Historiography of Sisaket Province from the 2370s to the Present

Abstract

This article aims to study the historiography of Sisaket Province from the 2370s to the present. It examines the information and facts presented in historical writings with three key objectives: first, addressing the problem of the historiography of Sisaket Province; second, examining the body of knowledge about the history of Sisaket Province from the 2370s to the present; and finally, exploring the historical framework and main narratives presented in historical writings. The study reveals that the history of Sisaket Province has drawn upon information and facts from the “Pongsawadarn Monton Issan” published by M.R. Ammaravong Vijittra in 2458 B.E., as a template for organizing and explaining significant historical events. Additionally, the narratives are connected with the history of monarchy and its proclaimed superior culture, especially the ancient Khmer culture, governance under the Ayutthaya Kingdom, and political power during the Rattanakosin era. These findings confirm that the problem of studying Sisaket Province’s history is related to the nationalist historical approach as the result of the influence of the Localism and Thainess ideologies in explaining history from the 24^th Buddhist century onwards.