Abstract
This is the first in a series of articles titled “‘The Chakri Reformation’ of Siam.“ The aim of the series is to analyze the inherent logic of the political modernization of Siam, which was initiated and pursued under the royal leadership of the Chakri dynasty in response to Western impact from the mid-nineteenth century.
This first article aims to clarify the crucial role played by King Rama IV, who was enthroned in 1851 and, by his decision to enter into Bowring Treaty with the Great Britain in 1855, opened up Siam for a new era of modernization. The point of argument here is that Rama IV did not so much contribute to the modernization of Siamese society, as is often said, but rather tended to meet the threat of Western impact by applying traditional patterns of royal leadership and elements of his own culture. Therefore, under Rama IV, a systematic framework of policies for modernization was hardly formed.
The primary sources here employed are the royal decrees, proclamations and the like issued by King Rama IV during his reign (1851-1868), which are all collected in Prachum kotmaai pracham-sok (collection of Siamese Laws on an annual basis). King Rama IV promulgated a total of 372 legal documents, mostly royal decrees. This article seeks to verify the king's essentially conservative orientation through extensive analysis of all the 372 decrees.
