Abstract:
This research aims to study analytically the ethical concepts in the books of the Trasamduang Law. It was conducted by means of qualitative research and by using historical documentary research as well as analytical descriptive of the ethics.
The study found that the Trasamduang Law was legitimized in the reign of King Rama I, of the Chakri Dynasty in the early Rattanakosin period. The ethical concepts obtained from the studying of the Trasamduang law are categorized in three sides, tht is, political side, social cultural and religious side and economic side. Those aspects shared the same core principle that is to teach moral ability to the public and to punish the wrong doers not to be bad example to others in the communities. Socially in turn, the legitimating concentrated on treating every member in the society equally in order to keep peace and social order.
The conclusion of this research is that it helps us understand the role of the Trasamduang Law in the early Rattanakosin period which had been used to punish the wrong doers that depends on the changing social influence. Differences and changes of such influence had been in accordance with the ethical values, social value, and social environment in that period to obtain controlling result. Nevertheless, it was very hard to identify appropriate judgement and method used to punish wrong doers in order to achieve the determined goal, hence the concept and notion of finding the right methods. These are used and served most effectively by individual consideration according to the tradition and public concern solely. As the matter of fact, conventional punishment in the Trasamduang Law is now out of date, but some influences remain in the Thais’ ethical consciousness up to the present day.