Thailand in 1850 was an absolute monarchy, as were most other countries in eastern Asia. The Thai monarchical from of government was derived chiefly from the Indian system as transmitted through Cambosia that granted monarchs greater power than did other absolutist system in other part of Asia. The Thai state did not have the dualism of shogunal Japanese government or the popular basis of Chinese government expressed in the 'mandate of heaven' It was probably even more absolutist than its Indian and Cambodian models, for in India and Cambodia the Brahman , or priest , class was strong and acted as a restraining force on the monarchy, whereas in Thailand