Gold and silver flowers: symbolism and the problem of meaning in Thai-Malay tributary relationship

Abstract

Kedah was known to have entered into the political orbit of Thailand in as early as the thirteenth century. Being an outlying province, the state initially established connections only with Nakhon Sri Thammarat. It was only in the sixteenth century that Kedah was placed under more direct control of the capital province of Bangkok. This became possible during the reign of King Trailok whose administrative reforms led to the establishment of a much more differentiated and centralised form of governnent capable of incorporating the outlying provinces. As a prathetsarat or moan prahdesa raja Kedah was required to participate in the Thai tributary system by sending two miniatura trees one made of gold and the other silver to very three years Malave referred the Thai court every three years Malays referred to these precious objects as bunga emas dan bunga perak or more simply as bunga mas.