Thai Royalty: King Chulalongkorn (1886-1910)


Figure 1.-Here the King of Siam, King Chulalongkorn, visit the Danish Court, we think in 1906-07. The lady seems to be Crown Princess Alexandrine and her two son the future Frederick IX and Prince Knud, but we are not positive. We are not sure who the girl is as the princes did not have a sister. The man in the top hat is King Chulalongkorn. The man to the right of the Crown Princess may be Prince Prajadhipok. We are not sure who the younger boy is, perhaps a granbdson. We believe the King was traveling to Europe for medical treatment.

The famous king in Anna and the King of Siam/'The King and I' was King Chulalongkorn (Rama V). Chulalongkorn took many steps to modernize the country and prevent seizure by the European colonial powers just as portrayed in the book. Thialand (then called Siam) was located between British Burma to the west and Frech Indochina to the east. Thailand was the last bit of southeast Asia to remain independent at the heighth of the colonial era. Prince Chulalongkorn (Phra Chulachom Klao Chaoyuhua) was born (1853). He was the first son of Queen Ramphai Pamarapirom (Thepsirindra) and the ninth surviving son of King Mongkut (Phra Chom Klao). Prince Chulalongkorn ascended the throne as Rama V (1868). He was only 15 years old. Chao Phraya Sri Suriyawongse served as Regent. King Rama V proved to be one of Thiland's longest reining (42 years) and most important monarchs. The King oversaw a series of reforms that brought his country into the modern world and was able to forstall European colonian intervention. He sought to cooperate with the major European colonial powers (Britain, France, and Russia) as well as America. He sent the royal princes (I'm less sure about the princesses) to be educated in the West, the first Siamese king to do so. He saw the advisability of learning from the West as a way of preventing Western domination. He was the first Siamese monarch to travel widely, not only to neighboring countries, but to Europe. King Chulalongkorn pursued reforms that reached deeply into Siam national life. He remained an absolute monarch, but pursued a range of progressive reforms. Some of the most important reforms were: abolishing slavery, modernizing transport and communications (railways, post, and telegrams), set up public utilities including public helth works, and establishing an educationsl system. The King also made a range of governmental reforms, including setting up a Western-style cabinet and ministerial system (1892). The King conducted a carefully conceived foreign policy, in particular playing the British and French off each other. France seized land claimed by Siam when it created Indochina, but the King suceeded in maintaining the country's independence.

Anna and thev King of Siam

>p> The famous king in Anna and the King of Siam/'The King and I' was King Chulalongkorn (Rama V). Chulalongkorn took many steps to modernize the country and prevent seizure by the European colonial powers just as portrayed in the book.

Geopolitical Setting

Thialand (then called Siam) was located between British Burma to the west and Frech Indochina to the east. Thailand was the last bit of southeast Asia to remain independent at the heighth of the colonial era. Prince Chulalongkorn (Phra Chulachom Klao Chaoyuhua) was born (1853).

Parents

He was the first son of Queen Ramphai Pamarapirom (Thepsirindra) and the ninth surviving son of King Mongkut (Phra Chom Klao).

Childhood


Teenage King

Prince Chulalongkorn ascended the throne as Rama V (1868). He was only 15 years old. Chao Phraya Sri Suriyawongse served as Regent.

Reign

King Rama V proved to be one of Thiland's longest reining (42 years) and most important monarchs. The King oversaw a series of reforms that brought his country into the modern world and was able to forstall European colonian intervention. He sought to cooperate with the major European colonial powers (Britain, France, and Russia) as well as America. He sent the royal princes (I'm less sure about the princesses) to be educated in the West, the first Siamese king to do so. He saw the advisability of learning from the West as a way of preventing Western domination. He was the first Siamese monarch to travel widely, not only to neighboring countries, but to Europe. King Chulalongkorn pursued reforms that reached deeply into Siam national life. He remained an absolute monarch, but pursued a range of progressive reforms. Some of the most important reforms were: abolishing slavery, modernizing transport and communications (railways, post, and telegrams), set up public utilities including public helth works, and establishing an educationsl system. The King also made a range of governmental reforms, including setting up a Western-style cabinet and ministerial system (1892). He was known for traveling extensively throughout Siam to personally investigate reports he received and to learn about his subjects and living conditions. This became known as the 'Prapasstion'.

Human Rights

King Chulalongkorn took go steps relsted to civil rights at the beginning nd end of his reign. He decided as a young men that he wanted he wanted individual ties to be less subservient. Thus after his corontion he broke from tradfition. He proclaimed that prostration in front of the king at court and other places was bolished (1873). Then near the end of his reign, he abolished slavery (1905). We do not at tyhis time have much information as to just how extensive slavery was in Siam nd who was inslaved. Abolition is generally seen as the most important royal act. The Slave Act was passed prohibit the slave-trade (1905).

Foreign Policy

The King conducted a carefully conceived foreign policy, in particular playing the British and French off each other. France seized land claimed by Siam when it created Indochina, but the King suceeded in maintaining the country's independence.

Wives


Children


Travel

He was the first Siamese monarch to travel widely, not only to neighboring countries, but to Europe. King Chulalongkorn visited Europe two times, in 1897 and 1907. (Another source says the second trip was in 1906.) The second trip was to treat his kidney disease. We also notice ca reference to lung illness. Here we see a photigraph from the second trio while in Denmark (figure 1).








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Created: 3:34 AM 9/27/2011
Last updated: 3:34 AM 9/27/2011