The Development of Educational Reform in the Thai Sangha during the Reigns of Rama IV–VII (B.E. 2394 – 2478 / 1851–1935)

Abstract

This study, entitled “The Development of Educational Reform in the Thai Buddhist Monastic Society during the Reigns of Kings Rama IV–VII (B.E. 2394–2478),” aimed to: 1) examine the development of educational reform within the Thai Sangha during the reigns of Kings Rama IV–VII (B.E. 2394–2478); 2) analyze the policy factors and motivations that drove these reforms; and 3) synthesize their consequences and lessons for monastic educational management in modern Thai society. The study employed a historical research methodology based on primary sources, including archival records, laws, royal decrees, and

announcements published in the Royal Gazette during B.E. 2394–2478, together with secondary sources and in-depth interviews with ten experts in Buddhist history and monastic education. Data were analyzed through historical analysis, content analysis, and contextual synthesis.

The findings revealed that the reform of the Thai monastic educational system evolved through four major phases: the foundational phase during the reign of King Rama IV (B.E. 2394–2411); the major reform phase during the reign of King Rama V (B.E. 2411–2453), marked by the enactment of the Sangha Act of B.E. 2445 and the establishment of Mahadhatu College and Mahamakut Rajavidyalaya; the national integration phase during the reign of King Rama VI (B.E. 2453–2468) under the ideology of “Nation, Religion, and Monarchy”; and the adaptive phase during the reign of King Rama VII (B.E. 2468–2478), amid economic crisis and political transformation. The reforms were driven primarily by political motivations aimed at centralizing state authority and utilizing the Sangha as a mechanism for modern nation-building, resulting in a transition from a decentralized monastic structure to a centralized system under state supervision. The study further found that the success of these reforms stemmed from strong and visionary royal leadership, continuity of reform across four reigns, and a balance between preserving the core of Buddhist learning and incorporating modern knowledge. These reforms laid a significant foundation for Thailand’s national education system and contributed to the development of Buddhist higher education institutions, which continue to play important roles in Thai education today.