INTRODUCTORY CHARTER# 
333 
The first chapter is prefaced with the remark that the Laws treat¬ 
ed of are derived from Codes of old, framed during the reign of Ba- 
romvia chakkra pjtaf who, as his name imports, wielded the mighty 
discuss or chakra of the Gods according to their mythology. 
This appears to be a Text Book on both Criminal and Civil Law. 
It contains numerous cases and precedents to guide both judges 
and those who may come, or be brought before them. 
Independent of the above compilations, which embrace both Civil 
and Criminal Jurisprudence, there are numerous Treatises on the 
more particular branches of Law, which have been rather con¬ 
fusedly jumbled in the larger Digests. Amongst these are, 
Krommasak. Respects ranks. 
Lak Chai. Regards the prefering of claims, complaints &c. Forms 
&c. 
Lak Int,hapaat. On the exclusion from attendance at Court in 
a suit. 
Bai set. On decisions. 
Tjhamma Murad ok. On property, and inheritance. 
T,hotsaraeet llachat,ham wa dod k,haa. A section of the ten 
hooks of Commandments. It relates to slaves also. 
Tat fating, On the distribution of justice and preferring of suits. 
Tat Samno-un, On the same, and on examinations. 
Tat PJiriyan. On evidence and Ordeal.* 
The Siamese in Courts of Justice seem to be much more attentive 
to precedents than to the letter of the Law, and of these first they 
have many bulky volumes. “ They are practised in evading the 
spirit of the Law, under the pretence that it is not apjdieable to 
each particular case, observes M. Dc la Loubere in his work on Siam 
written in the 17 th century. 
Respecting the origin of Laws amongst mankind, the Siamese ob¬ 
serve, that in the Trai P,hom or Tri Locct, viz., the three Worlds, 
* The P,hra Ayakaan seems to have been derived from the B-aliPJira 
RajaPanya. The Phra Tharamasaat from the Dhurmabot on Civil Caw. 
P,hra Tamnos relates to institution. Zak Rcenyapat, Regulations for 
Courts and Judges. Krommasak also.- Lak Chai Nuk Praat the work ot 
some learned Lawyer. Palat is Viceroy. 
