Uncolonized Thailand: A Historical Perspective on Modern Thai Archival Education

Abstract

Historical context significantly shapes archives management practices and archival education within a country. This article aims to examine how Thailand’s recordkeeping traditions, both pre-modern and during the era of Western imperialism, have evolved to influence the current state of archives management and archival education in the country. By comparing the Thai context to other countries, it is found that Thailand’s status as a non-colonized nation has led to relatively fragmented recordkeeping knowledge and practices. Ultimately, the study identifies essential elements learned from other countries in the region that can help address the gaps in Thailand’s archival development.