From prostration to prostration

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.

In traditional society, there were two main codes of…