Page 86 - A History of Siam

A HIStORT OF SIAM
84
Rama T'ibodi I, which had been kept embalmed, and
built a Pagoda 1 to enshrine the ashes of that monarch,
as well as a temple to mark the site of the cremation.
Until the time of King Trailok, the different provinces
of the Kingdom, whether presided over by Princes or
by officials of lower rank, had been governed more or
less like small independent States, levying their armies,
their own and their own
controlling finances, managing
internal affairs. King Trailok made the first attempt
at centralisation. At the same time he brought about
a between the civil and the adminis-
separation military
which had been interwoven.
tration, previously closely
He raised the rank of the officials at
principal Ayut'ia,
and them in of different
placed charge Departments
for the control of the affairs of the whole Kingdom.
For the civil administration, five Departments were
instituted, namely : (i) the Ministry of the Interior,
under an official who held the rank of Prime Minister ;
the of Local which was in
(2) Ministry Government,
charge of the affairs of the Province of Ayut'ia ; (3)
the Ministry of Finance ; (4) the Ministry of Agriculture,
in of cultivation, food and matters
charge supplies,
connected with the tenure of land ; and (5) the Ministry
of the Royal Household, in charge of Palace affairs
and the administration of
Justice.
For the a Prime
military administration, separate
Minister, the Kalahom, was set up, with several officials
under him, ranking as Ministers, and in charge of different
military Departments. Most of the titles of these
officials are still in use Sriharat
military to-day, e.g. P'ya
Dejo, P'ya Ramk'amheng, etc.

1
A separate pagoda was built in the Royal Palace Temple at Ayut'ia to
enshrine the ashes of each of the earlier Kings. Later on, the space available
being insufficient, a pagoda containing a number of niches was erected, to contain
the remains of a urge number of Kings. This pagoda may still be seen at Ayut'ia.