Luang Boribal Buribhand

Deputy Assistant Professor Luang Boribal Buribhand (Puan Intuwong) was a prominent Thai archaeologist and art historian. He worked at the Royal Library for Bangkok, served as curator of the Bangkok National Museum, and became the first Dean of the Faculty of Archaeology, Silpakorn University.

Luang Boribal Buribhand (Puan Intuwong) was born on December 2, 1897, at Ban Plai Khlong Mai, Sam Phran District, Nakhon Pathom Province, to Mr. Klan and Mrs. Pad. At the age of eight, his father sent him to study with Phra Ajahn Choei, head of the eastern monastic district and deputy abbot of Wat Tha Kham (Nakhon Pathom). There, he studied ancient scripts, Khmer writing, and read the text of Phra Malai for three years. He later continued under Phra Ajahn Waen at Wat Bang Chang Nuea, and in 1909 was sent to study under Phra Khru Sangkhakitjarak (Chuet) at Wat Mahathat Yuwaratrangsarit in Bangkok. He ordained as a novice and studied Pali grammar at Mahathat College, earning the third-level Pali certificate in 1915. He then became one of the first Pali teachers and later taught at Wat Thong Noppakhun (Bangkok), before leaving the monkhood in 1922.

He became an outer court attendant to Prince Damrong Rajanubhab, working in the foreign section of the Royal Library from 1923, and was officially appointed as assistant librarian of the National Library of Thailand in 1924. He was later assigned as an assistant to Professor George Cœdès in examining royal chronicles and archives in both Thai and foreign languages. Eventually, he was transferred from the library to serve at the Bangkok National Museum.^[1] He later became the first Dean of the Faculty of Archaeology, Silpakorn University (1955–1961).^[2]

His research on archaeology and art history classified Thai artifacts by craftsmanship and stylistic chronology, aligning artistic periods with the ruling dynasties. This system became the standard for classifying Thailand’s historical archaeological periods.^[3]

Luang Boribal Buribhand died of heart failure at Ban Buribhand, Nakhon Chaisi Subdistrict, Sam Phran District, Nakhon Pathom Province, on February 7, 1986, aged 88.^[4]

Luang Boribal Buribhand produced many important works in archaeology and art history.^[5]

• Indian Dance Textbook
• Archaeology
• The Royal Monasteries and Their Significance (with A. B. Griswold, Fine Arts Department)^[6]
• Buddha Images of Different Periods in Thailand^[7]
• Ancient Monuments and Artifacts of Siam (3 volumes)

• American Missionaries in Siam, in Royal Chronicles Volume 31
• Translation of Sukhothai Inscription No. 12 from George Cœdès
• Carts, in Fine Arts Journal (October 1932)
• Stone Buddha Image in the Small Vihara of Wat Na Phra Meru, Ayutthaya (July 1947)
• Sukhothai Buddha Images
• Phimai Stone Sanctuary (October 1952)
• How We Revere Buddha Images
• Archaeological Knowledge, in Police Journal
• Hindu Mythology: Ganesha (translation), in Thai Kasem Journal
• Legend of Buddha Amulets in Siam (translated from George Cœdès), in Journal of the Siam Society
• Sculpture of Peninsular Siam in the Ayutthaya Period, in Journal of the Siam Society, Vol. II (1929–1953)
• Thai Sangkhalok Ceramics
• The Throne of 32 Puppets (translated from Brahmin Guppuswami Arya)
• The Images of the Buddha (1953)
• Exploring Ayutthaya
• Exploring Phimai
• Surveying Ancient Sites
• Provincial Museum Work
• Mahayana Images
• Buddhism in Thailand
• The Buddha Footprint at Saraburi
• Artifacts in the National Museum
• The Buddha Relic Pagoda at Chaiya
• Phra Phuttha Sihing and Related Studies
• Phra Phuttha Chinnarat in Archaeology
• Siamese Coinage
• History of the National Museum
• The Stupa and the Wheel of Dhamma, in Journal of the Royal Institute (1936)
• Katha – Kusuma – Manchari

• 1927 – Deputy Assistant Third Class, Puan Intuwong
• 1928 – Deputy Assistant Third Class, Khun Boribal Buribhand (Puan Intuwong)
• 1928 – Deputy Assistant Third Class, Luang Boribal Buribhand (Puan Intuwong)
• 1929 – Deputy Assistant Second Class, Luang Boribal Buribhand (Puan Intuwong)
• 1931 – Deputy Assistant First Class, Luang Boribal Buribhand (Puan Intuwong)