Modern Thai History Trivia Quiz

Answer: None of these

The Thai people are rather proud of the fact that they avoided annexation in the colonial era, and in fact throughout their history have never been officially occupied, although the Burmese did once reduce their capital at Ayudhya.

Answer: Chulalongkorn

King Chulalongkorn (Rama V), the 5th king of the Chakri dynasty, also attempted to modernize Thailand's legal and administrative structures. In order to allieve the ethnic Chinese 'problem', he forced ethnic Chinese to take Thai family names. His reign, which lasted from 1868 to 1910, saw Thailand become an entirely different, and modern, country.

Answer: The placing of all kingly responsibility into the hands of a young general named Heshen

Vajiravudh reigned from 1910-1925. He presided over a court of controversy, yes, but also a court of intellectual activity spurred by his education at Oxford. His work called 'The Jews of the East' brought the issue of the overseas Chinese in Thailand to the fore and the existence of his Wild Tiger Corps, a private army, antagonized the regular Thai army. Government debt, as a result of his greatly inflated royal expenditure, also characterized his reign.

Answer: Chakri

Although the dynasty fell, the line of Rama kings actually continues (with a different bloodline) with Rama IX in power in the year 2000.

Answer: Phibun

Phibun's career was quite interesting. Not only did he initiate military involvement in Thai politics (a major influence up to the present) but he also allied himself to Japan during WWII, flirted with fascism, followed the American political model post-WWII, was rescued after a coup attempt in Bangkok by the American navy (he was on the Thai naval flagship the Sri Ayudhya when it was attacked and capsized, he swam to safety on board an American naval vessel) and was finally ejected from Thai politics by his self-selected successor Sarit.

Answer: Japan

Japan invaded Thailand in December of 1941, but instead of occupying the country, General Phibun signed a military pact with the Japanese in which Japan was allowed to station troops for attacks on Indochina and Burma. This would very much hurt Phibun's post WWII reputation.

Answer: American

Thailand was a major recipient of American military assistance during the 1960s and involved itself in the conflict most particularly in Laos and later, Cambodia.

Answer: Thammasat

Thammasat is the Berkeley of Thailand, and on October 6, 1976 the Berkeley of Thailand became a place of pain when 300 protesting students were killed by the military.

Answer: General Suchinda Kraprayoon

More political protests characterized the era of the early 1990s, and King Bhumibol stepped in to support these protests, legitimizing them to a degree. General Suchinda decided to step down in that year and a new Constitution was promulgated. The new government of Chuan Leekpai was put into government following relatively free elections...an era of free government could now begin.

Answer: False

The financial crisis actually began in Thailand, as currency speculators succeeded in devaluing the Thai Baht. Unfortunately, the heretofor booming Thai economy quickly crumbled as it was found that economic corruption, bad debt and crony-capitalism was rampant throughout the country. Fortunately, with the new era of good government in existence, the country has been able to weather the storm, but not after the suffering of many Thai people. Only time will tell if the government can reform fully the economic system.