LEGAL INSCRIPTION ON THIEF’S CHARACTERS: VOCABULARY LISTS AND REFLECTIONS OF THAI SOCIETY AND CULTURE IN THE THREE SEALS LAW

Abstract

The article “Legal Inscription on Thief’s Characters: Vocabulary Lists and Reflections of Thai Society and Culture in the Three Seals Law” aims to study social and cultural reflections from the key vocabulary found in the legal inscription on thief’s characters. Based on the results, the researcher was able to classify the vocabulary into six lexical domains: types of thieves, penalties, titles, animals, plants, and royal words. Such lexical domains can reflect Thai society and culture in terms of governance, economy, and religion during the Ayutthaya and early Rattanakosin periods. In the area of governance, the customs laws with severe penalties were applied in case the defendant succumbed to the evidence but did not plead guilty, the administration was centralized, and there was a feudal system of social stratification. In the area of economy, Thailand was found to be an agricultural society. In the area of religion, Buddhism was found to be an important religion in Thai society.