Vajiravudh vs Vimaladharmasuriya I

Vajiravudh, as King Rama VI, promoted a strong sense of Thai nationalism through speeches, writings, and policies. He emphasized loyalty to the nation, religion, and monarchy. His nationalism was aimed at unifying the country and resisting Western colonial influence.

Vajiravudh established the Wild Tiger Corps, a paramilitary organization loyal to the king. The corps was intended to counterbalance the regular army and promote royalist sentiment. It was controversial and seen as a tool to consolidate personal power.

Vajiravudh introduced the use of surnames for all Thai citizens, a reform modeled on Western practices. The law required every family to adopt a surname, which helped in administrative record-keeping and promoted a sense of family identity.

Vajiravudh founded Chulalongkorn University, Thailand's first university, named after his father. The university was established to modernize education and train civil servants. It became a leading institution for higher education in Thailand.

Vajiravudh enacted the Compulsory Education Act, requiring all children to attend primary school. The reform aimed to increase literacy and create a more educated populace. It laid the foundation for Thailand's modern education system.

Vimaladharmasuriya I established Kandy as the capital of the Sinhalese kingdom. He fortified the city and made it the center of resistance against Portuguese expansion.

Vimaladharmasuriya I's forces ambushed and defeated a Portuguese army at Danture. The Portuguese commander, Pedro Lopes de Sousa, was killed, and the Kandyan kingdom secured its independence.

Vimaladharmasuriya I restored Buddhism as the state religion in the Kandyan kingdom. He brought the Tooth Relic of the Buddha to Kandy and built a temple to house it, reviving Buddhist traditions.

Vimaladharmasuriya I built the first Temple of the Tooth in Kandy to house the sacred Tooth Relic. This established Kandy as the primary Buddhist center in Sri Lanka.