Directory_and_Chronicle_1907 — Page 1263

SIAM

The kingdom of Siam, of which Bangkok is the capital, extends from the latitude of about 20 deg. north to the Gulf called after itself. It is bounded on the west by Burmah and the Bay of Bengal, and on the east by the Mekong and the French protectorates of Luang Prabang and Cambodia. Formerly the Lai Mountains were claimed as the eastern boundary, but in 1893 the French pressed the claims of Annam to the territory between the mountains and the river and the Siamese were compelled to retire. The most important part of the kingdom lies in the valley of the Menam, the country of the true Siamese. The boundaries of Siam on the Bay of Bengal reach from Burmah in a southerly line to the boundary between Perak and Quedah in the Malayan Peninsula in the latitude of 5 deg. south. The island of Junck Salong, containing enormous deposits of tin ore, is included in the territories of Siam. The boundary line runs nearly east from Perak across the Peninsula in about the same latitude between the provinces of Tringanu and Pahang to the China Sea, thence north to the head of the Gulf of Siam. The boundary between the Siamese States and those of Federated Malaya was delimitated in 1900 in accordance with a Treaty signed at Bangkok by the Siamese Foreign Minister and the British Minister Resident, in November, 1899. That Treaty settled the old dispute about the boundary of the Siamese State of Raman by a compromise, Britain getting about half the territory she had claimed on behalf of Perak. The kingdom also comprises the greater part of the ancient domain of Lao and the rich and valuable possession of Battambong, once a part of the kingdom of Cambodia. The various dependencies and outskirts are peopled by a variety of races, some sui generis, others illustrating every form and shade of the transition between the original race and the Annamites on the east, and the Malays and Burmese on the south and west. The former capital of Siam was Ayuthia, situated on the Menam river (literally the "Mother of Waters"), about 90 miles from its mouth. In 1767 a series of bloody and desperate combats between the Siamese and the Burmese culminated in the capture and destruction of that city by the victorious Burmese general and the consequent exodus of the conquered. They moved down the river about 60 miles, and there founded the present populous and flourishing city of Bangkok. The chief of the Siamese Army rallied the scattered troops, and, building a walled city at Toutaboree, declared himself King under the title Pya Tak. In 1782 Pya Tak became insane, and the kingdon passed to his most distinguished general, named Chao P'ya Chakkri, who founded the present dynasty, of which His Majesty the present King (the 40th reigning monarch in Siam of whom we have any record) is the fifth in regular descent. The revenue of Siam for the year ended 31st March, 1906, was estimated at Ticals 54,700,000. The finances of the country have now undergone reorganisation, for which purpose a European financial adviser was engaged in 1896. At that time the revenue accounted for was little more than Tls. 18,000,000, but the amount has since steadily increased. The present Financial Adviser is lent by the Indian Government. A proposal to adopt the gold standard was mooted in 1899, but did not come to anything till November, 1902, when the Mint closed to the free coinage of silver. The Government selling price of ticals is now (November 1906) 13 to the pound sterling. A triennial poll tax is imposed upon Chinese. Siam entered the Universal Postal Union on the 1st July, 1885. The first railway line, from Bangkok to Paknam, was opened by the King on the 11th April, 1893. It is a purely passenger line, having been unable to get any goods traffic worth mentioning, but the dividend averages about seven per cent. Another railway, a Government line rid Ayu- thia to Korat, was the first important line completed. The first section, from Bangkok to Ayuthia, a distance of about fifty miles, was opened by the King and Queen on the 26th March, 1897. Another section, to Gengkoi, was opened on November 1st, 1897, a third, to Hinlap, on April 1st, 1898, and the whole line was opened to traffic in November, 1900. The construction of a line branching off the Korat line near Ayuthia and intended to open up the country to Chiengmai was commenced in June, 1898, and the first section (42 kilometers) to Lopburi was opened to traffic on 1st April, 1901.

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