สำนักงานราชบัณทิตยสภา

The Journal of the Royal Institute of Thailand Volume IV - 2012 32  “…They would ask me when it was that Thai women had gained equal rights with men. I always responded that we have had equal rights with men for a very long time. We did not need liberation because we were not humiliated; rather, we were ourselves all the time. Our tasks and duties were to have a happy family and bring our children up as good citizens. The view that we merely followed behind men was an erroneous one, if we followed, it was because we liked to do so. But, if necessary, we could be leaders. I reminded them of the Thai ancient proverb about women that says, “One hand rocks the cradle, the other hand swings the sword. […] Another thing that they liked to ask was whether I had any in fl uence over the King. I quickly responded that I never did. When I told them that it was the other way around, they laughed. They even told me that when they interviewed many other leaders’ wives, these ladies all said that they in fl uenced their husbands, especially in regard to their husband’s work. I told them that it was our long tradition for a wife to trust her husband and never to interfere in his work. The male journalists laughed with delight, while the female journalists reserved their position; they disagreed, but they did not interrupt.” 22 It is well known that at the 6 th decade of the 20 th century in Germany was marked as ‘Pillenknick’-Jahre, whereas (German) women had for the fi rst time sexual freedom through the ‘Pille’. The position of German women, especially in the family, is very different from that of Thai women. In Germany, the long family tradition had set the strong position and duty of ‘fathers’ inside and outside the family, while German women have always been a symbol of The “Three Ks”- Kinder (children), Küche (kitchen) and Kirche (church). The answer of the Thai Queen from a far away land may present a new aspect of women emancipation. Many Thai women share the opinion, that they behave as ‘inferiors’ in order to be high in a position. 22 In Memory of the State Visits of His Majesty the King, The Royal Compositions of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, footnote 5. Queen Sirikit on Her Majesty’s State Visits in 1960 and 1962