Today marks the 105th anniversary of the passing of Rama V. He is regarded by many to be the greatest King of Thailand.
Departing this world on October 23rd 1910, he left behind him a legacy of change.
Every year the Thai nation respectfully remembers Rama V on this special day in October.
Over a reign of forty two years Chulalongkorn, as was his birth name, brought about monumental changes to many aspects of the Siam nation.
Such was the respect for this king that during his lifetime he earned the names “The Buddha king” and ” The Great Beloved King”.
At just fifteen years old he unexpectedly came to the throne. While on a trip to Hua Hin with his father, King Mongkut, they both caught malaria. His father died of the disease. Chulalongkorn survived and became king on the 11th of November 1868.
As he was only fifteen, despite actually being king, a temporary regent was put in his place for five years. King Mongkut, Chulalongkorn’s father, had been a very well educated man.
King Mongkut had plans for the future of Siam that he had previously informed his highly intelligent and also well educated son all about. Chulalongkorn took his father to his word and set about changing Siam as best he could.
During the five years while he was unable to act as king, he used the time wisely. He visited many western countries especially those that had been colonised by Britain. Singapore, Java and British India took up much of his time.
His aim on those trips was to learn about systems of governments, education and technology. Making political allies was also high on the agenda.
Although he wanted to see a more western style of governance and trade for his country, he had no wish for Siam to be colonised. Making friends in high places was to prove be a good idea.
After returning he was crowned again and this time took full power in 1873. His first act of reform was to try and change the taxation system.
Tax was at that point, rather than being paid direct to central government, paid to governors of different regions of Siam. Chulalongkorn felt that those governors of provinces were self serving and not paying enough to the crown.
They were essentially the “Robber Baron’s” of Siam. In trying to take their powers of taxation away, resistance was of course met. Chulalongkorn realised he would have to do this by stealth.
He set about marrying the daughters of those barons making the barons look special in the eyes of the nation and also making them part of the royal family.
Through the back door he then slowly took away their power of taxation so that it came directly to the crown.
With the extra funds now available Chulalongkorn was able to make many positive changes to the country.
The first hospitals, schools, a modernized army, a railway and Siam’s first electrical power plant in 1901 were all implemented.
Also famed for avoiding British and French colonisation through extreme political tact, Chulalongkorn had a few tricks up his sleeve.
Rather than resist the British when they were near his country, he helped feed the British troops when they were in Burma.
A strong ally was hence consolidated.. In his previous trips to Europe and colonial countries he had already made many friends in the right places. This act of helping the British troops added to their relationship.
Thankfully his father had also laid some foundations with the British by signing the Bowring treaty in 1854 which allowed freer trade between England and Siam.
At one point however, Chulalongkorn cleverly avoided giving too much to British business.
An offer was placed on the table by queen Victoria for the British India Company to build a railway in Siam and to loan money for the project.
Fearing that allowing one country to take control of the entire project may allow them leverage over Siam, the King politely refused. He then set about tendering the project to many different European countries.
He picked the best parts from different countries and so used a consortium to complete the project. In this way no one country had any significant hold over Siam. And so, the first Railway of Siam was built going from Bangkok to Korat.
Further adding to his legacy, Chulalongkorn fought off a Chinese insurgency. With his new modernized army in 1885 he managed to expel “Heo” groups from the country who had been causing problems for many years.
Attempting some more political reform, based on the British model that he had witnessed on his travels, he brought in a Privy council. The idea being to have body of people who could veto any bad decisions he may make.
However, as they were still in total respect of the king they just agreed with anything he said. It was none the less a valiant attempt at taking some of his own total power away.
During his term, Chulalongkorn also made many changes to workers rights. Slavery was rife when he first came to power. As much as 30% of the Siam population were thought to be slaves to noblemen.
Noblemen would lend money to people of poor means and place such high interest on the debt that they were trapped in slavery for the rest of their lives.
With the Employment act of 1900, “the Great Beloved King” put a ceiling on the terms of the debt, meaning people could work their way to freedom much more quickly.
All forms of slavery were finally abolished in 1905 with the Slave Abolition Act.
Next on the list was law and court trials. Previously the means of interrogation during trials had been rather barbaric. Trial by ordeal was the normal course of events.
The “Buddha king” put an end to this practice and attempted to implement a fairer from of legal process.
He was also a champion of free speech and allowed works to be published of authors who had beforehand been jailed for their criticism of the state.
In a sense “The Buddha King” was paving the way for the democracy and free speech that he had seen on his travels to other countries, very much as his father had wished.
Chulalongkorn was managing to put through changes that his father had failed to do. Specifically the taxation and workers rights reforms.
The greatest resistance the the “Great Beloved King” had to his reforms was bringing all territories under one roof. Siam was split into territories which were, although not meant to be, ruled almost autonomously in their own right.
In trying to bring Siam under one rule he encountered a number of rebellions in1901 and 1902. By the end of 1902 those rebellions had been crushed and city rulers placed in jail. Siam was finally now one.
During his ruling period, wishing to strengthen and consolidate his power, Chulalongkorn had fathered 77 children from a consort of 91 women.
All of the children were sent to England for education and where possible took places in high office. Thus assuring both loyalty and the continuation of his progressive policies.
In one final act not long before his death the Anglo Siamese Treaty of 1909 was signed allowing the British to construct railways in southern Siam.
This time he felt that as he had reformed much of Siam, allowing Britain to construct a railway would not be a threat.
So through Chulalongkorn’s reign slavery had been abolished, hospitals, schools and courts had been established. A modernized army was now in place. The start of a railway infrastructure and power plants were emerging.
Rebellions had been quashed and foreign imperialism had also been resisted. The path to democracy was also well and truly laid.
Chulalongkorn had rightfully earned his name. “The Great Beloved King”.