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The International Journal of the Royal Society of Thailand
Volume XII, 2020

King Prajatibok and King of Denmark, Christian X. of
Denmark (Archive of the Foreign Ministry,
Pressbureau, Copenhagen, Denmark)

Great Britain
The diplomatic friendship between Siam and Britain began with Rama IV

(King Mongkut). In 1897, King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) met Queen Victoria at
a reception at Her Majesty Summer palace, Osborne House on the Isle of
Wight, during His Majesty's first tour of Europe. The political relations between
Siam and Britain, or between the Siamese and British royals, remained distanced.
This was partly due to colonial policy of the rivals Britain and France, which
competed for Siam. Despite its distanced attitude towards Siam, Britain as a
global superpower at the time, had a good reputation in Siam, since many
members of the Siamese royal family and high-ranking civil servants had
received their education in the United Kingdom. King Vajiravudh's (Rama VI)
declaration of war against Germany to support the Allies was unambiguous.
Both King Vajiravudh (Rama VI) and King Prajatibok (Rama VII) studied in
England. There were cultural reasons as well. King Prajatibok chose the London
Clinic for his operation primarily due to his trust in Britain. His Majesty clearly
stated his refusal to be treated by French doctors.
28

Archive of the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangkok,7.3.3/12, Memorandum of H.S.H
28
Prince Amoratadt, Siam Minister in Paris, from 5 July 1933

34 A Modern Siam with Constitutional Monarchy - King Prajatibok, The Siamese
“Honourary Diplomat” in Europe 1934

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