A Brief History of the Words Lanna and Lanna Thai

Abstract

This article aims to study the history and dynamics of the words Lanna, Lanna Thai, and other words used as names of a state/polity situated between the Mekong to the east and the Salween to the west, Sipsong Panna to the north and Sukhothai to the south, and its territory and population. The author found that the orthography, composition, and usage of the toponyms changed throughout the times according to political changes in each era. In the first stage when the feudal structure of the medieval Lanna Kingdom was in formation, the kingdom was called “Babai” or possibly “Paed Pak Na” (eight hundred rice fields). Only when the structure was completely developed did the word “Lanna” (one million rice fields) emerge. After Lanna lost its status as an independent kingdom, a variety of compound words such as “Lanna 57 Hua Muang” (Lanna 57 provinces), “Lanna Tai”, and Lanna with names of provinces were coined to reflect the political situation concerning the statehood of Lanna. During the annexation and integration of Lanna into the modern Siamese state in the colonial era, the Siamese government replaced the word Lanna in its administration with “Lao Chiang” and later “Phayap”, leaving the original term to be altered to “Lanna Thai” (without the Mai Tho tone marker) and to be reserved only for historical use. It was in the contemporary period that the word was revised to “Lanna” (with the Mai Tho tone marker) as a result of an expansion in Lanna Studies research along with reinvigoration of Lanna consciousness. The word has been popularized and remained widely in use up to the present day.