The phrase "country of Siam" for a person unfamiliar with the history of Southeast Asia, it seems something fabulous and never really existed. Meanwhile, at one time it was a powerful state that kept neighbors at bay, and today it is one of the most popular holiday destinations for Russian tourists.
Early story
Artifacts found during archaeological excavations prove that these lands were inhabited by plowmen who used bronze tools at least 3,500 years ago. By the beginning of our era, several principalities had already formed there. Their inhabitants were speakers of Mon-Khmer languages. Some of them adopted Buddhism in the 6th century, and the inhabitants of Cambodia professed Hinduism.
In the 9th century, Thais entered the territory of Siam from North Vietnam, which eventually settled over significant territories in East Asia.
In the Middle Ages
In the 13th century, Thais were able to unite and create an independent state of Sukhothai. Its heyday fell on the era of the reign of King Ramkhamheng, who in a short time turned his country into one of the most powerful powers of the then Southeast Asia. In particular, he expanded the boundaries of Sukhothai and, by the end of his reign, ordered a stone-cut list of his achievements. After the death of Ramkhamheng, the state lasted about a century.
Kingdom of Ayutthaya
In the 14th century, Sukhothai was absorbed in its southern neighbor. The state of Ayutthaya was founded by Rama the First, who declared himself a god. Its capital was such a large city that it could compete with many European capitals of that time. It was the Thais living in its composition who first began to use the word "Siamese" for their designation.
Siam country
In 1569, Ayutthaya was occupied by Burmese troops. However, his people were able to unite and expel the enemy. At the same time, Ayutthaya merged with the state of Chiang Mai. As a result, the kingdom of Siam appeared.
Over the course of four centuries, many architectural monuments were created there, as well as other works of tangible and intangible culture.
The formation of the ruling Chakri dynasty
In 1767, the forces of Burma again invaded Siam (which country is described in the article). The struggle for the liberation of the country was led by General Tak Sin, who managed to expel the invaders and put on the throne his closest ally Pya Chakri. It was the latter who became the founder of the dynasty, which to this day rules the Kingdom of Thailand.
Relations with Europeans
The ambassadors of the king of Spain arrived in Ayutthaya back in the late 16th century. However, European merchants repeatedly sailed there before them. The rulers of Siam understood the benefits of building relationships with overseas guests. That is why in 1608 they sent ambassadors to the Netherlands to conclude peace and trade treaties. Soon Siam (which country is now described below) became known in the Old World as a promising place for establishing commercial relations, and there appeared an English trading post and a Dutch sales office.
The wise foreign policy of the Thai kings became the reason that their country escaped colonization and became a kind of free zone between the overseas possessions of large European states.
In the 19th century
In order not to lose its independence in the future, the country of Siam in 1828 signed an agreement with the British Empire. According to this document, the British were allowed to conduct duty-free trade in local ports, and all the crimes of the subjects of Her Majesty Queen Victoria had to be investigated by British judges. A little later, a similar agreement was concluded with the United States.
In 1851, Rama the Fourth ascended the throne. He received an excellent education, including studying the achievements of Western science, and did much to modernize Siam. Under him, a number of radical reforms were carried out. The main ones were the abolition of slavery, the creation of a European-style court system and the beginning of the construction of railways. So it was under Rama the Fourth that the course was laid to overcome medieval ignorance, in which Siam had previously been.
History of the country under King Chulalunkorne (Rama Fifth)
This monarch, who inherited his throne after the father of Rama the Fourth, continued his course on the reforms that his father began. Under him, the country of Siam began to be ruled by the State Council, 12 ministries appeared, paper money went into circulation and public schools opened. However, his attempts to show greater independence in foreign policy were unsuccessful and almost led to a confrontation with France. Nevertheless, in 1898, the European powers reaffirmed on paper their intention not to encroach on the sovereignty of Siam.
Chulalunkorn sought in every possible way to strengthen ties with the monarchs and governments of the Old World. He often traveled abroad. There, he was not treated like a god, as was customary in his homeland, and he was happy to answer questions about what Siam is (this is what country, what kind of people live there, etc.).
History of the state in the first half of the 20th century
Despite all the efforts of King Chulalunkorn, under him his camp lost many of its territories. In 1910, after his death, the son of the monarch Rama the Sixth ascended the throne. He was an ardent Anglophile and proud of the rank of Army General of the British Empire. Under him, the country entered the First World War on the side of the Entente. Although an expeditionary force was sent to Europe, he never took part in the battles.
King Rama Six died at the age of 44. His son at that time was several months old, so the king’s brother was on the throne.
Revolution
The reign of Rama the Seventh, who accidentally appeared on the throne, was not marked by anything special. Moreover, he did not notice that anti-monarchical sentiments were forming in the country, which led to a bloodless revolution that erupted in 1932.
The coup was initiated by the secret organization People’s Party. Its members, mainly Thais, educated in Europe, took advantage of the fact that the king was in a suburban residence in Hua Hin, and seized power in Bangkok. They were held hostage by 40 representatives of the royal family, as well as several ministers and generals. The king had no choice but to accept the terms of the "People’s Party", according to which he would henceforth rule, according to the constitution, written by representatives of this organization.
Rename
In 1939 there was an event due to which today you can hear the question: "What country was called Siam?" In an effort to create a new state, the revolutionaries demanded the renaming of the kingdom. Their main argument was that the word "Siam" was alien to the Thais. As options for a new name, Mueng Thai and Pratet Thai were proposed. Subsequently, the phrase “Kingdom of Thailand” was still more harmonious.
Modernity
Today, Thailand is a state whose form of government is a constitutional monarchy. At the moment, the country is experiencing rapid economic growth. Important articles of the economy are agriculture and tourism. The country provides itself with natural gas, which is considered the main source of electricity. In addition, Thailand is one of the world's largest exporters of seafood and rubber.
Now you know which country used to be called Siam. In addition, you know some of the details of her story, so you will listen with great interest to the stories of the guides during a trip to Thailand.