Siam in Europe

A Brief 'Must-Read' Story from the Nation newspaper.
"Tracing the Siamese king's journeys into the heart of Europe provides us with a glimpse of how he manoeuvred to steer Siam from European colonialism and how he (King Chulalongkorn) used his first-hand knowledge gained in Europe to modernise his own country."

King Chulalongkorn, who passed away on November 23, 1910, came to the throne in the midst of this profound political change in the region. His father, King Mongkut, had already had a hard time dealing with foreign pressure, and it was during King Chulalongkorn's reign that Siam had to walk a fine line. To remain independent, Siam had to cede territories and judicial rights, as well as pay monetary fines.... Read full story at The Nation