King Chulalongkorn (1853 - 1910)
Postcard of current ruling monarchs from 1908
October 23rd 1910: King Chulalongkorn dies
On this day in 1910 the King of Siam, Chulalongkorn (also known as Rama V), died in the royal palace in Bangkok, aged 57. In 1868 Chulalongkorn’s father, King Mongkut, died, leaving his 15 year old son to ascend to the throne under a regent. Chulalongkorn was crowned King in 1873 and immediately embarked on an ambitious series of reforms. These reforms included the abolition of slavery, and widespread institutional reform which aimed to Westernise Siam. After facing conservative opposition to these measures, the young King held off on further efforts until the late 1890s. At this time, the King’s reforms overhauled the Siamese system and reorganised government into Western-style ministries. Chulalongkorn also instituted compulsory primary education, universal military conscription, and modern technology like electric lights and railways. Chulalongkorn’s decisions to reform were particularly canny political maneuvers, intended to avoid colonial rule by showing Siam was ‘bettering’ itself of its own volition. Even though Siam was still subjected to the colonial machinations of the French and British, the nation retained remarkable autonomy and Chulalongkorn was treated as an equal among world monarchs. Chulalongkorn’s death in 1910 ended the longest reign in the nation’s history, as power passed to his son Vajiravudh. His legacy lives on in what is now Thailand, as he is commemorated as ‘the Great Chulalongkorn’ and 'the Father of Modern Thailand’, and in the celebration of Chulalongkorn Memorial Day every year on the anniversary of his death.
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