Khon Kaen University held the tray presentation to pay homage to King Rama IV the Father of Thai Science on the occasion of the National Science Week 2019
August 18, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. – Khon Kaen University held the tray presentation to pay homage to King Rama IV the Father of Thai Science on the occasion of the National Science Week. Ajarn Natsamol Tanakulrungsarit, Assistant to the President for Special Affairs and Khon Kaen University personnel joined in the occasion that commemorates the virtues of King Rama IV to Thai sciences and Thailand. Mr. Panthong Srakhupan, Vice Governor of Khon Kaen presided over the ceremony which was held at King Rama IV Monument at Faculty of Sciences, Khon Kaen University.
King Rama IV was the 43rd son of His Majesty King Phra Phutthalertlanapalai and Her Majesty Queen Srisuriyentara Boromrachinee. When King Rama IV was 21 years old, he was ordained and during the time in the monkhood, he studied different subjects such as the languages of Bali, Greek, Latin and English. He was interested in geography and various science, especially astronomy, advanced mathematics, metallurgy and meteorology. After succeeding to the throne, King Rama IV started the build relationships with his people, which had not been done before. This change resulted from his 27 years as a monk and wayfaring to various cities in the country. That was how the king learned how the people lived. The experience was invaluable to him and prepared him very well for the reign of the kingdom. At the same time, the country had to accept the Imperialism doctrine that expanded to Southeast Asia and Asia. This made him aware that it was time that Siam had to adopt western civilization and modernize the country. He performed his duty as a king in many aspects in parallel with broadened perspective and vision as well as prudence.
In addition, King Rama IV believed that modern education necessitated improvement and modernization of the country in order to be accepted by the big countries in the west. He therefore initiated new education, which was supported at that time by the missionary group. He himself was keen on learning history, literature, religions, foreign languages, mathematics, and astronomy. In 1868, king Rama IV was able to accurately calculate when and where a full eclipse would happen – which was at Wa Ko Sub-district, Prajuabkhirikhan. The news was appreciated in the astronomical circle all over the world at that time.
Predicting an eclipse was a great research work and the first of its kind in Thailand, not to mention that it was the king of Thailand who predicted it, in fact also in front of French astronomers and foreign visitors to Thailand at that time. The time that he predicted the eclipse was 2 years before the real happening which was August 18, 1868. So the day marked the Thai science and King Rama IV as the Father of Thai Science. He went to see the full eclipse at Wa Ko Sub-district, Prajuabkhirikhan. Then the cabinet, on April 14, 1982, agreed to establish August 18 of every year as the “National Science Day” in order to commemorate King Rama IV and his virtue in sciences.
News / Photos: apicma
[ Thai ]
