Directory_and_Chronicle_1940 — Page 1345

THAILAND

Formerly Siam)

The kingdom of Thailand, 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 Burma 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 Thai were compelled to retire. The most important part of the kingdom lies in the valley of the Menam, the country of the true Thai. The boundaries of Thailand on the Bay of Bengal, reach from Burma in a southerly line to the northern frontier of Kelantan and Kedah in the Malayan Peninsula in the latitude of about 7 deg. north. The island of Puket, containing enormous deposits of tin ore, is included in the territories of Thailand. The boundary line runs south-east from the mouth of the Perlis River across the Peninsula slightly to the north of Kota Bharu, the capital of Kelantan. Under the Treaty of 1909 Thailand ceded to Great Britain her Malay dependencies of Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan and Trengganu. The kingdom also comprises a great part of the ancient domain of Lao, but the rich and valuable possession of Battambang, once a part of the kingdom of Cambodia, was ceded to France in 1907. A treaty concluded between France and Thailand in 1904 settled some disputed points with regard to the frontier between Thailand and Cambodia and Thailand and French Indo-China. By a further treaty in 1907 the territories of Battambang, Sien-reap and Angkor were ceded by thailand to France in exchange for tlie district of Krat and some slight concessions in Dansai (Laos). France, at the same time, agreed to the gradual abandonment of the extra-territorial privileges hit- herto enjoyed by French-Asiatic subjects and protegés in Thailand. During the second decade of this century Thailand concluded new General and Commercial Treaties with nearly all countries with which she has relations. By these treaties Thailand obtained complete fiscal and jurisdictional autonomy, subject to certain temporary limitations and safeguards. These treaties have now been denounced and Thailand has negotiated fresh treaties with the various countries, which were notified in 1938. The former capital of Thailand was Ayuthia, situated on the Menam Chao Phya river, about 90 miles from its mouth. In 1767 a series of bloody and desperate combats between the Thai 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 Thai Army rallied the scattered troops, and, building a walled city

a walled city at Dhonburi (.e., Bangkok on the west bank of the river, the modern capital being mainly on the east bank), declared himself King under the title P'ya Tak. In 1782 P'ya Tak became insane, and the king- dom passed to his most distinguished general, named Chao P'ya Chakkri, who founded the present dynasty. The actual revenue of Thailand is now over nine million pounds sterling. Prior to 1896 when a European financial adviser was first engaged for the purpose of reorganising the national finances, the revenue accounted for was little more than Ticals 18,000,000 but the amount steadily increased, and for the year ending March 31st, 1930, reached Ticals 107,117,933. Since then Thailand has felt the effects of the world depression. In the year 1937-38 the actual revenue amounted to Ticals 108,908,502, while expenditure for the same period totalled Ticals 101,627,102. The figures for 1938-39 are Ticals 109,425,940 and Ticals 57,879,979 respectively. Thailand floated her first Internal Loan (of Ticals 10 million) in May, 1933. A proposal to adopt the gold standard was mooted in 1899, but did not come to anything till November, 1902, when the Mint was closed to the free coinage of silver. The gold standard was abandoned by force of economic pressure on May 11th, 1932 and the currency was linked to Sterling. The annual capitation tax formerly paid by all under Thai jurisdiction has been abolished. The fiscal system of the country has now been reorganised under Revenue Code promulgated in 1939 (comprising income tax, business tax, stamp duty, etc.). Thailand entered the Universal Postal Union on the 1st, July, 1885.