In this episode of The Story of Thailand, we step behind the gilded walls of the Grand Palace to meet the royal chroniclers—the keepers of Siam's official memory. From the Ayutthaya era's Luang Prasoet Aksonnit to the Rattanakosin court's royal scribes, we explore who wrote history, why they shaped it, and what they left out. Lucas and Luna trace how the Chronicle of Ayutthaya and the later Rattanakosin chronicles were composed under royal patronage, often blending fact with propaganda. We meet figures like Chao Phraya Thiphakorawong, who compiled the most detailed court chronicle, and contrast the official narrative with alternative voices like the foreign accounts of La Loubere and the private journals of Prince Damrong. We ask: can we trust what the glass palace told us? And we explore how chroniclers handled delicate events—like the fall of Ayutthaya or the reign of Taksin—with careful omissions. A surprising story of a rebellion in 1782 and its erasure from official records sparks a conversation about memory and power. We also touch on the role of chronicles in legitimizing the Chakri dynasty. Join us for a nuanced look at Siam's historiography.
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