The Oriental Magpie, A Thai Language Handbook : A pre-modern Consciousness in Environmental Ethics of the Ministry of Education before the 21st Century
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Abstract
This article aims to study the environmental ethics present in a Thai language handbook entitled Nok Kang
Khen (The Oriental Magpie) which was composed by LaungKirati Witthayoran and Aram Sitthisaribut. Published in 1939 under the order of the Ministry of Education, the book was designated a Thai reader for grade 5. The Oriental Magpie portrays a tragic destiny of an oriental magpie’s family which was destroyed by humans. Not only did the impressive story unabatingly stay in the readers’ memory, but it also wisely evoked the question on environmental
ethics among the youth. This could reasonably be considered a progress for Thai society at that time as the environmental concern was not yet waken up nor raised up in the society. The author pointed out humans as the
main actors in animal abuse and exploitation. He also demonstrated that men should learn to treat animals with compassion for animals do have feelings like humans. This point seems to correspond with the Environmental Ethics
theory from the West which emerged three decades after the Oriental Magpie had been Written.
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