Re-examining the historic Lady Sonklin

The book that became one of the causes of the American Civil War (1861 to 1865) was translated into Thai in 1952 by Or (Urai) Snidvongs but was first introduced into the country in 1862 by Anna Leonowens (1834 to 1915), governess from 1862 to 186
to the children of the consorts and royal wives of King Rama IV.

Leonowens claimed she had 2,025 students from the total 82 children, three queen consorts and 42 common royal wives (or more) of King Rama IV.

Leonowens recommended "Uncle Tom's Cabin" to her students in the Siamese court as a way of improving their English. She later claimed the book had influenced her students, including Crown Prince Chulalongkorn and Chao Chom Marnda Sonklin (Klin) - Lady Sonklin, a noblewoman of Mon descent. 

Leonowens reported that Lady Sonklin even called herself "Harriet Beecher Stowe Sonklin".

In a recent discussion on "Mon Women, Power and Siamese Court" at the Princess Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre, Charnvit Kasetsiri, a former rector and history specialist at Thammasat University, pointed out that Leonowens' second book, "The Romance of the Harem", speaks of a letter sent by Lady Sonklin, saying she wanted to follow the example of the American author. It was signed "Harriet Beecher Stowe Sonklin".

"From now on, I will no longer buy people to be slaves, except to free them ... If anyone will leave, I am pleased to let them leave. If anyone will stay, I am pleased to let them stay and will pay them Bt4 a month, with food and clothes," Leonowens claimed Lady Sonklin wrote.

Some academics say Leonowens' books are more imagination than fact, but Charnvit suggests people must read between the lines to find the truth. 

"Although there is no academic evidence at present, Leonowens' report might lead us to believe that Lady Sonklin was among the first people in Siam who wanted to abolish slavery. She may have abolished slavery in her own household in 1867, one year before King Rama IV passed away and seven years before the formal policy to abolish slavery in Siam was announced by King Rama V, in 1874," Charnvit said. 

Lady Sonklin was born in 1835 in the reign of King Rama III and was one among hundreds of women sent to the Siamese court by the nobility to form connections providing mutual benefit to the court and noble families. She died in 1925 in the reign of King Rama VI.

The Lady was the daughter of Phraya Damromgrachapolkhan (Jui Kotchasene), the ruler of Khuenkhan (now Prapradange district in Samut Prakan) and the ruler of the ethnic Mons in Siam at that time. She was well known as a strong Buddhist and a leader in Mon cultural preservation.

Charnvit suggested that the historical roles of Anna Leonowens and Lady Sonklin should be re-evaluated. "Leono-wens might not be merely the intrusive English teacher who wrote lies about the Siamese court as most people believe, and Lady Sonklin might be more than just a Mon noblewoman and common royal wife who had a child with the king, cooked well and was a good Buddhist."