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

After King Prajatibok's ascension to the throne, in 1926-1928, the threats
that France and England posed were not over. France was not going to tolerate
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it if Siam built up a stronger Army right next to French Indochina. At the
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beginning of the 1930s, the danger coming from Britain was still present as well,
according to a report by the Italian envoy in Bangkok, Goffredo Bovo. Rumours
were circulated about plans by the newly assembled British colonial army at the
military base in Singapore to attack Siam. There were confrontations between
five Japanese and eighteen British submarines near Malacca. Siam bought
ammunition from Belgium in 1933. Siam bought ammunition from Belgium
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in 1933 and, after 1934, more torpedo boats and ammunition from Italy, to
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modernize the Navy and Army. Those incidents might help explain why Siam
sought a new friendship with Japan in the 1930s. King Prajatibok and Queen
Rambai Barni visited Japan on the way to the United States in 1931.

Another interesting facet related to the British stance is the telegram by
the British court to greet King Prajatibok at the Hotel d'Angleterre in Denmark,
which came together with the telegram from the Danish royals from Jylland 33
and was allegedly sent after the British Foreign Office had learned about the
great welcomes for Their Majesties in Italy and Denmark. The British government
even wrote to the Hungarian government that the King of Siam should be
received with all honours.
34

A German newspaper from 8 November 1927. Politisches Archiv des Auswärtigen Amtes, Berlin.
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R 86031. The name of the newspaper is not visible. See also the report by the German envoy in
Bangkok, Dr. Asmis (19 pages) to Berlin on the behaviour of Britain and the new British envoy
in Bangkok and the British governour in Singapore, Politisches Archiv des Auswärtigen Amtes,
Berlin, R 86031, Dr. Asmis points to the previous report No. 380, 27 February 1928
Bernard Fernand, “Le nouveau traité franco-siamois” Revue du Pacifique.t.2, N 7, juillet 1925,
30 O
713-724. DOCUMENTS IMPRIMéS. In: Research study of the project by the Research Institute for
French-Thai Studies, (footnote 2), 152-153
Archive of the Foreign Ministry, Brussels, Belgium, letter from the Belgian Embassy in Bangkok,
31
No. 376/229, 14 December 1933
Archive of the Foreign Ministry, Rome, Italy. In: Report by the Italian envoy Bovo from Bangkok,
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27 March 1934, No. 246/68 Pos. A.I./VII (12 year of Fascism), 7 pages
th
33 Report from a Danish newspaper (name unknown), press bureau, document of the Foreign
Ministry, Copenhagen, Denmark. When Their Majesties of Siam arrived, the King and Queen
of Denmark were still in Jylland.
34 Politisches Archiv des Auswärtigen Amtes, Berlin, R 86066, letter of German envoy in Budapest,
Hungary, 13. August 1934

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Pornsan Watanangura

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