Thai Prophecy Verse

Thai Prophecy Verse (th: เพลงยาวพยากรณ์กรุงศรีอยุธยา, RTGS: Phleng yao phayakon krung si ayutthaya, the verse prophesying the future of Krung Si Ayutthaya) is a poetry forecasting the future of Thailand. It was composed on a par with Maha Supina Jataka in Tripitaka, the Jataka features the reply of Buddha to King Pasenadi of Kosala about the King's sixteen-fold dream.

The Verse was official published in the Book "Athibai phaen thi phra nakhon si autthaya" (th: อธิบายแผนที่พระนครศรีอยุธยา, Explanations for the maps of Ayutthaya Kingdom) for the first time, the Book was edited by Phraya Boranratchathanin (Phon Dechakhup) (th: พระยาโบราณราชธานินทร์ (ผล เดชคุปต์)), Governor General of Ayutthaya Monthon and Vice President of the Royal Institute of Thailand at that time. The book was presented to Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramen Maha Vajiravudh in the Royal Ceremony on Merit Marking in Dedication to the Late Kings in 1926.

There are various suspicions concerning the Verse, one of these is that the verse was composed in Ayutthaya Period. However, many academicians could not decide who was the author of which, even at the foot of the Verse stated that "The prediction about the Kingdom by Somdet Phra Narai, King of Nopburi, ends here."

Prince Damrong Rachanuphap, father of the Thai histories, explained in "Athibai phaen thi phra nakhon si autthaya" that:

“ ...Pursuant to the footnote of the Thai Prophecy Verse stating that it was the composition of Somdet Phra Narai. There are the reasonable suspicions that the Verse was composed in Ayutthaya Period according to the Testimony of the Fall of Ayutthaya. However, there are no evidences to ensure that they were the composition of Somdet Phra Narai. It is a great strange that the Verse was immensely mentioned and chanted by the People since Ayutthaya Period until this Period of Rattanakosin. The Verse was normally known as "Phleng yao phuttha thamnai" (th: เพลงยาวพุทธทำนาย, Predictions of the Buddha)... ”

It is manifested in "Kham hai kan chao krung kao" (th: คำให้การชาวกรุงเก่า, Testimony by the People from the Old Kingdom) that the Verse was composed by Somdet Phra Sanphet Thi Paet (th: สมเด็จพระสรรเพชญที่ ๘, King Sanphet the Eighth; reigned 1703—1708). The academicians greatly supported this, and suspected that the Verse was composed with the royal purpose to use as political psychology. King Sanphet the Eighth might use the Verse to erode public faith and trust that the government could not maintain the national security. In present periods, Thai rulers also use this poetic work on political intentions.

Furthermore, it could be summarised that the composer of the Verse should be a person holding high wisdom on astrology, poetry and psychology, as well as the high rank up to a kingship. As producing the unfavourable work like this could be dangerous for the producer except he was not a commoner.

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