การสื่อสารประชาสัมพันธ์ในสมัยพระบาทสมเด็จพระจอมเกล้าเจ้าอยู่หัว

Abstract

The research’s main objective is to study public relations communication during the reign of King Rama IV using documentary research method. The time of King Rama IV was Siam’s transition period to modernization under the threat of Western Imperialism, and it was widely known as the first time that printing media was officially used by the country’s ruler to communicate with the mass.

Research results are as follows: the most important cause, which stimulated political, economic, and social changes during King Rama IV’s reign, was the Threat from Western countries to colonize Siam. King Rama IV communicated to all three stakeholders; namely the nobles (Khun-nang), the commoners (Phrai), and the Westerners. King Rama IV realized that he needed to prepare his people both the nobles and the commoners for the approaching changes as well as to send a message to Westerners that Siam as a country of equal state and civilization. The study revealed that the King’s communications and uses of media were goal-oriented and purposeful. His implementation was equivalent to modern public relations strategies widely used, such as publicity, newsworthiness, and transparency. The King wisely utilized all possible media he could find in order to educate his people and deals with rumours based on rationales and scientific explanation. Instead of relying solely on traditional verbal messages and oral announcements like what had been used in the past, the king incorporated the use of his royal compositions, commands, recripts and letters. Moreover, he directed the use of print materials as royal edicts and royal gazettes as well as the printed announcement posted in public. Moreover, the king himself was the first Thai ruler who composed his own royal rescripts and used them mainly to provide guidelines for the royal work operations of the officials. Most Importantly, King Rama’s IV was the first Thai who officially used print media in disseminating information to the mass, and he was also the first king of Thailand who employed photographs for communication purposes. Moreover, King Rama IV composed and delivered information about Thailand to book writer and foreign newspapers. This mentioned strategy was found similar to the practice of modern public relations.