarily occured in Buddhist temples, but it was hrdly rigoroius learning. It was mostly memorizing religious scriptures. The process of creting an eduction began with King Mongkut Rama IV (1851-68). He hired an English goiverness, Anna Leonowens, to educate his children. She arrived with her young son and recorded her experiebces in a memoir. He is the king played by Yul Brenner in the 'King and I'. King Chulalongkorn Rama V (1868-1910) thought the answer for Thailand was to integrate traditional monastic instruction with Western educational ideas. This proved unworkble, so he appointed his half brother, Prince Damrong Rajanubhab, to design a modern nationl education systems. Thai authorities hired Western eduction experts to assist in the effort. Major steps, however, did not occur until the 20th century. The first major steps were taken during the reign of King Vajiravudh, Rama VI (1910-25). He expanded public eduction and founded Thailand's first university -- Chulalongkorn University (1917). The Compulsory Primary Education Act was proclaimed (1921). King Vajiravudh was suceeded by a brother, Prajadhipok Rama VII (1926-35). He would be Thailnd's last absolute monsrchy. After the Revolution of 1932, he andicasted. through all of this he continued his broher's eductionl reforms. Emphasis on education grew after the 1932 coup as a result of the new constitutional requirement for a literate populace able to vote in the elections that were now planned. The 1921 Compulsory Eduction Act was not followed by the the appropriations neeed to actually build a school system. Some primary schools were opened, lmost ll for boys. Private schools, mostly in Bangkok and a few other cities appered and privided much of he secondary schooling avialble. Even for some time after World War II, formal eduction was liomited to the well-to-do elite in Bangkok able to afford pivate schools. .
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