Writing a new past in the history: Positioning the local history in the national one

Abstract

The writing of local history after the B.E. 2540s underwent significant changes. Specifically, the 60th anniversary of King Rama IX's reign led to the development of local history that was closely linked with the royal nationalism ideology, which centers on the nation, religion, and monarchy. This approach is also referred to as “Royal Nationalist Local History.” It represents a blending of the narratives of localism and royal nationalism to anchor local history within the nation, with the monarchy at its core. Writing local history in this royal nationalist manner is connected to the construction of identity, consciousness, and historical awareness of people in specific areas, as well as determining our position within the nation. This occurs in a context where localism alone lacks the power to establish a position within national history. In other words, understanding the creation of local historical narratives helps one grasp the societal context, worldview, and life perspectives of contemporary people in various dimensions, and it emphasizes history as a way of thinking to explain the dynamics of society.