Abstract:
This thesis aims at studying the opinions of members of parliament concerning Field Marshal P. Pibulsonggrams cultural policy. The only cultural policy considered and accepted by the representatives were the Cultural Acts which the government tried to implement. The representatives opinions, whether expressed in the discussions during the drafting of the Act or in question asked in parliament reflected the peoples needs to a certain extent. Before Thailand joined the Second World War, most representatives had agreed with Field Marshal P. Pibulsonggrams cultural policy because they wanted to get rid of the countrys backwardness. They wanted society to make progress. The representatives agreed with this policy, even though the cultural policy troubled certain groups of people in Thailand. However, after Thailand joined the Second World War the people were burdened with problems arising from the state of war, but the government remained consistent in its cultural policy. The representatives then began to have sympathy with the people, and thought that the cultural policy would damage the nation in the long run. Moreover, some of the representatives who disagreed in joining Second World War and wanted to overthrow Marshal P. Pibulsonggram, were against the cultural policy. Although the representatives opinions about Field Marshal P. Pibulsonggrams cultural policy did not cause any changes in this policy, it marked the beginning of the representatives more to unite in order to form an opposition to the government.