Bodindecha (Sing Singhaseni) 2 School

English Program

Social Studies
Handbook

Name: ____________________________ M.1/____ No.:_____

Subject code: SO 21101 Subject: Social Studies

Unit 1: Geographical Instruments

In order to study the events that happen within the Earth, both socially and physically,
maps and globes are needed because they contain detailed data of areas and territories around
the world. Students can study and understand the data contained in the maps and the globes
without visiting the actual places.

Nowadays, we have aerial photography, satellite imagery, and advanced computer

techniques to obtain new and updated information of circumstances, caused by nature and
humans o the Earth.

Figure 1. Map of Southeast Asia

1. Important Geographical Instruments

Geography is the subject that studies about the management of land and human’s habitat,
including the study of human’s social factors, by the use of geographic techniques and tools. The
basic instrument’s that students should be familiar with are globes, maps compass, aerial
photographs, and satellite images.

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Figure 2. Examples of Geographical Instruments

1.1 Globes
1) Characteristics and advantages of globe:
a globe is a scaled model of the Earth, which has a
spherical shape. It shows locations and territories of
the countries, the continents, the seas, and the
oceans. It can be made from several types of material,
such as paper, plastic, and rubber.
A globe with a support will have a slanted axis,
showing how the earth rotates around itself while Figure 3. Globe is a geographical instrument used
orbiting the Sun other than showing the names of the to study the characteristics that appear on the
Earth's surface.
continents, the oceans, the seas, the islands and
other various places, it also includes latitudes, longitudes, and scales to show the distance
between the places that appear on it as well as their sizes.
2) Usage of globe: a globe with a support will have a slanted axis that makes an angle of
2312° to the vertical. We can use it to study the following subjects:

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2.1) to study the direction of the Earth’s rotation: the Earth rotates from the
West to the East (when looking at the equator) or rotates anticlockwise (when looking down from
the top at the North Pole) or rotates clockwise (when looking up from the bottom at the South
Pole). In general, we say that the Earth rotates from the West to the East. Therefore, sunrise occurs
first at places in the East before those in the West. For example, in Thailand, sunrise occurs first
in Ubon Ratchathani, then Bangkok and Kanchanaburi. Also, we shall note that the areas that
receive the sunlight are daytime and he areas that do not receive the sunlight are nighttime.

Figure 4. The orbit position of the Earth around the Sun and the seasons of the Earth.

2.2) to study the 7 continents: there are 7 continents, namely Asia, Australia and
Oceania, Europe, Africa, North America, South America, and Antarctica that we can study their
locations, sizes, shapes, borders, and boundaries.
2.3) to study the locations of each country: not only the locations, sizes, shapes,
and boundaries of the country, but also the boundaries and shapes of the four oceans, namely
Pacific, Atlantic, Indian and Arctic we can study about.
2.4) to study the orbit of the Earth: we can study the orbit of the Earth by placing
it along an oval orbit of the Earth around the Sun. Different locations of the globe will receive
different amount of sunlight: some receive more and some receive less, causing different seasons
in different locations.
2.5) to study the meridian lines: the meridian lines are the imaginary lines drawn
from the North Pole to the South Pole. The widest distance between each line is at the equator,
and the narrowest distance is at both poles. The Greenwich meridian line is at 0° and is called the
prime meridian, and the 180° meridian line is called the International Date Line (IDL).

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If many details will be put on the globe, then we need to build a big globe for
those details. Big globes are expensive and are not worth building. Therefore, if many details are
needed to be shown, it is cheaper to do so on the maps as maps are cheaper, easier to carry,
and easier to use.

Figure 5. A part of the Earth from Google Map, which is very useful tool for various data such
as the images of real physical features of every country in the world; these images can be
zoomed in to see the communication on it closely.

1.2 Maps
Map is a scaled down diagram drawn in a flat surface showing physical features and
locations of places that are on the Earth’s surface. Sometimes symbols are used to represents
real features on the Earth. The features that are shown on the maps are as follows:
1. Natural features: for example, continents, seas, oceans, rivers, hills, mountains,
plateaus, plains, islands, and forests.
2. Man-made features: for example cities, village, airports, transportation routes,
dams, agricultural lands, and industrial estates.
Other than showing what really appears on the Earth’s surface, maps also show other
information, for example:
 Border lines: to show the frontiers of each country and its territories.
 Meridian lines and latitudes: to show the various projection of the map.
 Scales: to show the ratio of a distance on the map and the corresponding distance
on the ground.

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Figure 6. Map of Bangkok with name of major road and famous tourists attraction.

Importance and advantages of the maps

1. Information contained in a map can be studied without visiting the actual places;
therefore it saves time and money.
2. Studying from a map can give us both the information of a specific location and
the information of other locations.
3. Information contained in a map helps in management of the land and shows how
to navigate through the areas correctly.
Types of maps
Maps can be categorized into two types as follows:
 General reference map is the map that shows general information of physical
features of an area: both natural and man-made. These maps are, for example, geographical maps
with the scales of 1:50,000 and 1:250,000.
 Thematic map is the map that shows specific features, such as population map,
geological map, weather map, road map, and traveling map.
For the atlas, it is the map that combines the geographic and topographic maps together.

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Usage of maps
In order to use any types of map, the users must first understand their components
correctly. Also, they must study about directions, symbols, scales, and the coordinate reference
system as the following:
 Direction: in general, the top edge of a map is assigned to be the North, and
there is usually an arrow indicating this direction.
 Symbols: they are used to represent the actual places in the form of a point or
other different shapes and colors; their meaning will be explained in the map legends.
 Scales: there are three types how to show ratio of the scales

Figure 7. Example of map with entire components.

Figure 8. Example of map symbols.

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1.3 Compasses
A compass is a geographical instrument that gives information about direction. It works by
the attraction force between the Earth magnetic field and the compass needle. The compass
needle always points at the North – South direction. The compass face is similar to that of a clock.
It starts from the North which has an angle of 0° and turns clockwise to the East, the South, the
West, and then reach the North again having an angle of 90°, 180°, and 360°, respectively, which
is equal to a circle.

Figure 9. Compass is a geographical instrument used to find the direction of any locations
on the map and on the Earth's surface.

Importance of compass
They are used for navigation, which includes land navigation, marine navigation, and air
navigation. When a compass is used for navigation, it must be used together with a map.
Furthermore, the North must be identified first in order to determine the deviation angle from the
North.
Usage of compass
Before a map can be used, a compass is needed to identify the North so that the map
can be placed in a correct orientation.

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1.4 Aerial Photographs

An aerial photograph is a photograph obtained from a camera that is attached to an
aircraft, such as an airplane, or a balloon, and is taken vertically or obliquely to the Earth’s surface.
It captures the image of the Earth’s surface at the actual time when the photo is taken. Aerial
photographs are used for map making, title deed making, road constructing, and city planning.

Figure 90. Aerial

photograph of the
Safeguarding the
Constitution Monument,
Bang Khen, Bangkok.
(Scale 1 : 30,000)

1.5 Satellite Images

Unlike the normal cameras, the cameras on
the satellites can capture light in a wide range of
frequencies. They record quantitative data of the
reflected light. Different objects reflect light
differently, therefore, we can distinguished different
objects on the image by looking at color, shape, and
form. The data recorded by the satellite can be
transferred back to the station on the Earth
immediately; therefore, the most updated data can be
obtained. However, before any data obtained from the
satellite can be used, it must be interpreted first. Figure 101. A satellite image showing
geographical features of Thailand.

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Unit 2: Geography of Thailand

Physical Environment of Thailand
Thailand is located in Southeast Asia, and its territory occupies the Indochina Peninsula
and the Malay Peninsula. Thailand is situated between the Andaman Sea and the South China
Sea. The landforms of each region in Thailand are different. In general, the climate is hot and
humid with monsoons. Furthermore, there is a diversity of plants and animals living in the area.
Characteristics of Thailand in General
1. Location: Thailand or the Kingdom of Thailand has Mae Sai Sub-district, in Chiang
Rai as its northernmost point, Yarom Sub-district in Betong District, Yala as its southernmost point,
Doi Pha Tang in Mea Khong Sub-district, Mea Sariang District, Mae Hong Son, as its westernmost
point, and Pha Chanadai in Khong Chiam District, Ubon Ratchathani as its easternmost point.
2. Shape and size: the shape of Thailand looks like an axe. The distance from the
North to the South is 1,640 km by measuring from Mae Sae Sub-district in Mae Sai District, Chiang
Rai to Yarom Sub-district in Betong District, Yala. The widest part from the West to the East is 780
km by measuring from Nong Lu Sub-district in Sangkhla Buri, Kanchanabburi along the 15° North
parallel line to the Non Ko Sub-district in Sirindhorn District, Ubon Ratchathani.
The two narrowest parts in Thailand are the area between the Myanmar border and Ban
Wang Duan Village in Huai Sai Sub-district, Mueng District, Prachuap Khiri Khan, measuring 10.96
km and the area between the Cambodia border and Ban Khod Sai Village in Hat Lek Sub-district,
Khlong Yai District, Trat measuring 0.45 km.
3. Area: Thailand has the area of 513,115.029 km2 which is the third largest nation in
Southeast Asia.

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4. Border and Territory: normally, we use both natural and man-made features to
separate the area, for example, if the frontiers is on the mountain area, we will use the watershed
lines; if the frontier is on the water or canal, we will use deep water channels; and if the frontier
is on the plain area, we will use the fences or the walls to mark borders.
Thailand has 4 neighboring countries as follows:

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Unit 3: A Short History of Thailand

Ancient Thailand
The earliest inhabitants of what is now Thailand were hunter-gatherers. However about
4,000 BC they began farming. They grew rice. At first the farmers used stone tools but about 3,000
BC bronze was discovered. From about 500 BC the people of what is now Thailand used iron.
At first what is now Thailand was divided into small states called Meuang. By 100 AD they
were practicing Theravada Buddhism.
However the ancestors of modern Thais are believed to have come from southern China.
They migrated to Thailand between the 10th century and the 13th century AD.
Meanwhile between the 9th century and the 13th century much of what is now Thailand
was ruled by the Khmers, a people from what is now Cambodia.
However in the 13th century several small states in Thailand in the Mekong River valley
united to form a kingdom called Sukhothai. It is regarded as the first Thai kingdom. However the
first Thai kingdom did not last long. It declined in the late 14th century.
Meanwhile during the 14th century another kingdom arose in Thailand called Ayuthaya
and it annexed the kingdom of Sukhothai. During the 15th century Ayuthaya continued to grow.
The first Europeans to reach Thailand were the Portuguese in 1511. They were followed
by the Dutch in 1605, the English in 1612 and the French in 1662.
In 1675 a Greek called Constantine Phaulkon became an official at the court in Thailand.
He permitted the French to station soldiers in Thailand. However he was removed from power in
1688 and the French were expelled. Afterwards Thailand adopted an isolationist policy. The Thais
cut contact with Europe until the early 19th century.
In 1765 the Burmese invaded Ayuthaya and they captured the capital in 1767 and
destroyed it. However in 1769 a general named Phraya Taksin became king and he made a new
capital at Thonburi across the river from Bangkok. He also built up an empire. He conquered much
of Laos and other parts of Southeast Asia.
However King Taksin began to have delusions and he was removed in a coup in 1782. A
general named Chao Phraya Chakri replaced him as king. (He is known as Rama I). He had Taksin
executed. He also made Bangkok the capital.

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In 1809 Rama I was succeeded by his son Rama II (1809-1824). He was followed by Rama
III (1824-1851). During their reigns Thai culture flourished.
The next king Rama IV or Mongkut allowed the British to live in Thailand. He also allowed
them to trade freely. He also signed treaties with many other western countries and he
encouraged the study of Western science.
Rama V (1868-1901) abolished the custom that subjects must prostrate themselves in the
king's presence. He also abolished slavery and corvee (a tax paid in labor). Rama V also reformed
Thailand's government.
In the 19th century Thailand avoided being colonized by Europeans. However in 1893
Rama V was forced to cede Laos to France. He also ceded Cambodia to France in 1907 and in
1909 he was forced to cede territory in Malaya to Britain.
Thailand in the 20th Century
In July 1917 Thailand joined World War I on the allied side.
In November 1925 Prajadhipok became king of Thailand. However on 24 June 1932 a
revolution made Thailand a constitutional monarchy. In October 1933 Prince Boraradej led a
counter-revolution but he was defeated. Prajadhipok abdicated in March 1935 in favor of his 10
year old nephew Ananda Mahidol.
On 8 December 1941 Thailand agreed to let Japanese troops to pass through the country
to invade British Malaya. The Japanese then occupied Thailand and on 25 January 1942 Thailand
declared war on Britain and the USA.
However 90,000 Thai guerrillas led by Pridi Phanomyong fought the Japanese. In 1946
Thailand signed peace treaties with Britain and France. The same year Thailand joined the UN.
In May 1946 a new constitution for Thailand was published. However on 9 June 1946 King
Ananda Mahidol was shot in mysterious circumstances. King Bhumibol began his reign.
In 1947 Field-Marshal Phibul staged a coup. Although the king continued to reign Thailand
then became a military dictatorship. Even after the death of Phibul in 1963 the army ruled
Thailand.
However in 1973 thousands of students demonstrated demanding a proper constitution
for Thailand. The king prevented the army from crushing the demonstrators and Thailand returned
to civilian government with a coalition of 17 parties.

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However in 1976 students demonstrated again. This time the police brutally suppressed
the demonstrations, killing and injuring many students. The army then stepped in and installed a
new government in Thailand.
From 1980 Thailand was led by General Prem Tinsulanonda who gradually introduced a
more liberal regime. In 1988 he stepped down and Chatichai Choonhavan became prime minister.
However on 23 February 1991 the army staged a coup and General Suchinda took power.
Yet in an amazing display of 'people power' Thais took to the streets in May 1992. Suchinda
moved to repress the demonstrations but the king stopped him and eventually Thailand returned
to civilian government. A new constitution was introduced in 1997. There was another military
coup in Thailand in 2006 but in December 2007 democratic elections were held again.
In the late 20th century Thailand underwent amazing economic growth. It was transformed
from a poor, agricultural country to a newly industrialized one. Thailand suffered from the
economic crisis of 1997-98 but that proved to be a temporary setback.
Thailand in the 21st Century
In the early 21st century Thailand continued to grew economically. Like the rest of the
world Thailand suffered in the recession of 2009 but it soon recovered. Thailand also suffered
severe floods in 2011 but soon recovered. Thailand is now a prosperous country and its economy
is growing steadily. Tourism is booming.
Today the population of Thailand is 68 million.

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Unit 4: Buddha’s Biography and the Tripitaka

Buddha
Born in Nepal in the 6th century B.C., Buddha was a spiritual leader and teacher whose
life serves as the foundation of the Buddhist religion.
Who Was Buddha?
Siddhartha Gautama, who would one day become
known as Buddha ("enlightened one" or "the awakened"),
lived in Nepal during the 6th to 4th century B.C. While
scholars agree that he did in fact live, the events of his life
are still debated.
According to the most widely known story of his
life, after experimenting with different teachings for years,
and finding none of them acceptable, Gautama spent a
fateful night in deep meditation. During his meditation, all
of the answers he had been seeking became clear, and he achieved full awareness, thereby
becoming Buddha.
When Was Buddha Born?
Buddha was born in the 6th century B.C.
Siddhartha Gautama
The Buddha, or "enlightened one," was born Siddhartha (which means "he who achieves
his aim") Gautama to a large clan called the Shakyas in Lumbini, (today, modern Nepal) in the 6th
century B.C.
His father was king who ruled the tribe, known to be economically poor and on the
outskirts geographically. His mother died seven days after giving birth to him, but a holy man
prophesied great things for the young Siddhartha: He would either be a great king or military leader
or he would be a great spiritual leader.
To keep his son from witnessing the miseries and suffering of the world, Siddhartha's father
raised him in opulence in a palace built just for the boy and sheltered him from knowledge of
religion and human hardship. According to custom, he married at the age of 16, but his life of
total seclusion continued for another 13 years.
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Siddhartha Experiences the Real World

The prince reached his late 20s with little experience of the world outside the walls of his
opulent palaces, but one day he ventured out beyond the palace walls and was quickly
confronted with the realities of human frailty: He saw a very old man, and Siddhartha's charioteer
explained that all people grow old.
Questions about all he had not experienced led him to take more journeys of exploration,
and on these subsequent trips he encountered a diseased man, a decaying corpse and an ascetic.
The charioteer explained that the ascetic had renounced the world to seek release from the
human fear of death and suffering.
Siddhartha was overcome by these sights, and the next day, at age 29, he left his kingdom,
wife and son to lead an ascetic life, and determine a way to relieve the universal suffering that
he now understood to be one of the defining traits of humanity.
The Ascetic Life and Enlightenment
For the next six years, Siddhartha lived an ascetic life, studying and meditating using the
words of various religious teachers as his guide.
He practiced his new way of life with a group of five ascetics, and his dedication to his
quest was so stunning that the five ascetics became Siddhartha's followers. When answers to his
questions did not appear, however, he redoubled his efforts, enduring pain, fasting nearly to
starvation, and refusing water.
Whatever he tried, Siddhartha could not reach the level of satisfaction he sought, until
one day when a young girl offered him a bowl of rice. As he accepted it, he suddenly realized
that corporeal austerity was not the means to achieve inner liberation, and that living under harsh
physical constraints was not helping him achieve spiritual release.
So he had his rice, drank water and bathed in the river. The five ascetics decided that
Siddhartha had given up the ascetic life and would now follow the ways of the flesh, and they
promptly left him.
From then on, however, Siddhartha encouraged people to follow a path of balance
instead of one characterized by extremism. He called this path the Middle Way.
The Buddha Emerges
That night, Siddhartha sat under the Bodhi tree, vowing to not get up until the truths he
sought came to him, and he meditated until the sun came up the next day. He remained there
for several days, purifying his mind, seeing his entire life, and previous lives, in his thoughts.
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During this time, he had to overcome the threats of Mara, an evil demon, who challenged
his right to become the Buddha. When Mara attempted to claim the enlightened state as his own,
Siddhartha touched his hand to the ground and asked the Earth to bear witness to his
enlightenment, which it did, banishing Mara.
And soon a picture began to form in his mind of all that occurred in the universe, and
Siddhartha finally saw the answer to the questions of suffering that he had been seeking for so
many years. In that moment of pure enlightenment, Siddhartha Gautama became the Buddha
("he who is awake").
Teachings of the Buddha
Some of the fundamentals of the teachings of
Gautama Buddha are:
The Four Noble Truths: that suffering is an inherent part of
existence; that the origin of suffering is ignorance and the
main symptoms of that ignorance are attachment and
craving; that attachment and craving can be ceased; and
that following the Noble Eightfold Path will lead to the
cessation of attachment and craving and therefore suffering.
The Noble Eightfold Path: right understanding, right thought, right speech, right action, right
livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.
Love. The Buddha stressed the importance of calming the mind and seeking the peace that each
individual has within. With this inner peace, we can react to awkward situations with love,
compassion and generosity.
Conquer the angry man by love. Conquer the ill-natured man by goodness.
Conquer the miser with generosity. Conquer the liar with truth. – The Dhammapada
Power of the Mind. The Buddha taught it is our own mind which creates our own suffering, but
also we can use this power to create happiness.
“Your worst enemy cannot harm you as much as your own unguarded thoughts.
– Lord Buddha
“All that we are is the result of what we have thought. If a man speaks or acts with an evil
thought, pain follows him. If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him,
like a shadow that never leaves him.” – Lord Buddha
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Tripitaka
In Buddhism, the Tripitaka (Tipitaka in Pali) is the earliest collection of Buddhist teachings
and the only text recognized as canonical by Theravada Buddhists. Many commentaries have
been added over the centuries, however. Tripitaka means "three baskets," from the way in which
it was originally recorded: the text was written on long, narrow leaves, which were sewn at the
edges then grouped into bunches and stored in baskets.
The Tripitaka was handed down orally, then written down in the third century B.C.E.
According to Buddhist tradition, the contents of the Tripitaka were determined at the First Buddhist
Council, shortly after the death of Buddha. As many as 500 of Buddha's disciples assembled, and
at the direction of Mahakashypa, Buddha's successor, the teachings of the Buddha were recited
in full. They were then verified by others who had also been present and organized into the
Tripitaka (although not written at the time).
The Vinaya Pitaka (Discipline Basket) was recalled by a monk named Upali. It deals with
rules and regulations for the monastic community (the sangha), including 227 rules for monks,
further regulations for nuns, and guidelines for the interaction between the sangha and the laity.
Most of these rules derive from the Buddha's responses to specific situations in the community.
The Sutra Pitaka (Discourse Basket) was recited by Ananda, Buddha's cousin and closest
companion. It contains the Buddha's teachings on doctrine and behavior, focusing especially on
meditation techniques.
The Abhidharma Pitaka (Higher Knowledge or Special Teachings Basket) was recited by
Mahakashyapa, the Buddha's successor. It is essentially a collection of miscellaneous writings,
including songs, poetry, and stories of the Buddha and his past lives.
Its primary subjects are Buddhist philosophy and psychology. Also within the Abhidharma
Pitaka is the Dhammapada (Dharmapada in Sanskrit), a popular Buddhist text. The Dhammapada
consists of sayings of the Buddha and simple discussions of Buddhist doctrine based on the
Buddha's daily life.

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