Thailand was never officially colonized, but it was influenced by European powers and faced threats of colonization. It managed to avoid colonization through strategic diplomacy between Britain and France who were competing for control of the region. King Rama V modernized Thailand and established relationships that deterred France from fully colonizing after a naval battle. Thailand lost some territory but maintained independence, though it experienced cultural and administrative changes from European influence.

1. Postcolonialism in
Thailand
Amenah G. Ismael

2. Postcolonialism in Thailand
Siam was the former official name of
Thailand, for hundreds of years (1300's
- 1900's). It wasn't until May 8, 1939
that the official name of the country
changed to Thailand. Disagreements
over the name change has resulted in
some going back and forth with the
official names. The last name change
to Thailand occured in 1947, and so
remains to this day

3. Thailand was never officially
colonized by a European country.
Although the country had been a
target of Britain and France, it had
managed to slip through their
grips. However, that doesn’t mean
Thailand made a clean escape. It
also saw drastic territory loss and
political and cultural changes.
Postcolonialism in Thailand

4. —Someone famous
Thailand’s position in Southeast Asia is considered unique
since it was the only country in Southeast Asia that was not
colonialized by either French and British Empire. Thailand
received its Europan/western influence when the sons of
the Thai kings brought back Western technology from their
study in the Western countries. The western influence also
came into Thailand since Thai kings hired some
Westerners to work on architectural projects.
Postcolonialism in Thailand

5. The western influence did not only affect the architecture, but also
the mindset of the people. For instance, the pre-modern Siam
people saw that having a depiction of the King’s physical
appearance in any medium is considered taboo. It all changed when
King Rama IV realized the importance of royal portraiture in mid-
nineteenth century. The king commissioned paintings, sculpture,
and photographic imageries of him. Ever since, European artist had
been commissioned to draw or develop portraits of Siamese Kings.
The royalties were no longer consider having their physical
appearance displayed as a taboo.
The Influence of European to Thailand

6. “supplies, trade routes, and military influence.”
Asia was once the biggest exotic supply source for the Europeans. The most famous
destinations were, without a doubt, India and China. To reach these destinations, both
Britain and France needed to secure the trade route for themselves before the other
could.
By overtaking India and Myanmar, Britain gained a massive advantage over other
nations. They won supply sources and territory, making a huge profit for their empire.
The French, on the other hand, was doing something similar. They secured Vietnam
and Cambodia, winning territory adjacent to China for resources and trade routes.
Why was Thailand a Target Colony?

7. If you look at the map, you will see that Siam fitted nicely between the British
and the French Colonies’ borders. And that posed a problem. Because if one
nation took over Siam, it would control the Thai gulf, gaining even more
resources and trade routes. Then, it became possible to mobilize forces and drive
the other nation away.
In short, Siam was the location where the colonizer would greatly benefit both
commercially and strategically.
Why was Thailand a Target Colony?

8. With Siam being where it was, neither Britain nor France could blatantly invade.
If one country did, the other would promptly stage a counterattack — nobody
wanted the other to take over the Thai gulf, a valuable trade site and a gateway to
China.
But despite all this tension, the Pak Nam incident happened in 1893.
During the Siamese-Franco war, Three French gunboats ignored Siam’s warning,
and entered Pak Nam, resulting in a naval battle between the two countries. The
French gunboats emerged victorious in the end and invaded Bangkok, setting
their cannon at the royal palace.
How Did Siam Avoid Colonization by a European Nation

9. King Rama V, to save the capital, was forced to sacrifice western Laos and
various islands in the Mekong River to France. Furthermore, the French
mobilized their fleet and blockaded the entrance to Pak Nam, closing down the
entire trade route.
Unable to stay idle, Britain was pressured to get involved and demand the French
stop. To avoid further conflict, the French agreed. They withdrew the fleet,
reopening Pak Nam, but they did not return their new-earned territory.
How Did Siam Avoid Colonization by a European Nation

10. He prepared and modernized the nation by introducing Map making. This
prevented the border issues the Europeans could bring up to justify colonization.
He also centralized administrative power to himself and established the first
official army. This might sound weird to you, but the Europeans back then loved
the idea of one great ruler, so they approved of Siam as a civilized country.
To top it all off, Rama V also had established a great relationship with Russia. So
when the incident happened, he also got Russia involved. This put more pressure
on the French to back off.
How Did Siam Avoid Colonization by a European Nation

11. The most obvious impact was the territory loss. Siam had lost its territory to
Britain and France many times, resulting in 481,600-square-kilometres of land
loss. The remaining 513,600 square kilometers would become Thailand.
Another impact is on the culture. To modernize the country, King Rama V
adopted various cultures of the Europeans. These cultures included clothes,
dining etiquette (specifically fork and spoon), and cars. In many ways, these
cultures were helpful for Thailand’s development. But it also caused some Thai
traditions to plunge in popularity — clothing being the most obvious. (Source)
Even though Thailand has never been colonized by the Europeans, the colonial
period definitely left a scar on the country.

12. The last impact was on the administrative side. Even though King Rama V
centralized his power and saved the capital, the Thai would grow to hate the
centralized idea later.
With the world open, more and more Thais went to study in Europe. These
people saw the new world, learned new cultures, and brought them back to
Thailand. And one thing they brought back was the democratic mindset.
Even though Thailand has never been colonized by the Europeans, the colonial
period definitely left a scar on the country.