Thai Beaches

Golden Triangle

Bangkok

Ayutthaya Period.  Capital,  55 kms north of present day Bangkok.

Spain signed a treaty of friendship and commerce with Siam. This was the second treaty which Siam made with a European country.  The terms of the treaty were similar to those in the Portuguese treaty of 1516.

In 1601 the Dutch ( Netherlands ) received permission to build a trading station in southern Thailand. Three years later, in 1604, they proceeded to Ayutthaya where their arrival was marked by an audience which King Naresuan granted to their chief negotiator.

Both Kong Ekatotsarot and King Songtham exchanged ambassadors with Japan, the Shogun of Tokugawa

The Dutch adopted a war like policy towards the Thais. In typical imperialist fashion,  they were not satisfied with the fair trade treaties they negotiated, in good faith, with King Naresuan.

First they pirated a Thai merchant vessel, then some Dutch warships blockaded the mouth of the Chao Praya river, thus forcing Siam to sign another treaty, whereby the Dutch obtained a monopoly on the export of deer and cow hides.

The French appeared on the scene of Thai history in the reign of King Narai(1657-1688) Siam and France exchanged embassies.

In 1685, Louis XIV dispatched Chevalier de Chaumont as the first French ambassador to Ayutthaya, to be followed b y a second ambassador accompanied by 1400 French soldiers and 300 skilled workmen in 1687.

King Narai  turned to the French in order to counterbalance the Dutch. He succeeded in signing a new treaty with the Dutch that contained the same terms as those found in the treaty of 1617.

Expelled the French soldiers from the country, after the Dutch renegotiated.

Rama III sent an army into Cambodia with a mission to clear it of the Annamese ( Vietnam ) troops, thus causing a Thai-Vietnam war to break out in . The war dragged on for fourteen years and eventually both sides made peace.

Cambodia had in the meantime become submissive to Siam again, due to the installation of a pro-Thai prince on the Cambodian ( Khmer ) throne. Nevertheless the Cambodian King continued to present tribute to the Annamese ( Vietnam ) Emperor, and this was to complicate the relationship between Siam and Cambodia when France embarked on an imperialist policy in Vietnam in the middle of the nineteenth century.

In order to maintain her independence, Siam during the reign of King Rama V had to cede to France considerable territory to satisfy the French King's desire to dominate Indo China. On 4 separate occasions France demanded & received territory from Thailand.

King Rama V, Chulalongkorn, was the first Thai monarch to visit Europe, for the first time in 1897 and again in 1907. The visits were primarily intended to promote friendly relations with the European countries and stop the European imperial colonization of Indo China.

In 1940Thailand makes a demand for the return of some territories from French Indo-China.

The French authorities rejected it and fighting broke out. Finally the dispute between Thailand and French Indo-China was settled with the assistance of Japan, which acted as mediator. In May 1941, the Tokyo Convention was signed, returning to Thailand some territories, namely, Battambong, Siamrap, Champasak and Lanchang.

Thailand declared war on the Allies under the Government of Phibul Songkhram, he sent Seni Pramoj to hand the declaration to Hull.  Seni went to the office and said that he had something to give Mr Hull from his Government that he didn't want to give, Mr. Hull said then don't give it. Therefore it is considered by some that Thailand was neutral during the war.

Much of the construction boom of the early 1990s remains vacant & unfinished.