Abstract

           The  purposes  of  this  research  were 1 ) to  study  the  Buddhist monks’ role  in  preservation  of historical  sites,  antique  and works of art  in  PhraNakhon  Si  Ayutthaya District,  PhraNakhon  Si  Ayutthaya  Province., 2) to  compare  the Buddhist monks’ role  in  preservation  of historical  sites,  antiques  and works of art in  PhraNakhon  Si  Ayutthaya District,  PhraNakhon  Si  Ayutthaya  Province, being divided as individual status, and 3)to offer  the  suggestions of the way to develop the Buddhist monks’ role in  preservation  of historical  sites, antiques  and  works of art in  PhraNakhon  Si  Ayutthaya District,  PhraNakhon  Si  Ayutthaya  Province.  The research  method  was made by the way of the  survey  research. The sampling group was 287 Buddhist monks  inPhraNakhon  Si  Ayutthaya District,  PhraNakhon  Si  Ayutthaya  Province. The instrument used for colleting the data was the questionnaire being divided into 3 sections; the section 1 was the questionnaire concerning with the general data of the questionnaire respondents, the section 2 was the questionnaire of  the  Buddhist monks’ role  in  preservation  of historical  sites,  antique  and works of art  in  PhraNakhon  Si  Ayutthaya District,  PhraNakhon  Si  Ayutthaya  Province. And the section 3 was the questionnaire of  the problems, obstacles and suggestions of the  Buddhist monks’ role  in  preservation  of historical  sites,  antique  and works of art  in  PhraNakhon  Si  Ayutthaya District,  PhraNakhon  Si  Ayutthaya  Province. The value of confidence in it equaled 0.9665. The data analysis was made by evaluation of frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation. The F-test was made by analyzing One Way ANOVA.

On the research result, it has been found that

              1.The Buddhist  monks’ opinion  toward the preservation  of historical  sites,  antique and works of art in PhraNakhonSi-Ayutthaya District, PhraNakhonSi- Ayutthaya  Province, in a whole, was at  the high level = 3.60. In considering in each aspect, it has been found that the Buddhistmonks’ opinion toward the preservation of historical sites, antique and works of art in PhraNakhonSi-Ayutthaya District,  PhraNakhon  Si- Ayutthaya  Province, was at the highest mean X = 3.70 in the aspect of taking care and observing the historical sites, antiques anf works of art. The lowest mean X = 3.48 would be in the aspect of cooperation in the  preservation  of historical  sites,  antique  and works of art with government offices.

              2. On the result of comparing  the level of Buddhist monks’ role  toward  the  preservation of historical  sites,  antique  and works of art  in  PhraNakhon  Si- Ayutthaya District,  PhraNakhon  Si- Ayutthaya  Province, being divided as individual status, it has been found that for the Buddhist monks whose age, year of rains-retreat, general educational qualification, Dhamma study qualification and Pali study qualification were different, their opinion toward the preservation  of historical  sites,  antique  and works of art  in  PhraNakhon  Si- Ayutthaya District,  PhraNakhon  Si- Ayutthaya  Province, was not different, hereby, the set hypothesis was rejected, with statistical significance at the level 0.05.

              3. For the problems  and  the  suggestions of Buddhist monks’ role  toward  the  preservation  of historical  sites,  antique  and works of art  in  PhraNakhon  Si- Ayutthaya District,  PhraNakhon  Si- Ayutthaya  Province, the causes of them could be divided as follow;

                             3.1) The Fine  arts  Department  should  help  the  Buddhist monk  doing the duty of   preserving the historical  sites,  antique  and works of art  in  PhraNakhon  Si- Ayutthaya District,  PhraNakhon  Si- Ayutthaya  Province.

                   3.2) The Buddhist monks  should  help  to  protect and preserve the historical  sites,  antique  and works of art  instead  of  waiting only for help from the people.

                   3.3 ) The  Buddhist  people  should  help  the  Buddhist monks  to  construct restore the historical  sites,  antique  and works in their own temples

4. The result of interview of Buddhist monks’ role  toward  the  preservation  of historical  sites,  antique  and works of art  in  PhraNakhon  Si- Ayutthaya District,  PhraNakhon  Si- Ayutthaya  Province could be concluded as follows:

                   4.1)Restoring  the historical sites  should be done only  for the security and strength of the historical sites and try to avoid  changing  and  destroying  the historical sites

                   4.2 )In storing the historical sites to make them beautiful and for being architect unity, the remaining place of the historical  sites should be considered. Don’t do only assumption. The study of original parts, not added parts.

                   4.3 )In restoring the historical sites  that were so old that their relation to the modern civilization cannot be found, the attached parts should not be made. It should be demolished and make the base stronger s in  the original form i.e. putting the parts left out and are available at the same place to keep the original form. The added part can be made, if it is necessary, only for its

Standing  and  strength

                   4.4 ) Restoring the historical sites of new generation should be made by the way of keeping the similar form  as its original form and in such restoration, the forms of the historical sites should not be changed.

                   4.5)  All the pieces  that are of the value of art and historical memory, whether they might belong to any age or any time, should be kept nicely when they are discovered. Considering which piece of the objects and how important they are should not be only on the opinion of the officials who are running the project of restoring the historical sites.

                   4.6 )  The  new  building  which has been  built  in the area nearby  the historical  place  should  not  be allowed to use  the  color,  size  and  design effected on destroying  the value  of  the historical sites.

                   4.7 )For the added parts that are necessary to make for the strength of the historical sites whether partly or in all, the added parts should be less as possible. Only the historical building with geometrical style can be reconstructed completely.

                   4.8) The addition reconstructed  should  be  seen  clearly,  by  using  the  item  that is different  from  the  old  one  or by slight addition without decorative design  as it be in original one or by putting the symbol. For doing in the 3 said types, besides the benefit for restoring next time, it will make misunderstanding of the historical and archeological  evidence.  

                   4.9 )  To  remove  the old thing  out  and  to  replace it with  the  new  one  should a made by means of the academic principle of sciences. Don’t do it without theoretical evidence

                   4.10 ) Whatever derived by  the  research and archeological survey should  be  well  taken  care  of,  and  do  it  in  the  right  way.

                   4.11 ) In the  restoration  of the ancient  place in each  time as well as the archeological research, the documents should be prepared in the form of academic works collecting the daily record of restoring the ancient place with the component pictures and photos. In the said academic report, the structure and body of the ancient place should be told in detail, including working throughout the period of restoring the ancient place.