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168-658: The Rattanakosin Kingdom , later known as the Kingdom of Siam , was the Siamese kingdom between 1782 and 1932 It was founded in 1782 with the establishment of Rattanakosin ( Bangkok ), which replaced the city of Thonburi as the capital of Siam. This article covers the period until the Siamese revolution of 1932 . The maximum zone of influence of Rattanakosin included the vassal states of Cambodia , Laos , Shan States , and

336-561: A Harvard Law professor, as the delegate of Siam to re-negotiate treaties with European nations on his European tour of 1924–1926. France and United Kingdom consented to new treaties with Siam in 1925. Extraterritorial rights of foreigners in Siam and restriction of tariff imposition on imported goods were abolished, restoring Siam's judiciary and fiscal autonomy. Siamese royal government began to send non-royal men for European education in 1897, through Thai king's scholarship , mainly to accompany

504-993: A 25-km demilitarized zone along the Mekong but only on the Siamese side. The major fear of the Siamese court came true when the French invaded in 1893, as the survival of Siam's sovereignty was left at the mercy of Anglo-French conflicts. As the British expressed their concerns over French advances on Siam, the Anglo-French agreement of 1896 guaranteed Siam's independence as a " buffer state " only in Siam's core territories, allowing British intervention in Southern Siam and French intervention in Eastern Siam. King Chulalongkorn embarked on his Grand European Tour in 1897, with Queen Saovabha as regent during royal absence, to promote

672-714: A French colonialist advocate, in February 1887 to assume the position of the French consul in Luang Phrabang. Unable to go further, Waiworanat ended his campaign in April 1887, taking Haw and Tai captives, among them the brothers of Đèo Văn Trị to Bangkok. The enraged Đèo Văn Trị led the Black Flag Army to seize and plunder Luang Phrabang in June 1887. Auguste Pavie rescued King Ounkham of Luang Phrabang and took him on

840-508: A canoe to Bangkok. The French took this opportunity to enter and occupy Sipsong Chuthai, which Siam had attempted to claim. After arguments between Surasak Montri and Pavie, it was agreed in 1888 that French Indochina received Sipsong Chuthai while Siam retained Houaphanh. Franco-Siamese relations deteriorated after the French seizure of Sipsong Chuthai in 1887. Auguste Pavie, who had been transferred to become French consul in Bangkok, brought

1008-853: A century since 1779, joined French Indochina in 1893. The Franco–Siamese War of 1893 or Crisis of Year 112 ( วิกฤตการณ์ ร.ศ. ๑๑๒ ) was the time when Siam came closest to being conquered by a Western imperialist power. After the demise of Somdet Chaophraya Sri Suriwongse in 1883, King Chulalongkorn was in control of the government by the mid-1880s and was able to implement reforms. After decades of domination by powerful nobility, Chulalongkorn brought many royal princes – his brothers and sons – to government roles. The princes received modernized education and formed an educated elite. The king began to send his sons for European education in 1885. Many princes were specialized in their responsible fields. Most notable ones were Prince Devawongse who specialized in foreign affairs and Prince Damrong in internal affairs. Following

1176-479: A child slave would continue to decline over age until the age of 21 when they would be freed. Both Chulalongkorn and Sri Suriwongse agreed to abolish corvée labor. However, these reforms upset Prince Wichaichan of the Front Palace who had inherited from his father Pinklao, a huge manpower in service with more than one-thirds of the kingdom's revenue accorded to him, he also had the support of Thomas George Knox

1344-433: A considerable distance, were formerly, before the removal of the court to its present situation, called Bang-kok; but since that time, and for nearly sixty years past, it has been named Sia yuthia, (pronounced see-ah you-tè-ah, and by the natives, Krung, that is, the capital ;) it is called by both names here, but never Bang-kok; and they always correct foreigners when the latter make this mistake. The villages which occupy

1512-527: A fleet, led by Phraya Siphiphat (younger brother of Phrakhlang), to quell the rebellion. Siamese forces recaptured Alor Setar in 1839. Chaophraya Nakhon Noi the Raja of Ligor died in 1838, leaving Malay affairs to Phraya Siphiphat. The latter then divided Kedah into four states: Setul , Kubang Pasu , Perlis and Kedah proper. The former Kedah sultan reconciled with the Siamese and he was finally restored as Sultan of Kedah in 1842. The journey of Phraya Siphiphat to

1680-552: A fortified town with a sizeable population meant that not much would need to be reconstructed. The existence of an old Chinese trading settlement on the eastern bank allowed Taksin to use his Chinese connections to import rice and revive trade. King Taksin had the city area extended northwards to border the Bangkok Noi Canal. A moat was dug to protect the city's western border, on which new city walls and fortifications were built. Moats and walls were also constructed on

1848-460: A general fighting in Ayutthaya's defence prior to its fall, emerged as the strongest. After succeeding in reclaiming the cities of Ayutthaya and Bangkok, Phraya Tak declared himself king (popularly known as King Taksin ) on 28 December 1767 and established Thonburi as his capital. Reasons given for this change include the totality of Ayutthaya's destruction and Thonburi's strategic location. Being

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2016-571: A governor. The widowed Lady Chan and her sister Lady Muk, together with her son Thien and her cousin Thongpun the vice-governor, organized the local defense against the Burmese invasion. They established themselves at Phra Nang Sang Temple and Thung Nang Dak and managed to be armed with two great canons. Francis Light also supported the Thalang defenders with arquebuses. The Burmese general Wungyi led

2184-573: A great amount of public spending. Participation in World War I was also expensive and the post-war economic downturn took a great toll on Siamese economy. Vajiravudh's profligacy has been cited in most historiographies as the root of Siam's subsequent financial crisis but Siam's fragile economy itself also played the part. Siam did not undergo industrialization due to lack of technological progress and remained an export-oriented agrarian economy. Fluctuating global rice commodity price, Siam's main export, in

2352-411: A hostile new neighbor. King Ang Duong of Cambodia died in 1860, followed by a civil war between his sons Norodom and Si Votha which led to Norodom to seek French assistance. French admiral Pierre-Paul de La Grandière had Norodom sign a treaty that placed Cambodia under French protection in 1863 without Siam's acknowledgement and the French crowned Norodom as King of Cambodia in 1864. Si Suriyawong

2520-540: A minor consort to King Rama I. Thien managed to file an accusation against Thongpun the governor of Thalang to the Bangkok court. Thongpun was then arrested and brought for trial at Bangkok where he died. Thien was made the new governor of Thalang. Consort Thong, daughter of Lady Chan, born Princess Ubol in 1791. In 1792, Phraya Thalang Thien the governor of Thalang wrote a letter to Francis Light, stating that his mother Lady Chan had been old and ill and that his sister Lady Prang had already died. Lady Chan died in 1792. It

2688-495: A new concept of border demarcation and territorial proclamations. In pre-modern Southeast Asia, borders between polities were ill-defined. The traditional Siamese government only had an authority in cities, towns and agricultural areas; while mountains and forests were largely left alone as they were difficult to be reached by authorities. In the era of colonialism, border claims and mapmaking were keys to Siam's standing against colonial encroachments. British and Siamese delegates met at

2856-431: A parliament to limit royal powers in 1905. Thianwan also advocated for monogamy and women's rights against predominantly polygamic patriarchal Siamese traditional society of his time. Siamese visionaries took Meiji Japan as the model for self-motivated Asian modernization success. King Chulalongkorn was officially eulogized as "Phra Piya Maharaj" ( พระปิยมหาราช , "Great Beloved King") in 1907. Crown Prince Vajirunhis

3024-468: A period when infrastructure was developing considerably. Bangkok became the centre stage for power struggles between the military and political elite as the country abolished absolute monarchy in 1932. It was subject to Japanese occupation and Allied bombing during World War II. With the war over in 1945, British and Indian troops landed in September, and during their brief occupation of the city disarmed

3192-590: A pro-Siamese Cambodian noble, staged a coup in Cambodia to overthrow and kill the pro-Vietnamese Cambodian Prime Minister Tolaha Mu in 1783. Chaos and upheavals that ensued caused Yumreach Baen to take young King Ang Eng to Bangkok. King Rama I appointed Yumreach Baen as Chaophraya Aphaiphubet . Also in 1783, Nguyễn Phúc Ánh arrived in Bangkok to take refuge from the Tây Sơn rebels. In 1784, Siamese forces invaded Saigon to reinstate Nguyễn Phúc Ánh but were defeated in

3360-410: A sign of his weakness and evidence that a system which perpetuated the rule of fallible autocrats should be abolished. Serious political disturbances were threatened in the capital, and in April 1932 the king agreed to introduce a constitution under which he would share power with a prime minister. This was not enough for the radical elements in the army. On 24 June 1932, while the king was at the seaside,

3528-593: Is 21 April 1782 when the city pillar was consecrated in a ceremony. King Rama I underwent an abbreviated form of coronation in 1782. He founded the Chakri dynasty and made his younger brother Chao Phraya Surasi the Wangna or Prince Sura Singhanat of the Front Palace . In 1783, the Bangkok city walls were constructed with part of the bricks taken from the Ayutthaya ruins. Lao and Cambodian laborers were assigned to dig

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3696-682: Is not known when Lady Muk died. Lady Chan's son, Phraya Thalang Thien, continued to govern Thalang until 1809 when the Burmese invaded again . Thalang fell to the Burmese in 1810 and was completely destroyed and Thien was taken as captive to Burma. The "Heroine's Monument" honouring them is situated on the main highway (402) between the Phuket International Airport and Phuket town . Chakri dynasty Kings Viceroys Deputy Viceroy Crown Prince Hereditary Prince Royalty Siamese Foreigners Key events This Thai biographical article

3864-469: Is now Bangkok was first settled. It probably originated as a small farming and trading community, situated in a meander of the Chao Phraya River within the mandala of Ayutthaya 's influence. The town had become an important customs outpost by as early as the 15th century; the title of its customs official is given as Nai Phra Khanon Thonburi ( Thai : นายพระขนอนทณบุรี ) in a document from

4032-530: Is that of Adam Denton, who arrived aboard the Globe , an East India Company merchantman bearing a letter from King James I , which arrived in "the Road of Syam" ( Pak Nam ) on 15 August 1612, where the port officer of Bangkok attended to the ship. Denton's account mentions that he and his companions journeyed "up the river some twenty miles to a town called Bancope, where we were well received, and further 100 miles to

4200-978: The Burney Treaty of 1826 and the Roberts Treaty of 1833 refer to the capital as the City of Sia-Yut'hia. King Mongkut (Rama IV) would later give the city its full ceremonial name: Krungthepmahanakhon Amonrattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilokphop Noppharatratchathaniburirom Udomratchaniwetmahasathan Amonphiman-Awatansathit Sakkathattiyawitsanukamprasit กรุงเทพมหานคร อมรรัตนโกสินทร์ มหินทรายุทธยา มหาดิลกภพ นพรัตนราชธานีบุรีรมย์ อุดมราชนิเวศน์มหาสถาน อมรพิมานอวตารสถิต สักกะทัตติยะวิษณุกรรมประสิทธิ์ (listen) Rama I modelled his city after

4368-484: The Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909 in exchange for British loan of four million pounds to Siam for construction of Southern Siamese railway and for British surrender of most extraterritorial jurisdiction in Siam. These lost territories were on the fringes of the Siamese sphere of influence, which Siam had only exerted some degree of control, the concept of the " lost territories " was not created until after

4536-651: The Battle of Rạch Gầm-Xoài Mút by the Tây Sơn. In 1789, Aphaiphubet took control of Cambodia and became the Regent. Later that same year Nguyễn Phúc Ánh took Saigon and established himself in Southern Vietnam. In 1794, King Rama I allowed Ang Eng to return to Cambodia to rule as king and carved the northwestern part of Cambodia including Battambang and Siemreap for Aphaiphubet to govern as governor under direct Siamese rule. King Ang Eng of Cambodia died in 1796 and

4704-683: The Chao Phraya River , forcing its way up to Bangkok to threaten the Siamese royal palace as gunfire was exchanged between French gunboats and the Siamese Chulachomklao Fort during the Paknam Incident . Prince Devawongse the Minister of Foreign Affairs went to 'congratulate' the French invaders but Pavie presented an ultimatum, urging Siam to cede lands east of the Mekong, to pay an indemnity of three million francs and to punish Phra Yot Mueang Khwang. As Siam hesitated,

4872-647: The Don Mueang International Airport and highways, was built and expanded. Bangkok's role as an American military R&R destination launched its tourism industry as well as sex trade. Disproportionate urban development led to increasing income inequalities and unprecedented migration from rural areas into Bangkok; its population surged from 1.8 to 3 million in the 1960s. Following the United States' withdrawal from Vietnam, Japanese businesses took over as leaders in investment, and

5040-457: The Fall of Ayutthaya in 1767, Thalang came under the regime of Chao Phraya Nakhon Nu , who established himself as the ruler of Southern Thailand based on Nakhon Si Thammarat. King Taksin of Thonburi defeated Chao Phraya Nakhon Nu in 1769 and shortly after Phra Phimol, husband of Lady Chan, was made the governor of Thalang. Thongphun, a cousin of Lady Chan (who was the son of Chom Thau) was made

5208-623: The Front Palace Crisis or the Wangna Crisis. Chulalongkorn, in his "swimming to the crocodile" move, asked Si Suriyawong for intervention to placate the situation. Si Suriyawong, however, suggested hard terms on Wichaichan who then fled to take refuge inside the British consulate five days later in January 1875. Siam was on the brink of civil war and foreign intervention with Wichaichan resisting any compromises for he believed

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5376-643: The Holy Man's Rebellion in 1901–1902. Sultan Abdul Kadir, the last raja of Pattani, sought British support from Singapore and planned an insurgency but was caught beforehand as seven Pattani Malay sultanates were integrated into Siam in 1902. The Shan immigrants in Phrae arose in the Shan Rebellion of Phrae in 1902, declaring for Lanna traditions to be upheld and for the killing of Central Siamese officials. Chaophraya Surasak Montri however managed to put down

5544-541: The Kalahom responded by having Norodom sign another opposing treaty that recognized Siamese suzerainty over Cambodia and had it published in The Straits Times in 1864, much to the embarrassment of Gabriel Aubaret of the French consul. The French sought to annul the opposing treaty as Aubaret brought a gunboat to Bangkok. A Franco-Siamese compromise draft over Cambodian issues was signed in 1865 but ratification

5712-580: The Palace Revolt of 1912 or Rebellion of Year 130 ( กบฏ ร.ศ. ๑๓๐ ) in January 1912 in an attempt to overthrow the absolute monarchy. However, the plot leaked and the conspirators were apprehended in April 1912. Understanding the context of liberal trends, Vajiravudh spared the conspirators from death sentences but gave prison terms only to top leaders of this abortive plot. Siamese government associated this rebellion with Chinese republican movement. The paramilitary movement largely disappeared by 1927, but

5880-405: The Siamese revolution of 1932 by Thai military nationalists. Through his long reign, Chulalongkorn implemented government, fiscal and social reforms and shed Siamese tributary periphery, transforming Siam from traditional mandala network polity into more-compact modern nation-state with centralized bureaucracy and clearly-defined boundaries, bordering British Burma in the west, French Indochina in

6048-657: The Tenasserim Hills in 1866 to explore and define Anglo-Siamese borders between Siam and British Burma from the Salween River to the Andaman Sea, thus becoming the modern Myanmar-Thailand border when the treaty was signed in 1868. When King Mongkut ascended the throne in 1851, he appointed his younger brother Pinklao as Vice-King or Second King of the Front Palace , giving Pinklao immense powers. Vice-King Pinklao predeceased King Mongkut in 1866. After

6216-659: The Thonburi Kingdom 's hold over Siamese lands. His kingdom, however, would last only until 1782 when a coup was mounted against him, and the general Chao Phraya Chakri established himself as king, later to be known as Phutthayotfa Chulalok or Rama I. Rama I re-established the capital on the more strategic east bank of the river, relocating the Chinese already settled there to the area between Wat Sam Pluem and Wat Sampheng (which developed into Bangkok's Chinatown ). Fortifications were rebuilt, and another series of moats

6384-580: The mandala system . The multicultural Siamese empire had hosted a number of tributary states including Lanna Chiangmai , the Lao Kingdoms of Luang Phrabang and Champasak , minor Lao-Lanna chiefdoms and Muslim Malay sultanates of the south. In facing colonial encroachment, however, territories and sovereignty had to be clearly defined. The British acquired Upper Burma and the French acquired Tonkin in 1886. This development escalated imperialist designs on Siam and led to increased Western presence in

6552-659: The "Raja of Ligor" invaded and captured Kedah . Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin took refuge in British-held Penang . A son of Nakhon Noi was installed as the governor of Kedah. The Kedah sultanate ceased to exist for a time being. Since the 15th century, the Siamese royal court had retained a monopoly on foreign trades through the Phra Khlang Sinkha ( พระคลังสินค้า ) or Royal Warehouse. Foreign merchants had to present their ships and goods at Phra Khlang Sinkha for tariffs to be levied and goods to be purchased by

6720-558: The 'Jews of the East'. Chinese immigrants became ready targets of Siamese economic nationalism. In 1913, Vajiravudh introduced surname system and defined Thai nationality by blood in response to Chinese citizenship claims. Vajiravudh founded Chulalongkorn University , the first modern Siamese university, in honor of his father, in 1916. Vajiravudh also instituted compulsory modern education in Central Thai language nation-wide, including

6888-485: The 1920s, was combined with crop failures during 1919–1921 to worsen the situation. After 1919, Siam's trade balance and state budget were in great deficit, with great amount of silver flowing out of the kingdom, destabilizing the baht currency. Vajiravudh was unmarried for most of his reign until 1920 when he betrothed himself to a candidate and took three consorts during 1921–1922. In 1924, King Vajiravudh enacted modern Siamese royal succession law , giving precedence to

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7056-480: The 1926–1927 fiscal year through reduction of the size of the bureaucracy. Many government positions were merged and those unnecessary ones were dissolved, accompanied by dismissals of a great number of bureaucrats and cutting of salaries of the remaining officials. Even some provincial Monthon s were merged. This policy had some positive effects as Siam's state finance shifted from deficit to surplus within three years but these developments bred political resentments from

7224-453: The Bangkok garrison mutinied and seized power, led by a group of 49 officers known as " Khana Ratsadon ". Thus ended 800 years of absolute monarchy . History of Bangkok#Rattanakosin The history of Bangkok , the capital of Thailand , dates at least to the early 15th century, when it was under the rule of Ayutthaya . Due to its strategic location near the mouth of the Chao Phraya River ,

7392-661: The Battle of Latya in Kanchanaburi in 1786. In the north, the Burmese laid siege on Lanna Lampang . Kawila , the ruler of Lampang, managed to hold the siege for four months until relief forces from Bangkok came to rescue Lampang. In the south, Lady Chan and Lady Mook were able to fend off Burmese attacks on Thalang ( Phuket ) in 1786. After the unfruitful campaign, King Bodawpaya sent his son Uparaja Thado Minsaw to invade Kanchanaburi concentrating only in one direction. King Rama I and his brother Prince Sura Singhanat defeated

7560-456: The British consul. On one night in December 1874, a fire broke out in the king's royal palace, in which the Front Palace police forces were to enter to help put down fires but they were denied entry by the king's guards for fear that the Front Palace had set up the fire scene to enter the king's quarters. King Chulalongkorn then had his guards surround the Front Palace. This incident was known as

7728-691: The British government in London (rather than East India Company), arrived at Bangkok in 1855. The Bowring Treaty was signed in April 1855, in which tariffs were reduced and standardized to three percent and the Phasi Pak Ruea (measurement duties) was abolished. The treaty granted extraterritoriality to the British in Siam, who would be subject to a British consular authority and British law instead of traditional Siamese inquisition, as Westerners sought to dissociate themselves from Siamese Nakhonban methods of judiciary tortures . The treaty also stipulated

7896-449: The British to trade freely in Siam. The treaty also recognized Siamese claims over Kedah. However, some trade restrictions including the Phasi Pak Ruea ( ภาษีปากเรือ ) or measurement duties were still intact. Siam also concluded the similar " Roberts Treaty " with the United States in 1833. Tunku Kudin, a nephew of the former Kedah sultan, reclaimed Kedah by force in 1831 and rose up against Siam. Pattani, Kelantan and Terengganu joined on

8064-506: The British would give him full support. After many unsuccessful negotiations, Si Suriyawong suggested that the British invited a respectable figure to deal with this situation. Andrew Clarke the governor of the Straits Settlements, who had earlier maintained friendly relations with Chulalongkorn, arrived in Bangkok from Singapore in February 1875 to act as mediator. Clarke was sympathetic to the king's cause and his intervention

8232-555: The Burmese Konbaung dynasty sent massive armies to invade Siam in five directions during the Nine Armies' War . Decades of continuous warfare had left Siam depopulated and the Siamese court managed to muster only a total of 70,000 men against the 144,000 men of Burmese invaders. The Burmese, however, were over-stretched and unable to converge. Prince Sura Singhanat led his army to defeat the main army of King Bodawpaya in

8400-409: The Burmese general Wungyi led a Burmese force of 3,000 men to attack Takua Pa. The Burmese took Takua Pa and Pak Phra and Phraya Thammatrailok was killed in battle. Lady Chan then, amidst confusion, returned to Thalang where she received warning from Francis Light about the imminent Burmese Invasion of Thalang. Phra Phimol, who had been gravely ill, died in December 1785. This left Thalang without

8568-630: The Burmese in the Tha Dindaeng Campaign in 1786–1787. After these victories over Burmese invaders, Siam staged offensives on the Tenasserim Coast , which was the former territory of Ayutthaya. King Rama I marched Siamese armies to lay siege on Tavoy in 1788 but did not succeed. In 1792, the Burmese governors of Tavoy and Mergui defected to Siam. Siam came to temporarily occupy the Tenasserim Coast. However, as

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8736-516: The Chao Phraya to blockade Bangkok, resulting in Siam's concession of territory to France. With Chulalongkorn's reforms, governance of the capital and the surrounding areas, established as Monthon Krung Thep Phra Mahanakhon ( มณฑลกรุงเทพพระมหานคร ), came under the Ministry of Urban Affairs ( Nakhonban ). During his reign many more canals and roads were built, expanding the urban reaches of

8904-599: The Chinese tax collector system. Both the British and the Americans sent their delegates ( Brooke and Balestier ) to Bangkok in 1850 to propose treaty amendments but were strongly rejected. Only with the Bowring Treaty of 1855 that these goals were achieved, liberalizing the Siamese economy and ushering a new period of Thai history. King Rama III reportedly said on his deathbed in 1851: " ... there will be no more wars with Vietnam and Burma. We will have them only with

9072-660: The Colonial Party in Paris pressed for more Siamese concessions during the negotiations, in which Prince Devawongse was the Siamese representative. In 1904, Siam had to cede Mluprey , Champasak and Sainyabuli on the right (west) bank to France in return for French abandonment of Chanthaburi but the French proceeded to hold Trat instead. The Anglo-French Entente Cordiale in 1904 confirmed mutual recognition of Siamese independence by both powers. In 1907, French and Siamese delegates met to demarcate Franco-Siamese borders and it

9240-475: The European model, by the suggestion of Prince Devawongse, King Chulalongkorn began to form modern ministries in 1888 to the replace centuries-old disorganized Chatusadom central governance. In April 1892, the first modern Siamese cabinet was formed, consisting mostly of royal princes. Prince Damrong became Mahatthai Minister of Interior in 1892. Damrong introduced a modern bureaucracy and, in 1893, announced

9408-482: The French General Desfarges , who had arrived with the second French embassy in 1687, secured the king's permission to board troops there. This, however, lead to resentment among Siamese nobles, led by Phetracha , ultimately resulting in the Siamese revolution of 1688 , in which King Narai was overthrown and 40,000 Siamese troops besieged Bangkok's eastern fort for four months before an agreement

9576-614: The French imposed a naval blockade on Bangkok. The Siamese court hoped to find British support against French aggression but the British were unresponsive so Siam resolved to comply unconditionally to French demands in July 1893. French gunboats left Bangkok in August 1893 but proceeded to occupy Chanthaburi on Siam's eastern coast to assure their compliance. The treaty was signed in October 1893. Laos , which had been under Siamese rule for about

9744-514: The French steamship SS Empire and also sending flying air force squadron to France in June 1918. Siam had already established its own air force and had been training Siamese aviators since 1913. Siamese forces arrived in Europe at Marseilles in July 1918 just in time for the Allied occupation of Rhineland with the Siamese forces themselves participating in during 1918–1919. Siamese forces joined

9912-581: The Front Palace and heir presumptive without Chulalongkorn's consent. His regency was the time when the power of the Bunnags reached an apex. The young king Chulalongkorn, who had been educated by Anna Leonowens and who was then powerless under the sway of the Bunnag regent, spent his early reign learning and observing. Chulalongkorn visited Singapore and Dutch Java in 1871 and British India in 1872 where he learned about Western colonial administrations, becoming

10080-502: The Haws into the mountains. The Yellow Flag Army was defeated in 1875 by Chinese authorities and disintegrated into petty groups of bandits but had a resurgence and made their permanent settlement at the Plain of Jars. In pre-modern Southeast Asia, traditional polities were not defined by territorial borders but rather a network and a hierarchy of alliances and tributary obligations defined by

10248-513: The Islam religion. Vajiravudh initially declared neutrality for Siam during early stages of World War I in 1914, even though the king was pro-Allies due to his British educational background. Vajiravudh soon realized that staying in neutrality would deprive Siam of its due concessions. Vajiravudh eventually led Siam to declare war on Central Powers in July 1917, following the American entry into

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10416-553: The Japanese troops. A significant event following the return of the young king, Ananda Mahidol , to Thailand, intended to defuse post-war tensions lingering between Bangkok's ethnic Chinese and Thai people , was his visit to Bangkok's Chinatown Sam Peng Lane ( ซอยสำเพ็ง ), on 3 June 1946. As a result of pro-Western bloc treaties Bangkok rapidly grew in the post-war period as a result of United States developmental aid and government-sponsored investment. Infrastructure, including

10584-507: The Kedahan side against Siam. King Rama III sent forces under Nakhon Noi and a navy fleet under Chaophraya Phrakhlang to put down the Malay insurgency. The Raja of Ligor recaptured Kedah in 1832. In 1838, Tunku Muhammad Sa'ad, another nephew of the Kedah sultan, in concert with Wan Muhammad Ali (called Wan Mali in Thai sources) an Andaman Sea adventurer, again retook Alor Setar from the Siamese. Kedahan forces invaded Southern Siam, attacking Trang , Pattani and Songkhla . King Rama III sent

10752-435: The Lao Kings of Luang Phrabang . Siamese people called the Chinese who came from the northern highlands as Haw ( ฮ่อ ) – hence the name Haw Wars . Haw insurgents coalesced into Banner Armies, most notably the Black Flag Army and the Yellow Flag. In 1875, the Yellow Flag Army attacked Muang Phuan , occupied the Plain of Jars and attacked Nongkhai . King Chulalongkorn sent Siamese armies who managed to temporarily drive

10920-735: The Lao armies to capture Nakhon Ratchasima and Saraburi , while his son King Raxabut Nyô of Champasak invaded Southern Isan . Phraya Palat and his wife Lady Mo led the Siamese captives to rise against their Lao overseers in the Battle of Samrit Fields . King Rama III sent Prince Sakdiphonlasep of the Front Palace to defeat Anouvong at Nong Bua Lamphu and Phraya Ratchasuphawadi (later Chaophraya Bodindecha ) to capture Raxabut Nyô. Anouvong and his family fled to Nghệ An Province of Vietnam under protection of Emperor Ming Mạng . Ming Mạng sent Anouvong back to Vientiane to negotiate with Siam. However, Anouvong retook control of Vientiane only to be pushed back by Phraya Ratchasuphawadi in 1828. Anouvong

11088-447: The Muslim Malay South, in primary level for all genders through his Primary Education Act of 1921. Integration of former tributary polities continued. In Northern Siam , Khruba Siwichai , a popular Lanna monk, led a passive resistance in the 1910s against integration of Lanna monastic order into Central Siamese State Buddhism. Trainlines from Bangkok reached Pattani in 1919 and Chiang Mai in 1922. With creation of Monthon Pattani in 1905,

11256-561: The Pattani Malays of Muslim South were exempted from military conscription and most taxes. However, nationalistic education reforms affected Islamic Malay education in Pattani. Combined with dissatisfaction over the capitation tax, the rural Pattani Malays planned the Namsai uprising of 1922 but were again intercepted beforehand. Siamese government responded with Six Principles for Governance of Pattani Province in June 1923, proposed by Yommaraj Pan Sukhum, which pressed careful handling of Muslim South region through lenient tax measures and respect of

11424-430: The Royal Warehouse. Foreigners could not directly and privately trade important profitable government-restricted goods with the native Siamese. In 1821, the Governor-General of British India , in the mission to establish trade contacts with Siam, sent John Crawfurd to Bangkok. Crawfurd arrived in Bangkok in 1822, delivering both the British concern of Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin and also for demands of trade concessions; however

11592-486: The Shan Rebellion in 1902. In April 1905, King Chulalongkorn outright abolished slavery. Also in 1905, Chulalongkorn replaced the traditional corvée labor system with a modern universal conscription system through the Military Conscription Act of August 1905 with recruits serving for a limited time. The first modern Siamese law, the Penal Code, was promulgated in 1908. Compilation of modern Siamese law would take nearly four decades, only to be finished in 1935. The influence of

11760-409: The Siamese government that contravention of Siam's sovereignty by Western powers was due to the fact that Siamese law and its legal system, dated to Ayutthaya times, were antiquated and not yet modernized. King Chulalongkorn appointed the Legislative Council in 1897, composing of Western legal specialists, to create a modern Siamese law based on the civil law system . Monthons continued to form, ending

11928-479: The Siamese tax system would lead to fiscal reforms in 1873. Siam managed to balance itself between European governments and their own colonial administrations. King Mongkut sent Siamese missions to London in 1857 and to Paris in 1861. These missions were the first Siamese missions to Europe after the last one in 1688 during the Ayutthaya period. The Bunnag family dominated the kingdom's foreign affairs. France acquired Cochinchina in 1862. The French were proven to be

12096-659: The Siamese were still able to repel the Burmese from Thalang. The Burmese invasion of Phuket in 1809–1810 was the last Burmese incursion into Siamese territories in Thai history. Siam remained vigilant of prospective Burmese invasions through the 1810s. Only when Burma ceded Tenasserim to the British in the Treaty of Yandabo in 1826 in the aftermath of the First Anglo-Burmese War that Burmese threats effectively ended. When Siamese forces took Vientiane in 1779 during

12264-601: The Thonburi period, all three Lao kingdoms of Luang Phrabang , Vientiane and Champasak came under Siamese domination. Lao Princes Nanthasen , Inthavong and Anouvong were taken as hostages to Bangkok. In 1782, King Rama I installed Nanthasen as King of Vientiane. However, Nanthasen was dethroned in 1795 due to his alleged diplomatic overtures with the Tây Sơn dynasty in favor of Inthavong. When King Inthavong died in 1804, Anouvong succeeded as King of Vientiane. Yumreach Baen,

12432-463: The Vietnamese to retreat and the Siamese took over Cambodia. The war resumed in 1845 when Emperor Thiệu Trị sent Nguyễn Tri Phương to successfully take Phnom Penh and lay siege on Siamese-held Oudong. After months of siege, Siam and Vietnam negotiated for peace with Prince Ang Duong , who would recognize both Siamese and Vietnamese suzerainty, installed as the new King of Cambodia in 1848. After

12600-664: The West". King Mongkut , who had been a Buddhist monk for 27 years, ascended the throne in 1851 with support from the Bunnag family . King Mongkut made his younger brother Pinklao the Vice-King or Second King of the Front Palace. Mongkut also granted the exceptionally high rank of Somdet Chaophraya to the Bunnag brothers – Chaophraya Phrakhlang (Dit Bunnag) and Phraya Siphiphat (Dat Bunnag) , who became Somdet Chaophraya Prayurawong and Somdet Chaophraya Phichaiyat, respectively, cementing

12768-452: The absolute order, including the king himself, gaining readerships from all classes of society including women. Vajiravudh personally participated in these political discussions under pseudonym Asavabhahu . His reign was also an affluent period of modern Thai literature , in which the king translated many Western works and explored novel abstract ideas through creation of modern vocabularies using Pali and Sanskrit lexicons. The king himself

12936-434: The age of 20 in 1873, the regency ended as Si Suriyawong was rewarded with the highest rank of Somdet Chaophraya , becoming Somdet Chaophraya Sri Suriwongse. Under the ineffective Chinese tax collector system, King Chulalongkorn found the government treasury to be in debt. He initiated his reforms with the establishment of Ho Ratsadakorn Phiphat ( หอรัษฎากรพิพัฒน์ ) or Auditory Office in June 1873 to centralize and reorganize

13104-434: The assault on the island. The defenders relied on their heavy canons to ward off the Burmese invaders. After about one month of continuous fighting, the Burmese finally retreated on March 13, 1786. Francis Light left Thalang for Penang Island in 1786, Even after this, Francis Light and the family of Lady Chan maintained contacts through written letters. After the war, King Rama I appointed Chao Phraya Surinthraracha as

13272-463: The capital. Infrastructure was developed, with the introduction of railway and telegraph services between Bangkok and Samut Prakan and then expanding countrywide. Electricity was introduced, first to palaces and government offices, then to serve electric trams in the capital and later the general public. The King's fascination with the West was reflected in the royal adoption of Western dress and fashions, but most noticeably in architecture. He commissioned

13440-451: The city centre. The new capital is referred to in Thai sources as Rattanakosin , a name shared by the Siamese kingdom of this historical period . The name Krung Thep and Krung Thep Maha Nakhon , both shortened forms of the full ceremonial name, began to be used near the end of the 19th century. Foreigners, however, continued to refer to the city by the name Bangkok , which has seen continued use until this day. Most of Rama I's reign

13608-694: The city moat. The Grand Palace and the Wat Phra Kaew were completed in 1784 and the Emerald Buddha was transferred from Wat Arun to be placed in Wat Phra Kaew. In 1785, King Rama I performed a full coronation ceremony and named the new city "Rattanakosin", which meant the "Jewel of Indra" referring to the Emerald Buddha. The Burmese continued to pose a major threat to the Siamese state of existence. In 1785, King Bodawpaya of

13776-553: The city's first paved street, was constructed in 1862–1864. This was followed by Bamrung Mueang , Fueang Nakhon , Trong (now Rama IV ) and Si Lom Roads. Land transport would later surpass the canals in importance, shifting people's homes from floating dwellings toward permanent buildings. The limits of the city proper were also expanded during his reign, extending to the Phadung Krung Kasem Canal, dug in 1851. King Mongkut's son Chulalongkorn (r. 1868–1910)

13944-447: The city...." Ayutthaya's maritime trade was at its height during the reign of King Narai (1656–1688). Recognition of the city's strategic location guarding the water passage to Ayutthaya lead to expansion of the military presence there. A fort of Western design was constructed on the east side of the river around 1685–1687 under the supervision of French engineer de la Mare, probably replacing an earlier structure, while plans to rebuild

14112-527: The conflicts. Eventually, Tuan Besar was made the ruler of Pattani in 1842, becoming Sultan Phaya Long Muhammad of Pattani. His descendants would continue to rule Pattani until 1902. After the First Opium War , the British Empire emerged as the most powerful maritime power in the region and was eager for more favorable trade agreements. By the 1840s, Siam had re-imposed trade tariffs through

14280-513: The construction of the neoclassical Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall at the new Dusit Palace , which was linked to the historic city centre by the grand Ratchadamnoen Avenue , inspired by the Champs-Élysées in Paris. Examples of Western influence in architecture became visible throughout the city. By 1900, rural market zones in Bangkok began developing into residential districts. Rama VI (1910–1925) continued his predecessor's program of

14448-404: The court was preparing for the invasions of Lower Burma, King Bodawpaya sent his son Thado Minsaw to reclaim Tenasserim. The Siamese were soundly defeated by the Burmese in the Battle of Tavoy in 1793 and ceded the Tenasserim Coast to Burma for perpetuity, becoming modern Tanintharyi Division . Lord Kawila was finally able to re-establish Chiang Mai as the centre of Lanna in 1797. King Bodawpaya

14616-475: The creation of Abhiradhamontri Sabha ( อภิรัฐมนตรีสภา ) or the Supreme Council of State , consisting of five senior royal princes including Prince Paribatra who had been in control of military and Prince Damrong who resumed his roles in government. This Council of State assisted Prajadhipok in government but also sidelined the king's active roles. Royal princes returned to the government, reminiscing of

14784-411: The creation of a monolithic national identity, and the emergence of an urban middle class. However, the failure to implement democratic reforms culminated in the Siamese revolution of 1932 and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy. Chakri ruled under the name Ramathibodi, but was generally known as King Rama I , he moved the royal seat from Thonburi on the west bank of Chao Phraya River to

14952-549: The days of King Chulalongkorn, after the days of King Vajiravudh favoring his personal choices as Vajiravudh's personnel were gradually replaced by members of the royal family in the cabinet of the new reign. As the conservative princely faction retook power, the immediate concern of the royal government was to address the ongoing state fiscal problems, inherited from Vajiravudh's reign, through austerities and retrenchments. The royal government actively and aggressively cut down government expenditures from 10.8 to 6.8 million baht during

15120-399: The demise of his peers, Chaophraya Sri Suriwongse emerged as the most powerful nobleman. King Mongkut took a trip to observe a solar eclipse at Prachuap Khiri Khan but contracted malaria and died in October 1868. His 15-year-old son Chulalongkorn was confirmed to succeed the throne under the regency of Sri Suriwongse. The latter unprecedentedly made Wichaichan , son of Pinklao, Vice-King of

15288-524: The designated heir died prematurely in 1895. Chulalongkorn then made his other son Vajiravudh , who had been staying at Ascot, Berkshire , the new Crown Prince. Vajiravudh went to train at Sandhurst Military in 1896 and studied history and law at Oxford in 1900, only returning to Siam in 1903. King Chulalongkorn made a promise that his son and successor Vajiravudh would consent to a constitution. Chulalongkorn embarked on another European tour in 1907 to seek cure for his illness, with Crown Prince Vajiravudh as

15456-408: The development of public works by establishing Chulalongkorn University in 1916, and commissioned a system of locks to control waterway levels surrounding the developing city, he also provided the city's first and largest recreational area, Lumphini Park . The Memorial Bridge was constructed in 1932 to connect Thonburi to Bangkok, which was believed to promote economic growth and modernization in

15624-498: The early 19th century. Such was their prominence that Europeans visiting in the 1820s estimated that they formed over half of the city population. The Chinese excelled in trade, and led the development of a market economy. The Chinese settlement at Sampheng had become a bustling market by 1835. By the mid-19th century, the West had become an increasingly powerful presence. Missionaries, envoys and merchants began re-visiting Bangkok and Siam, bringing with them both modern innovations and

15792-399: The east and British Malaya to the south. A group of Siamese princes, ambassadors and officials working as diplomats in Europe, led by Prince Prisdang , laid a petition to King Chulalongkorn in January 1885, urging the king to endorse Western-style constitutional monarchy in the event known as Incident of Year 103 ( เหตุการณ์ ร.ศ. ๑๐๓ ). Chulalongkorn responded to this petition, saying that

15960-463: The east bank, to the village of Bang Makok , meaning "place of olive plums ". This was done due to its better strategic position in defenses against Burmese invasions from the West, the area was protected from attack by the river to the west and by a series of canals to the north, east and south. The east bank was surrounded by low marshlands inhabited by the Chinese, whom King Rama I ordered to move to Sampheng . The official foundation date of Bangkok

16128-400: The eastern bank, encircling the city together with the canals on the western side. The king's palace ( Thonburi Palace ) was built within the old city walls, including the temples of Wat Chaeng (Wat Arun) and Wat Thai Talat (Wat Molilokkayaram) within the palace grounds. Outlying orchards were re-landscaped for rice farming. Much of Taksin's reign was spent in military campaigns to consolidate

16296-440: The educated bureaucratic middle class, who found themselves suddenly unemployed, towards the royal government. Bangkok's ever-flourishing political newspapers, the mouthpieces of the middle class, expressed fiery opinions towards absolutist Siamese royal regime. This compelled Prajadhipok's government to enact another law to restrict press freedom in 1927, decreeing that those who committed lèse-majesté would be condemned as enemies of

16464-502: The essence of Siamese nation, from British God, King, and Country . King Vajiravudh invented Thai elite nationalism that emphasized Siamese unified national identity under traditional social hierarchy. Seow Hutseng (蕭佛成), head of Siamese branch of Kuomintang , edited Chinosayam Warasap ("Sino–Siamese magazine") publications to propagate republican revolutionary ideas among the Chinese in Siam, who had numbered to 8.3 million people. The king adopted anti-Chinese stance and referred to them as

16632-600: The establishment of a British consulate in Bangkok. The Bowring Treaty was followed by similar ' unequal treaties ' with other Western nations including the United States ( Townsend Harris , May 1856), France ( Charles de Montigny , August 1856), Denmark (1858), Portugal (1858), the Netherlands (1860) and Prussia ( Eulenberg , 1861), all of which Prince Wongsa Dhiraj Snid , Mongkut's younger half-brother, and Chaophraya Sri Suriwongse (called ' Kalahom ' in Western sources) were

16800-494: The establishment of the Monthon system that replaced the traditional tributary network of semi-independent rulers with numerous levels of territory-based administrative units with a centrally-appointed commissioner in charge. Amidst these reforms, however, the French sent gunboats to threaten Bangkok in 1893, prompting Siam to cede all of Laos east of the Mekong to French Indochina. The treaty terms of October 1893 also established

16968-454: The existing benefits of the old nobility and put the king in political conflict with Si Suriyawong, who represented the conservative faction. Chulalongkorn exerted his legislative powers through the Council of State that passed many laws concerning tax reforms. Also in 1874, King Chulalongkorn made his first gradual step towards the abolition of slavery by decreeing that the redemption price of

17136-472: The expansion of export-oriented manufacturing led to growth of the financial market in Bangkok. Rapid growth of the city continued through the 1980s and early 1990s, until it was stalled by the 1997 Asian financial crisis . By then, many public and social issues had emerged, among them the strain on infrastructure reflected in the city's notorious traffic jams. Bangkok's role as the nation's political stage continues to be seen in strings of popular protests, from

17304-673: The fall of Ayutthaya in 1767, the Northern Malay states that used to pay bunga mas tributes to Siam were freed temporarily from Siamese domination. In 1786, after expelling Burmese invaders from Southern Siam , Prince Sura Singhanat declared that the Northern Malay sultanates should resume tributary obligations as it had during the Ayutthaya period. Kedah and Terengganu resolved to send tributes but Pattani refused. The Siamese prince then sent armies to sack Pattani in 1786, bringing Pattani into Siamese rule. The Malay states of Pattani, Kedah and Terengganu (including Kelantan , which

17472-557: The few functioning absolute monarchies in Asia. The British-educated new king Vajiravudh was an Edwardian gentleman. Vajiravudh created Suea Pa or Wild Tiger Corps in May 1911 as paramilitary force under his direct control. This alienated Vajiravudh from a group of mid-ranking military personnel who were offended by corporeal punishment of a military officer on Vajiravudh's orders some years prior. This group of junior military officers conspired

17640-468: The first Siamese monarch to travel aboard. Chulalongkorn formed the Young Siam Society, composing of liberal Westernizing young princes and noblemen who aimed at state financial reforms and the abolition of government-regulated manpower control for the development of the economy, people and the kingdom, and also to consolidate royal power through centralization. When King Chulalongkorn reached

17808-631: The fleet. However, the Siamese forces were defeated in the naval Battle of Vàm Nao and retreated. The Siamese defeat confirmed Vietnamese domination over Cambodia. Ming Mạng annexed Cambodia into Trấn Tây Province with Trương Minh Giảng as the governor. After the death of Ang Chan II, Minh Mạng also installed Ang Mey as puppet queen regnant of Cambodia. In 1840, the Cambodians arose in general rebellion against Vietnamese domination. Bodindecha marched Siamese armies to attack Pursat and Kampong Svay in 1841. The new Vietnamese Emperor Thiệu Trị ordered

17976-421: The following, "I myself know nothing at all about finances, and all I can do is listen to the opinions of others and choose the best... If I have made a mistake, I really deserve to be excused by the people of Siam." No previous monarch of Siam had ever spoken in such terms. Many interpreted the speech not as Prajadhipok apparently intended, namely as a frank appeal for understanding and cooperation. They saw it as

18144-520: The former capital of Ayutthaya, with the Grand Palace , Front Palace and royal temples by the river, next to the royal field (now Sanam Luang ). Continuing outwards were the royal court of justice, royal stables and military prison. Government offices were located within the Grand Palace, while residences of nobles were concentrated south of the palace walls. Settlements spread outwards from

18312-401: The fort on the west bank were also made. De la Mare had arrived with the French embassy of Chevalier de Chaumont , and remained in Siam along with Chevalier de Forbin , who had been appointed governor of Bangkok. The Bangkok garrison under Forbin consisted of Siamese, Portuguese, and French reportedly totalling about one thousand men. French control over the city was further consolidated when

18480-599: The frontier in 1885. Chaomuen Waiworanat (later Chaophraya Surasak Montri ) took a commanding position at Muang Xon to pacify Houaphanh and then proceed to Muang Thaeng in Sipsong Chuthai. However, Siamese forces faced resistance from Đèo Văn Trị , son of Đèo Văn Sinh the White Tai ruler of Muang Lay , who was closely allied with the Black Flags. These events coincided with the arrival of Auguste Pavie ,

18648-460: The government through connections with the king. Vajiravudh was a relatively liberal monarch as he allowed the public press to have opinions on him. During his reign, newspapers and magazines, in Siamese, English and Chinese languages, proliferated to discuss political ideologies of the time. Vajiravudh's reign was the age of popular press and saw the advent of Thai political journalism. Newspapers were direct and contemptuous towards government against

18816-676: The gunboat Lutin to Bangkok in March 1893 and pressed the Siamese government to relinquish all Lao lands on the left (east) bank of the Mekong River . When Siam did not comply, the French advanced their forces into Laos, resulting in the killing of French officer Grosgurin at the hands of Phra Yot Mueang Khwang ( พระยอดเมืองขวาง ) the Siamese governor of Khammouan in June 1893. The French parliament in Paris, dominated by colonialist sentiments, ordered strong military retaliation on Siam. Two more French gunboats, Inconstant and Comète , entered

18984-467: The image of his kingdom as civilized and Westernized not a candidate for colonization. Meanwhile, French exertion of authority over its 'French Asian subjects' in Siam, namely the Lao, Cambodian and Vietnamese, led to protracted unsettled negotiations and continuing French occupation of Chanthaburi. After 1893, several Siamese reforms accelerated. Gustave Rolin-Jaequemyns , the king's Belgian advisor, convinced

19152-530: The industry that rendered the traditional corvée system less useful and thus social changes were needed. The Bowring Treaty of 1855 marks the beginning of 'modern' Siam in most histories. However, these commercial concessions took a drastic effect on government revenues, which was sacrificed in the name of national security and trade liberalization. The government relied on the corrupt and ineffective Chinese tax collector system to generate and levy numerous new tax farms that would compensate revenue loss. The disarray of

19320-575: The kingdom needed reforms first. Chulalongkorn created modern Siamese absolute monarchy , in which the king, as an enlightened monarch , with a Europeanized kingship, exerted unlimited royal powers through a centralized bureaucracy. His reign also saw the emergence of commoner liberal figures, who had been imprisoned for their ideologies, including K.S.R. Kulap who coined the Siamese term Prachathippatai (Sanskrit prajā "people" and Pali ādhipateyya "sovereignty") for "democracy" in 1894 and Thianwan who radically proposed for representative government and

19488-471: The lineages of Vajiravudh's true brothers who shared the same mother Queen Saovabha, followed by the princes who were born to Chulalongkorn's two other main queens. Vajiravudh's fifth consort gave birth to a daughter two days before his death in November 1925, without leaving any male heirs. Prince Paribatra of Nakhon Sawan was the eldest surviving brother of Vajiravudh of the celestial Chaofa rank but he

19656-635: The main negotiators. King Mongkut also declared freedom of religion to his subjects in 1858. The Bowring Treaty had a great socioeconomic impact on Siam, the Siamese economy was neoliberalized; it began to transform from a self-subsistence to export-oriented economy and was incorporated into the world economy. The liberation of rice export, which had been previously restricted, led to rapid growth of rice plantations and production in Central Siam as rice arose to become Siam's top export commodity. The increased scale of production led to demands for manpower in

19824-404: The merger of these provinces and its local administrations, forming the current city of Bangkok which is officially known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) was created in 1975 to govern the city, and its governor has been elected since 1985. The spot on which the present capital stands, and the country in its vicinity, on both banks of the river for

19992-416: The modern Ministry of Finance that took over control of all revenues. However, the conservative faction won the day as King Chulalongkorn chose to stall further reforms for a decade to prevent political conflicts. The king realized that his old regent still held substantial powers and that he needed more political consolidation for reforms. Only after the death of Sri Suriwongse in 1883 that King Chulalongkorn

20160-461: The name speculates that it is shortened from Bang Makok ( บางมะกอก ), makok being the name of Spondias pinnata , a plant bearing olive-like fruit. This is supported by the fact that Wat Arun , a historic temple in the area, used to be named Wat Makok . Specific mention of the town was first made in the royal chronicles from the reign of King Maha Chakkraphat (1548–1568), giving its name as Thonburi Si Mahasamut ( ธนบุรีศรีมหาสมุทร ). Bangkok

20328-480: The nation. Academic teachings of economic principles were also banned. In 1932, with the country deep in depression, the Supreme Council opted to introduce cuts in spending, including the military budget. The king foresaw that these policies might create discontent, especially in the army, and he therefore convened a special meeting of officials to explain why the cuts were necessary. In his address he stated

20496-469: The negotiations soured. Siam sent troops to aid the British in Tenasserim in the First Anglo-Burmese War . However, a dispute prompted King Rama III to withdraw the Siamese armies from Burma. In 1825, the British sent another mission led by Henry Burney to Bangkok. The Anglo-Siamese Burney Treaty was signed in 1826, in which centuries-old royal Siamese monopoly over Western trades ended, this allowed

20664-433: The northern Malay states . The kingdom was founded by Rama I of the Chakri dynasty . The first half of this period was characterized by the consolidation of Siamese power in the center of Mainland Southeast Asia and was punctuated by contests and wars for regional supremacy with rival powers Burma and Vietnam . The second period was one of engagements with the colonial powers of Britain and France in which Siam remained

20832-408: The northern Siamese hinterlands. Siam responded to imperialist threats with centralization and internal restructuring that integrated tributary states into Siam proper, ending their autonomies. Lanna lords had benefitted from their traditional ownership of the vast northern teak forests and their sometimes-conflicting forestry patents granted to British loggers might provoke British intervention. Lanna

21000-509: The northernmost Tai princedoms: Keng Tung and Chianghung . Kawila of Chiang Mai sent forces to raid Keng Tung in 1802 and subjugated Mong Yawng , Mueang Luang Phukha, and Chiang Hung in 1805. In 1805, the Prince of Nan invaded the Tai Lue confederacy of Sipsongpanna and Chiang Hung surrendered. Prince Sura Singhanat died in 1803. King Rama I appointed his own son Prince Itsarasunthon as

21168-410: The only Southeast Asian state to maintain its independence. Internally the kingdom developed into a centralized, absolutist , nation state with borders defined by interactions with Western powers. The period was marked by the increased centralization of the monarch's powers, the abolition of labor control, the transition to an agrarian economy, the expansion of control over distant tributary states,

21336-417: The persistence of Lanna rulers, whose traditional privileges and powers were compromised by the reforms. King Chulalongkorn sent another Siamese expedition to subjugate the Haws at the Plain of Jars in 1884–1885 but the campaign was disastrous. The Siamese court then took a more serious approach on the Chinese insurgents. Freshly-modernized Siamese regiments were sent to suppress the Haws and to take control of

21504-463: The population lived by the river or the canals, often in floating houses on the water. Waterways served as the main method of transportation, and farming communities depended on them for irrigation. Outside the city walls, settlements sprawled along both river banks. Forced settlers, mostly captives of war, also formed several ethnic communities outside the city walls. Large numbers of Chinese immigrants continued to settle in Bangkok, especially during

21672-636: The powers of the old local lords. Integration of Lanna began in 1893 and it became a fully-fledged Monthon , Monthon Phayap, in 1899. The remaining Lao towns in Khorat Plateau west of the Mekong were organized into four Monthons . The Provincial Administration Act of 1897 defined the structure of the Monthon system. However, the centralization policies were not without resistance. Numerous tribal leaders in Isan who claimed supernatural powers arose during

21840-411: The regent during his absence. King Chulalongkorn died in October 1910. His son Vajiravudh ascended as new king Rama VI as the first Siamese king to be educated abroad. Western colonialist threats were technically over and Siam faced new challenges – movements towards constitutional monarchy and democracy. The Xinhai Revolution in 1911 overthrew the Chinese imperial Qing dynasty and left Siam as one of

22008-522: The reign of Ayutthayan king Chao Sam Phraya (1424–1448). The name also appears in the 1805 revised code of laws known as the Law of Three Seals . At the time, the Chao Phraya flowed through what are now the Bangkok Noi and Bangkok Yai canals, forming a large loop in which lay the town. In the reign of King Chairacha (either in 1538 or 1542), a waterway was excavated, bypassing the loop and shortening

22176-430: The right hand of the river, opposite to the capital, pass under the general name of Bang-kok. Thao Thep Krasattri and Thao Si Sunthon Khun Ying Chan, or Lady Chan, was born around 1735 and her younger sister Lady Muk was born around 1737 on Thalang ( Phuket ) Island during the reign of King Borommokot of Ayutthaya (r. 1733 – 1758). Their father was Chom Rang the local leader of Thalang Baan Khien. Their mother

22344-463: The roles and powers of the Bunnag family in Siamese foreign affairs during the mid-19th century. Chuang Bunnag, Prayurawong's son, became Chaophraya Sri Suriwongse . King Mongkut and Chaophraya Sri Suriwongse realized that, due to the geopolitical situation, Siam could stand no more against British demands for concessions. Sir John Bowring the Governor of Hong Kong , who was the representative of

22512-406: The route for ships sailing up to Ayutthaya. The flow of the river has since changed to follow the new waterway, dividing the town and making the western part an island. This geographical feature may have given the town the name Bang Ko ( บางเกาะ ), meaning 'island village', which later became Bangkok ( บางกอก , pronounced in Thai as [bāːŋ kɔ̀ːk] ). Another theory regarding the origin of

22680-609: The royal princes in their studies and to produce native officials to work in modernized Siamese government. This led to the formation of the Siamese educated middle class, consisting of the former lower nobility class and the assimilated Chinese immigrants. These new middle class people were exposed to modern education and the Western ideas of civilization and progress. King Vajiravudh spent a great amount of money on his many projects and personal expenditures, totaling nine million baht accounting for about ten percent of annual state budget. Siam's expanding bureaucracy and modernization required

22848-479: The second half of the 20th century, to become the primate city of Thailand. It was the centre of Siam's modernization in the late 19th century, subjected to Allied bombing during the Second World War , and has long been the modern nation's central political stage, with numerous uprisings and coups d'état having taken place on its streets throughout the years. It is not known exactly when the area which

23016-486: The south in 1839 coincided with the Kelantanese Civil War . Sultan Muhammad II of Kelantan had conflicts with his rival contender Tuan Besar and requested for military aid from Phraya Siphiphat. Siphiphat, however, posted himself as the negotiator and forced a peace agreement upon the warring Kelantanese factions. Tuan Besar rebelled again in 1840. Siam resolved to move Tuan Besar to somewhere else to placate

23184-406: The student uprisings in 1973 and 1976 , anti-military demonstrations in 1992 , and successive anti-government protests by the " Yellow Shirt " and " Red Shirt " movements from 2008 on. Administratively, eastern Bangkok and Thonburi had been established as separate provinces in 1915. (The province east of the river was named Phra Nakhon ( พระนคร .) A series of decrees in 1971–1972 resulted in

23352-517: The succeeding Prince of the Front Palace in 1806. King Rama I died in 1809 and Prince Itsarasunthon ascended the throne to become King Rama II . King Bodawpaya then took the opportunity to initiate the Burmese invasion of Thalang on the Andaman Coast. Meanwhile, the court in Bangkok sent armies to relieve Thalang but faced logistic difficulties and Thalang fell to the Burmese in 1810. However,

23520-401: The superintendent of the Andaman Coast and tin mining . Chao Phraya Surinthraracha brought the royal orders to reward Lady Chan and Lady Muk with the honorific title of Thao , as Thao Thep Krasattri and Thao Si Sunthon, for their contributions to the successful defence of Thalang against the Burmese invaders. Thongpun was made the new governor of Thalang, while Thien, son of Lady Chan,

23688-529: The taxation system to attain a more stringent revenue collection. Chulalongkorn underwent his second coronation in October 1873 to signify the assumption of the authorities but Si Suriyawong continued to hold de facto power. The king also appointed the Council of State in May 1874, composing of mid-ranking nobles from the Young Siam faction, and the 'Privy Council' in August 1874, composed exclusively of royal princes. Chulalongkorn's fiscal reforms conflicted with

23856-428: The threat of colonialism. King Mongkut (Rama IV, reigned 1851–1868) was open to Western ideas and knowledge, but was also forced to acknowledge their powers, with the signing of the Bowring Treaty in 1855. During his reign, industrialization began taking place in Bangkok, which saw the introduction of the steam engine, modern shipbuilding and the printing press. Influenced by the Western community, Charoen Krung Road ,

24024-438: The town gradually increased in importance, and after the fall of Ayutthaya King Taksin established his new capital of Thonburi there, on the river's west bank. King Phutthayotfa Chulalok , who succeeded Taksin, moved the capital to the eastern bank in 1782, to which the city dates its foundation under its current Thai name, "Krung Thep Maha Nakhon". Bangkok has since undergone tremendous changes, growing rapidly, especially in

24192-677: The vice-governor of Thalang. Francis Light , a British merchant, arrived to settle at Thalang in 1772 and became a close family friend to Lady Chan and Phra Phimol. In 1782, at the end of Thonburi Period , the new Bangkok court sent Phraya Thammatrailok as the new governor of Takua Pa and the surrounding vicinities. In 1785, during the Burmese–Siamese War of 1785–1786 or the Nine Armies' War, Phraya Thammatrailok ordered Lady Chan arrested for an unknown accusation for trial at Pak Phra . When Lady Chan had been taken to Pak Phra,

24360-933: The victory parade at Paris in July 1919. Siam's entry into the Allies side secured Siam a place in Versailles Peace Conference in 1919, becoming a founding member of the League of Nations in 1920. Through its proud participation in the World War I, Siam pushed for abrogation of the 'unequal treaties' with Western powers, previously made during the mid-nineteenth century that granted extraterritorial jurisdiction and low tariff imposition onto Westerners. These concessions had been compromising Siam's national sovereignty. American–Siamese Treaty of 1920 and Japan–Siam Treaty of 1924 served as prototypes for other renewed treaties with Western nations. King Vajiravudh commissioned Phraya Kanlayana Maitri Francis Bowes Sayre ,

24528-525: The war. Vajiravudh dispatched Siamese Expeditionary Forces of 1,284 volunteer men, under command of Phraya Phichaicharnrit , to join the Western front of World War I . To go to war, Siam required a modern flag. The elephant flag was difficult to print so Vajiravudh adopted the tricolor flag in September 1917 with its colors reflecting the state trinity. For the first time, Siam, as a nation, participated in military conflict of world stage by sending its army on

24696-626: Was Vajiravudh's half-brother, having a different mother. Per Vajiravudh's 1924 succession law, the Siamese throne would go to Vajiravudh's 32-year-old younger brother Prince Prajadhipok of Sukhothai. Prajadhipok had just returned from his military education in France and the United Kingdom when he learned of his unexpected succession to the royal throne in 1925. Prajadhipok was unprepared and openly stated his lack of experiences in government, requesting assistances from senior figures. This led to

24864-542: Was a Malay woman by the name of Masia. Masia, according to the Thalang Chronicles composed in 1914, claimed descent from "Marhum" or a Sultan of Kedah . Masia moved from Kedah to Thalang where she met Chom Rang the local leader and married him. Three daughters and two sons were born from the union including Lady Chan and Lady Muk. In the 18th century, there were two major settlements on Phuket Island; Thalang Baan Khien and Thalang Baan Don. Thalang Baan Khien

25032-653: Was able to assume his full powers and implement his reforms. When Prince Wichaichan died in 1885, Chulalongkorn abolished the centuries-old Office of Front Palace altogether in 1886 and appointed his own son Vajirunhis as a Western-style Crown Prince and heir apparent instead. After the defeat of the Taiping Rebellion in China in 1864, the remaining Chinese dissident forces entered Northern Vietnam in 1868, pillaging and occupying Tai princedoms of Sipsong Chuthai and Houaphanh that would normally send tributes to

25200-408: Was also marked by continued military campaigns, though the Burmese threat gradually declined afterwards. His successors consistently saw to the renovation of old temples, palaces, and monuments in the city. New canals were also built, gradually expanding the fledgling city as areas available for agriculture increased and new transport networks were created. At the time of the city's foundation, most of

25368-667: Was an author and theatrical actor. Vajiravudh experimented democracy with a mock-democracy miniature town called Dusit Thani , founded in July 1918, as a city with a constitution, mock election and model parliament and as a theatrical play. It was the time of press freedom compared to later periods of Thai history. After the Siam Electric tramline worker strike in 1922, the first labor struggle in Thai history, Vajiravudh decided to curb press freedom and restore order through his Publication Act of January 1923, making editors liable to lèse-majesté criminal offense. Vajiravudh's reign

25536-817: Was created, encircling the city in an area known as Rattanakosin Island . The erection of the city pillar on 21 April 1782 is regarded as the formal date of the city's establishment. (The year would later mark the start of the Rattanakosin Era after calendar reforms by King Rama V in 1888.) Rama I named the new city Krung Rattanakosin In Ayothaya ( กรุงรัตนโกสินทร์อินท์อโยธยา ). This was later modified by King Nangklao to be: Krungthepmahanakhon Bowonrattanakosin Mahintha-ayutthaya . While settlements on both banks were commonly called Bangkok, both

25704-412: Was decided that France returned Trat and Dansai to Siam in exchange for northwestern Cambodia including Battambang and Siemreap, which were ceded to French Indochina and the French also agreed to curtail exertion of jurisdiction over French Asian subjects in Siam. Lastly, Siam decided to relinquish the Northern Malay sultanates including Kedah , Kelantan , Terengganu and Perlis to British Malaya in

25872-404: Was delayed in Paris due to the prospect that France would accept Siamese claims over 'Siamese Laos'. Siam sent another mission to Paris to settle disputes. The treaty was finally ratified in Paris in July 1867, in which Siam officially ceded Cambodia but retained northwestern Cambodia including Battambang and Siem Reap, which would also later be ceded in 1907. Western imperialism introduced Siam to

26040-693: Was dominated by senior princes from his father's reign. With resignation of Prince Damrong from government in 1915 due to friction with the new king, Siamese administration took an overturn. Chaophraya Yommaraj Pan Sukhum replaced Prince Damrong as the king's most competent administrator. By 1915, the royal cabinet shifted from being dominated by senior princes to being filled with the king's inner circles. Peripheral Monthon provinces were rearranged and reorganized into larger Phak s or regions, each with Uparat or viceroy as superintendents. The king's favoritism allowed ordinary men of non-royal backgrounds, who were allowed more education and opportunities, to rise up

26208-517: Was eager to regain Burmese control over Lanna. The Burmese invaded Chiang Mai in 1797 and 1802, in both occasions Kawila defended the city and Prince Sura Singhanat marched north to relieve Chiang Mai. The Siamese and Lanna forces then proceeded to capture Chiang Saen , the stronghold of Burmese authority in Lanna, in 1804, eliminating Burmese influence in that region. Siamese victories over the Burmese in Lanna allowed Siam to expand domination north towards

26376-525: Was eventually captured and sent to Bangkok where he was imprisoned and died in 1829. Anouvong's rebellion worsened Siamese-Vietnamese relations. Lê Văn Duyệt died in 1832 and his posthumous punishments by Ming Mạng spurred the Lê Văn Khôi rebellion at Saigon in 1833. King Rama III took the opportunity to eliminate Vietnamese influence in the region. He assigned Chaophraya Bodindecha to lead armies on invading Cambodia and Saigon, while Chaophraya Phrakhlang led

26544-560: Was fruitful. Wichaichan was forced to accept humiliating terms of giving up his Vice-King position but retaining the Front Palace Office, a reduction of his manpower to 200 men and his virtual grounding inside the Front Palace. The aftermath of this crisis was a political triumph for Chulalongkorn and the waning of the Bunnag powers as Sri Suriwongse retired to his estate in Ratchaburi . In April 1875, Chulalongkorn created

26712-416: Was made Phraya Tukkaraj the vice-governor of Thalang. Lady Chan and her family struggled to earn a living through tin mining. Lady Prang, daughter of Lady Chan, wrote to Francis Light in 1788 that her family was in the hardships. Thongpun and Thien then engaged in political conflicts. Lady Chan and her family traveled to Bangkok in 1788, where her son Nien became a royal page and her daughter Thong became

26880-457: Was probably a colloquial name, albeit one widely adopted by foreign visitors. The importance of Bangkok increased with the amount of Ayutthaya's maritime trade. Dutch records noted that ships passing through Bangkok were required to declare their goods and number of passengers, as well as pay customs duties. Ships' cannons would be confiscated and held there before they were allowed to proceed upriver to Ayutthaya. An early English language account

27048-420: Was reached and the French were allowed to withdraw. The revolution resulted in Siam's ties with the West being virtually severed, steering its trade towards China and Japan. The eastern fort was subsequently demolished on Phetracha's orders. Ayutthaya was razed by the Burmese in 1767. In the following months, multiple factions competed for control of the kingdom's lands. Of these, Phraya Tak, governor of Tak and

27216-530: Was relatively liberal and creative yet restrictive to any realistic profound changes. Still, King Vajiravudh was committed to absolute monarchy and denied Western liberal ideologies on the grounds that Siam had its own unique traditional principles based on Buddhism. In his speech to the Wild Tiger Corps, King Vajiravudh instituted the sacred inseparable trinity of Chat (Nation), Satsana (Buddhist Religion), and Phra Maha Kasat (Monarchy), which were

27384-647: Was revived and evolved into the Volunteer Defense Corps , alternatively called the Village Scouts. ( Thai : ลูกเสือบ้าน ) The junior branch of Suea Pa or the Tiger Corps survived in modern Thailand as National Scout Organization . Unlike his father Chulalongkorn, who filled the cabinet with senior royal princes, Vajiravudh preferred his personal favorites, who were mostly princes of younger generation. Initially, Vajiravudh's government

27552-456: Was ruled by Chom Rang and Thalang Baan Don was ruled by Chom Thau. Chom Rang and Chom Thau were half-brothers who shared the same father but different mothers. Lady Chan first married to Muen Si Phakdi, a minor local official. With him she had a daughter, Lady Prang, and a son, Thien. After Meun Si Phakdi had died, Lady Chan was remarried to Phra Phimol, the governor of Kraburi . With him she had another three daughters and two sons. After

27720-425: Was set upon modernizing the country. He engaged in wide-ranging reforms, abolishing slavery, corvée (unfree labour) and the feudal system, and creating a centralized bureaucracy and a professional army. The Western concept of nationhood was adopted, and national borders demarcated against British and French territories. Disputes with the French resulted in the Paknam Incident in 1893, when the French sent gunboats up

27888-539: Was succeeded by his son Ang Chan II who became pro-Vietnamese. While the pro-Siamese Prince Ang Sngoun, younger brother of Ang Chan II, decided to rebel against his brother in 1811. The Siamese forces marched from Battambang to Oudong . The panicked King Ang Chan II fled to take refuge at Saigon under the protection of Vietnam. Siamese forces sacked Oudong and returned. Lê Văn Duyệt brought Ang Chan II back to Phnom Penh to rule under Vietnamese influence. King Anouvong of Vientiane rebelled against Siam in 1827. He led

28056-411: Was the first target of reforms as it stood at the frontline of a possible British incursion. Anglo-Siamese Treaty of Chiangmai in 1883 urged Bangkok to tighten its control over Lanna. King Chulalongkorn sent a royal commissioner to Chiang Mai in 1883 to initiate reforms. Central-Siamese-style governance and stringent taxation were imposed. Reforms were promising at first but gradually dwindled away due to

28224-507: Was then part of Terengganu) came under Siamese suzerainty as tributary states . Pattani rebelled in 1789–1791 and 1808. Siam ended up dividing Pattani into seven distinct townships to rule. Kelantan was separated from Terengganu in 1814. In 1821, Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin Halim Shah II (known in Thai sources as Tuanku Pangeran) of Kedah was found forging an alliance with Burma – Siam's longtime rival. Siamese forces under Phraya Nakhon Noi

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