Thai Rop Phama (Thai:ไทยรบพม่า,lit. 'Thai fought the Burmese'), translated into English asOur Wars with the Burmese, is a book onThai history written by PrinceDamrong Rajanubhab, with volumes first published in 1917 and 1920. It frames the history of Thailand from theAyutthaya toearly Rattanakosin periods as a continuous struggle to maintain independence, represented by an extensiveseries of wars—44 in total between 1538 and 1853—against the aggression of neighbouring Burma.[1]
Although the work is based largely on theRoyal Chronicles of Ayutthaya, Damrong reframed the chronicles' then-traditional approach to historiography—which ascribed historical events to the moral power of individual kings—and transformed it into a narrative centred around the newly introduced concept of nationhood, reflecting the anti-colonial and risingThai nationalist thought of the period.[1][2]
The book is one of the most influential works on thehistoriography of Thailand, described byThongchai Winichakul as "probably the most powerful narrative in modern Thai historiography"[1] and noted bySunait Chutintaranond as being "responsible for popularizing the image of the Burmese as an enemy of the Thai nation".[3] It, together with Damrong's other writings, greatly influenced subsequent works such asKhun Wichitmatra'sLak Thai, and its concepts have become incorporated into school history textbooks ever since.[3]
The book was first published in two volumes: The first, covering the Ayutthaya period, was first published in 1917 as acremation volume, comprising volume 6 of thePrachum Phongsawadan series of topical histories. A revised edition was published in 1920, along with the second volume covering the Thonburi and Bangkok periods, also as cremation volumes; they were titledPhongsawadan Rueang Rao Rop Phama (พงษาวดารเรื่องเรารบพม่า 'A history of our fights against the Burmese'). A further revision was published in two volumes in 1932 asPhongsawadan Rueang Thai Rop Phama (พงศาวดารเรื่องไทยรบพม่า 'A history of the Thai fighting the Burmese'), and has formed the definitive edition for subsequent printings in 1951, 1958, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1971 and later, with the title usually shortened toThai Rop Phama.[3][1]
Thai Rop Phama was translated into English asOur Wars with the Burmese by U Aung Thein, and first published in theJournal of the Burma Research Society in 1955, 1957 and 1958.[3] A 2001 revision, covering the Ayutthaya volume and edited byChris Baker, was published by White Lotus Press asOur Wars with the Burmese: Thai Burmese Conflict 1539–1767 (titled in database entries asThe Chronicle of Our Wars with the Burmese: Hostilities Between Siamese and Burmese when Ayutthaya was the Capital of Siam),ISBN 9789747534580.
