 King Phra
Chula Chomklao Chaoyuhua was the eldest son of King Rama IV and Queen
Dhepsirintaramat and loved by them both. He was born in Bangkok on September
20, 1853. He was nicknamed "Phaw Yai" (Big Daddy) by his father.
King Chula Chomklao, popularly known as Chulalongkorn the Great was the
fifth King of the Chakri Dynasty. He ascended the throne on October 1, 1868
and died on October 23, 1910 after ruling the country for 42 years and 23
days. The first few years of his reign were under a regency. King
Chulalongkorn is perhaps the most revered of all the Chakri kings. During
his long reign, Thailand prospered in all respects to a point that European
countries found it impossible to colonize it while neighboring countries
fell under foreign domination. King Chulalongkorn's foreign policy was to
preserve Thai independence at all costs that he once ceded 120,000 square
kilometers of undefendable Thai territory in the south to the British and in
the north and northeast to the French. These two superpowers, however,
realized the importance of an independent Thailand serving as a buffer state
between the colonies and so withdrew. His many undertakings also showed
clearly that he wanted the country to be governed under a democratic system
even though he himself was an absolute monarch.
The king actively pursued a policy of “modernizing” the country and had a
number of Europeans in his service to oversee such projects as the building
of the first railway in Thailand. He himself made two visits to Europe, one
in 1897 and another in 1907, during which he became acquainted with most of
the rulers of Europe. Bonds of friendship between himself and the various
European royal families were formed-which exist to the present day. Not only
was he the first Thai king to travel abroad (he made several visits to the
Straits Settlements, the Malay States and the Dutch East Indies) but he also
sent his sons to study in Europe. He successfully managed to cultivate the
idea of Siam as a buffer state between the colonial possessions of the
European powers in South-East Asia. The price he paid of losing certain
border territories was amply rewarded, for Siam was never colonized-the only
country in the region to maintain its sovereignty throughout the period of
colonial expansionism.
On October 23 of every year, a national holiday, people from all walks of
life pay homage to this great king by laying wreaths at his Equestrian
Statue setting up at the Royal Plaza.
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