Chulalongkorn (20 September 1853 – 23 October 1910), posthumously honoured as King Chulalongkorn the Great, was the fifth
king of Siam from the
Chakri dynasty
The Chakri dynasty is the current reigning dynasty of the Thailand, Kingdom of Thailand. The head of the house is the Monarchy of Thailand, king, who is head of state. The family has ruled Thailand since the founding of the Rattanakosin era and ...
, titled Rama V. Chulalongkorn's reign from 1868 until his death in 1910 was characterised by the modernisation of Siam, governmental and social reforms, and territorial concessions to the
British and
French empires. As Siam was surrounded by
European colonies, Chulalongkorn, through his policies and acts, ensured the independence of Siam.
Chulalongkorn was born as the son of
Mongkut, the fourth king of Siam. In 1868, he travelled with his father and Westerners invited by Mongkut to observe the
solar eclipse of 18 August 1868 in
Prachuap Khiri Khan Province. However, Chulalongkorn and his father both contracted malaria which resulted in his father's death. The
1893 Franco-Siamese crisis and
Haw wars took place during his reign. All his reforms were dedicated to ensuring Siam's independence given the increasing encroachment of Western powers, so that Chulalongkorn earned the epithet Phra Piya Maharat or known as the Great Beloved King.
Early life

Chulalongkorn was born on 20 September 1853 to King Mongkut and
Queen Debsirindra. In his lifetime, Mongkut had 39 wives and concubines who he had
82 children with. Chulalongkorn was neither Mongkut's first child or first son, but was made the heir presumptive as the first son born to Debsirindra.
During Mongkut's reign, Siam came under increasing pressure from European colonial ambitions, specifically from the British in
Burma and
Malaya, and the French in
Indochina. These pressures jeopardised Siamese independence. Although Mongkut pushed for reforms, he was aware much of it would be carried out by his successor. As such, he began preparing Chulalongkorn to become an innovative king.
From age 7, the prince began learning under the guidance of royal lecturers who gave him a more traditional education. Under this, Chulalongkorn was taught
Buddhism
Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
,
Pali
Pāli (, IAST: pāl̤i) is a Classical languages of India, classical Middle Indo-Aryan languages, Middle Indo-Aryan language of the Indian subcontinent. It is widely studied because it is the language of the Buddhist ''Pali Canon, Pāli Can ...
, historical chronicles, royal practices, rituals, Siamese writing, military command and
fencing
Fencing is a combat sport that features sword fighting. It consists of three primary disciplines: Foil (fencing), foil, épée, and Sabre (fencing), sabre (also spelled ''saber''), each with its own blade and set of rules. Most competitive fe ...
.
In 1866, he became a
novice monk for six months at
Wat Bawonniwet according to royal tradition. Additionally, he was educated by Western teachers who taught him
science
Science is a systematic discipline that builds and organises knowledge in the form of testable hypotheses and predictions about the universe. Modern science is typically divided into twoor threemajor branches: the natural sciences, which stu ...
,
English and
French.
Among these Western tutors was
Anna Leonowens, who taught the prince and some of his siblings between 1862 and 1867. Chulalongkorn became friends with her son
Louis, which continued into their adulthood.' Mongkut himself also played a large direct role in Chulalongkorn's education. From age 7, Mongkut maintained his son by his side where he involved him with the daily matters of Siam to allow Chulalongkorn to understand how to rule. Through this, Mongkut passed down his desires for reform.
In 1868, Chulalongkorn accompanied his father on an expedition to Wa Ko, south of
Hua Hin, to observe and validate Mongkut's predictions made for the
solar eclipse of 18 August. Mongkut proved correct, being more accurate than some French
astronomists. However, both he and his son became ill from
malaria
Malaria is a Mosquito-borne disease, mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects vertebrates and ''Anopheles'' mosquitoes. Human malaria causes Signs and symptoms, symptoms that typically include fever, Fatigue (medical), fatigue, vomitin ...
. In Bangkok, Mongkut died on October 1, 1868. He had yet to designate a successor, leaving the choice to a council who chose Chulalongkorn. The accession council was headed by
Sri Suriyawongse (Chuang Bunnag) of the
Bunnag family, and was made up of the
Supreme Patriarch, prelates, princes and noblemen. Nominated by Prince Deves, Chulalongkorn was unanimously chosen. However, since he was only 15-years old, Chuang served as regent until he became 20-years old. Additionally,
Wichaichan was chosen as the viceroy – a choice normally made by the monarch. To Chuang, Wichaichan could serve as an ally if Chulalongkorn ever opposed him.'
Regency
The young Chulalongkorn was an enthusiastic reformer. He visited Singapore and
Java
Java is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea (a part of Pacific Ocean) to the north. With a population of 156.9 million people (including Madura) in mid 2024, proje ...
in 1870 and
British India
The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance in South Asia. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one form or another ...
in 1872 to study the administration of British colonies. He toured the administrative centres of Calcutta, Delhi, Bombay, and back to Calcutta in early 1872. This journey was a source of his later ideas for the modernization of Siam. He was crowned king in his own right as Rama V on 16 November 1873.
Sri Suriwongse then arranged for the
Front Palace
Krom Phra Ratchawang Bowon Sathan Mongkhon , colloquially known as the Front Palace (, ), was the title of the ''uparaja'' of Siam, variously translated as "viceroy", "vice king" or "Lord/Prince of the Front Palace", as the titleholder resided ...
of King
Pinklao (who was his uncle) to be bequeathed to King Pinklao's son, Prince
Yodyingyot (who was Chulalongkorn's cousin).
As regent, Sri Suriwongse wielded great influence. Sri Suriwongse continued the works of King Mongkut. He supervised the digging of several important
khlongs, such as Padung Krungkasem and Damneun Saduak, and the paving of roads such as Charoen Krung and Silom. He was also a patron of Thai literature and performing arts.
Early reign

At the end of his regency, Sri Suriwongse was raised to
Somdet Chao Phraya, the highest title a noble could attain. Si Suriyawongse was the most powerful noble of the 19th century. His family, the House of
Bunnag, was a powerful aristocratic dynasty of Persian descent. It dominated Siamese politics since the reign of
Rama I. Chulalongkorn then
married four of his half-sisters, all daughters of Mongkut:
Savang Vadhana,
Saovabha Phongsri, and
Sunanda Kumariratana (Mongkut with Concubine
Piam), and
Sukhumala Marasri (Mongkut with Concubine
Samli).
Chulalongkorn's first reform was to establish the "
Auditory Office" (Th: หอรัษฎากรพิพัฒน์) on 4 June 1873, solely responsible for tax collection, to counter the influence of the
Bunnag family who had been in control of wealth collection since early
Rattanakosin. As tax collectors had been under the aegis of various nobles and thus a source of their wealth, this reform caused great consternation among the nobility, especially the Front Palace. Chulalongkorn appointed
Chaturonrasmi to be an executive of the organization, which he closely oversaw. From the time of King Mongkut, the Front Palace had been the equivalent of a "second king", with one-third of national revenue allocated to it. Prince Yodyingyot of the Front Palace was known to be on friendly terms with many Britons, at a time when Siamese relations with the
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, Crown colony, colonies, protectorates, League of Nations mandate, mandates, and other Dependent territory, territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It bega ...
were tense.
In 1874, Chulalongkorn established the Council of State as a legislative body and a privy council as his personal advisory board based on the British
privy council. Council members were appointed by the monarch.
Front Palace crisis

On the night of 28 December 1874, a fire broke out near the gunpowder storehouse and gasworks in the main palace. Front Palace troops quickly arrived, fully armed, "to assist in putting out the fire". They were denied entrance and the fire was extinguished. The incident demonstrated the considerable power wielded by aristocrats and royal relatives, leaving the king little power. Reducing the power held by the nobility became one of his main motives in reforming Siam's feudal politics.
When Prince Yodyingyot died in 1885, Chulalongkorn took the opportunity to abolish the titular Front Palace and created the title of "
Crown Prince of Siam" in line with Western custom. Chulalongkorn's son, Prince
Vajirunhis, was appointed the first Crown Prince of Siam, though he never reigned. In 1895, when the prince died of typhoid at age 16, he was succeeded by his half-brother
Vajiravudh, who was then at boarding school in England.
Haw insurgency

In the northern
Laotian lands bordering China, the insurgents of the
Taiping Rebellion had taken refuge since the reign of King Mongkut. These Chinese were called ''Haw'' and became bandits, pillaging the villages. In 1875, Chulalongkorn sent troops from Bangkok to crush the Haw who had ravaged as far as
Vientiane. However, they met strong Chinese resistance and retreated to
Isan in 1885. New, modernized forces were sent again and were divided into two groups approaching the Haw from Chiang Kam and Pichai. The Haw scattered and some fled to
Vietnam
Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...
. The Siamese armies proceeded to eliminate the remaining Haw. The city of
Nong Khai maintains memorials for the Siamese dead.
Third Anglo-Burmese War
In Burma, while the British Army fought the Burmese
Konbaung Dynasty, Siam remained neutral. Britain had agreements with the Siamese government, which stated that if the British were in conflict with Burma, Siam would send food supplies to the British Army. Chulalongkorn honored the agreement. The British expected he would send an army to help defeat the Burmese, but he did not do so.
Military and political reforms

Freed of the Front Palace and Chinese rebellions, Chulalongkorn initiated modernization and centralization reforms. He established the
Royal Military Academy in 1887 to train officers in Western fashion. His upgraded forces provided the king much more power to centralize the country.
The government of Siam had remained largely unchanged since the 15th century. The central government was headed by the ''Samuha Nayok'' (i.e., prime minister), who controlled the northern parts of Siam, and the ''Samuha Kalahom'' (i.e., grand commander), who controlled southern Siam in both civil and military affairs. The Samuha Nayok presided over the ''Chatu Sadombh'' (i.e., Four Pillars). The responsibilities of each pillar overlapped and were ambiguous. In 1888, Chulalongkorn moved to institute a government of ministries. Ministers were, at the outset, members of the royal family. Ministries were established in 1892, with all ministries having equal status.
The Council of State proved unable to veto legal drafts or to give Chulalongkorn advice because the members regarded Chulalongkorn as an absolute monarch, far above their station. Chulalongkorn dissolved the council altogether and transferred advisory duties to the cabinet in 1894.
Chulalongkorn abolished the traditional Nakorn Bala methods of torture in the judiciary process, which were seen as inhumane and barbaric to Western eyes, and introduced a Western judicial code. His Belgian advisor,
Gustave Rolin-Jaequemyns, played a great role in the development of modern Siamese law and its judicial system.
Pressures for reform
Chulalongkorn was the first Siamese king to send royal princes to
Europe
Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
to be educated. In 19th century Europe, nationalism flourished and there were calls for more liberty. The princes were influenced by the liberal notions of
democracy
Democracy (from , ''dēmos'' 'people' and ''kratos'' 'rule') is a form of government in which political power is vested in the people or the population of a state. Under a minimalist definition of democracy, rulers are elected through competitiv ...
and elections they encountered in republics like
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
and
constitutional monarchies like the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
.
In 1884 (year 103 of the
Rattakosin Era), Siamese officials in Europe warned Chulalongkorn of possible threats to Siamese independence from the European powers. They advised that Siam should be reformed like
Meiji Japan and that Siam should become a constitutional monarchy. Chulalongkorn demurred, stating that the time was not ripe and that he himself was making reforms.
Throughout Chulalongkorn's reign, writers with radical ideas had their works published for the first time. The most notable ones included
Thianwan Wannapho, who had been imprisoned for 17 years and from prison produced many works criticizing traditional Siamese society.
Conflict with French Indochina

In 1863, King
Norodom of Cambodia was forced to put his country under French protection. The cession of Cambodia was officially formulated in 1867. However,
Inner Cambodia (as called in Siam) consisting of
Battambang,
Siem Reap, and
Srisopon, remained a Siamese possession. This was the first of many territorial cessions.
In 1887, French Indochina was formed from
Vietnam
Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...
ese and
Cambodian lands. In 1888, French troops invaded northern Laos to subjugate the Heo insurgents. However, the French troops never left, and the French demanded more Laotian lands. In 1893
Auguste Pavie, the French vice-consul of
Luang Prabang, requested the cession of all Laotian lands east of the
Mekong River. Siam resented the demand, leading to the
Franco-Siamese crisis of 1893.
The French gunboat ''Le Lutin'' entered the
Chao Phraya and anchored near the
French consulate
The Consulate () was the top-level government of the First French Republic from the fall of the French Directory, Directory in the coup of 18 Brumaire on 9 November 1799 until the start of the First French Empire, French Empire on 18 May 1804.
...
ready to attack. Fighting was observed in Laos. ''Inconstant'' and ''Comete'' were attacked in Chao Phraya, and the French sent an ultimatum: an indemnity of three million francs, as well as the cession of and withdrawal from Laos. Siam did not accept the ultimatum. French troops then blockaded the
Gulf of Siam and occupied
Chantaburi and
Trat. Chulalongkorn sent Rolin-Jacquemyns to negotiate. The issue was eventually settled with the cession of Laos in 1893, but the French troops in Chantaburi and Trat refused to leave.
The cession of vast Laotian lands had a major impact on Chulalongkorn's spirit. Prince
Vajirunhis died in 1894. Prince
Vajiravudh was made crown prince to replace him. Chulalongkorn realised the importance of maintaining the navy and established the
Royal Thai Naval Academy
The Royal Thai Naval Academy (Thai: โรงเรียนนายเรือ) (RTNA) was established by King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) in 1898. He officially opened the academy on 20 November 1906. Originally located on the royal yacht ''Maha ...
in 1898.
Despite Siamese concessions, French armies continued the occupation of Chantaburi and Trat for another 10 years. An
agreement was reached in 1904 that French troops would leave Chantaburi but hold the coast land from Trat to
Koh Kong. In 1906, the final agreement was reached. Trat was returned to Siam but the French kept Koh Kong and received Inner Cambodia.
Seeing the seriousness of foreign affairs, Chulalongkorn
visited Europe in 1897. He was the first Siamese monarch to do so, and he desired European recognition of Siam as a fully independent power. He appointed his queen,
Saovabha Phongsri, as regent in Siam during his travel to Europe. During a visit to
Spain
Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
and
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...
, on 26 October, he condemned and ordered his servant to be
executed for a breach of etiquette committed in
Lisbon
Lisbon ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 567,131, as of 2023, within its administrative limits and 3,028,000 within the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, metropolis, as of 2025. Lisbon is mainlan ...
, according to the telegram news from
Saragossa.
Reforms

Siam had been composed of a network of cities according to the
Mandala system codified by King
Trailokanat in 1454, with local rulers owing tribute to
Bangkok
Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estim ...
. Each city retained a substantial degree of autonomy, as Siam was not a "state" but a "network" of city-states. With the rise of European colonialism, the Western concept of state and territorial division was introduced. It had to define explicitly which lands were "Siamese" and which lands were "foreign". The conflict with the French in 1893 was an example.
Sukhaphiban districts
Sukhaphiban ()
sanitary districts were the first sub-autonomous entities established in Thailand. The first such was created in Bangkok, by royal decree of King Chulalongkorn in 1897. During his European tour earlier that year, he had learned about the sanitary districts of England, and wanted to try out this local administrative unit in his capital.
Monthon system

With his experiences during the travel to British colonies and the suggestion of Prince
Damrong, Chulalongkorn established the hierarchical system of
monthons in 1897, composed of
province,
city
A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...
, ''
amphoe'', ''
tambon'', and ''
muban'' (village) in descending order. (Though an entire monthon, the Eastern Province, Inner Cambodia, was ceded to the French in 1906). Each monthon was overseen by an
intendant of the
Ministry of Interior
An interior ministry or ministry of the interior (also called ministry of home affairs or ministry of internal affairs) is a government department that is responsible for domestic policy, public security and law enforcement.
In some states, th ...
. This had a major impact, as it ended the power of all local dynasties. Central authority now spread all over the country through the administration of intendants. For example, the
Lanna states in the north (including the
Kingdom of Chiangmai, Principalities of
Lampang,
Lamphun,
Nan, and
Prae, tributaries to Bangkok) were made into two monthons, neglecting the existence of the
Lanna kings.
Local rulers did not cede power willingly. Three rebellions sprang up in 1901: the
Ngiao rebellion in
Phrae, the 1901–1902
Holy Man's Rebellion in
Isan, and the
Rebellion of Seven Sultans in the south. All these rebellions were crushed in 1902 with the city rulers stripped of their power and imprisoned.
Abolition of corvée and slavery
Ayutthaya King
Ramathibodi II established a system of
corvée in 1518 after which the lives of Siamese commoners and slaves were closely regulated by the government. All Siamese common men (
ไพร่) were subject to the Siamese corvée system. Each man at the time of his majority had to register with a government bureau, department, or leading member of the royalty called () as a () or under a nobleman's dominion ( or ) as a (). owed service to sovereign or master for three months of the year. () were those who could make payment
in kind (cattle) in lieu of service. Those conscripted into military service were called ().
Chulalongkorn was best known for his abolition of
Siamese slavery (
ทาส.) He associated the abolition of slavery in the United States with the bloodshed of the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
. Chulalongkorn, to prevent such a bloodbath in Siam, provided several steps towards the abolition of slavery, not an extreme turning point from servitude to total freedom. Those who found themselves unable to live on their own sold themselves into slavery by rich noblemen. Likewise, when a debt was defaulted, the borrower would become a slave of the lender. If the debt was redeemed, the slave regained freedom.
However, those whose parents were household slaves (ทาสในเรือนเบี้ย) were bound to be slaves forever because their redemption price was extremely high.
Because of economic conditions, people sold themselves into slavery in great numbers and in turn they produced a large number of household slaves. In 1867 they accounted for one-third of Siamese population. In 1874, Chulalongkorn enacted a law that lowered the redemption price of household slaves born in 1867 (his ascension year) and freed all of them when they had reached 21.
The newly freed slaves would have time to settle themselves as farmers or merchants so they would not become unemployed. In 1905, the ''
Slave Abolition Act'' ended Siamese slavery in all forms. The reverse of 100
baht banknotes in circulation since the 2005 centennial depict Chulalongkorn in navy uniform abolishing the slave tradition.
The traditional corvée system declined after the
Bowring Treaty, which gave rise to a new class of employed labourers not regulated by the government, while many noblemen continued to hold sway over large numbers of . Chulalongkorn needed more effective control of manpower to undo the power of nobility. After the establishment of the
monthon system, Chulalongkorn instituted a census to count all men available to the government. The ''
Employment Act'' of 1900 required that all workers be paid, not forced to work.
Establishment of a modern army and modern land ownership
Chulalongkorn had established a
defence ministry in 1887. The ending of the corvée system necessitated the beginning of military
conscription, thus the ''
Conscription Act'' of 1905 in Siam. This was followed in 1907 by the first act providing for invoking
martial law, which seven years later was changed to its modern form by his son and successor, King Vajiravudh.
The
Royal Thai Survey Department, a Special Services Group of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, engaged in
cadastral survey, which is the survey of specific land parcels to define ownership for
land registration, and for equitable
taxation. Land
title deeds are issued using the
Torrens title system, though it was not until the year 1901 that the first–fruits of this survey were obtained.
Abolition of prostration
In 1873, the ''Royal Siamese Government Gazette'' published an announcement on the abolition of
prostration. In it, King Chulalongkorn declared, "The practice of prostration in Siam is severely oppressive. The subordinates have been forced to prostrate in order to elevate the dignity of the ''phu yai''. I do not see how the practice of prostration will render any benefit to Siam. The subordinates find the performance of prostration a harsh physical practice. They have to go down on their knees for a long time until their business with the ''phu yai'' ends. They will then be allowed to stand up and retreat. This kind of practice is the source of oppression. Therefore, I want to abolish it." The ''Gazette'' directed that, "From now on, Siamese are permitted to stand up before the dignitaries. To display an act of respect, the Siamese may take a bow instead. Taking a bow will be regarded as a new form of paying respect."
Civic works
The construction of railways in Siam had a political motivation: to connect all of the country so as to better maintain control of it.
In 1901, the first railway was opened from Bangkok to
Korat. In the same year, the first power plant of Siam produced electricity and electric lights first illuminated roadways.
In 1906 King Chulalongkorn adopted a
Semang orphan boy named Khanung.
In 1907 he founded the royal rice varieties competition, at first only for the
Tung Luang and
Rangsit Canal districts. The next year it was held at
Wat Suthat and since then has been held at various locations around the kingdom, by Chulalongkorn and his descendants.
Relations with the British Empire
Siamese authorities had exercised substantial control over Malay sultanates since Ayutthaya times. The sultans sought British support as a counterweight to Siamese influence. In 1909, the
Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909 was agreed. Four sultanates (
Kedah,
Kelantan,
Terengganu and
Perlis) were brought under British influence in exchange for Siamese legal rights and a loan to construct railways in southern Siam.
Death and legacy

Chulalongkorn had visited Europe twice, in 1897 and 1907. In 1897, he travelled widely through Europe, learning all he could on many subjects to benefit the Siamese people. He travelled and visited many European royal families. He spent much time in Britain and was inspired, among other things, to improve the health of his people by creating public health, or sanitary districts. In Sweden he studied the Forestry system. In 1907, he visited his son's school in Britain and consulted with European doctors in pursuit of a cure for his kidney disease.
King Chulalongkorn died on 23 October 1910 of kidney disease at the
Amphorn Sathan Residential Hall in the
Dusit Palace, and was succeeded by his son
Vajiravudh (King Rama VI).
The royal
Equestrian statue of King Chulalongkorn was finished in 1908 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the king's reign. It was cast in bronze by a Parisian metallurgist.
Chulalongkorn University, founded in 1917 as the first university in Thailand, was named in his honour. On the campus stand the statues of Rama V and his son, Rama VI.
King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, operated by the
Thai Red Cross Society is named after him and is one of Thailand's largest hospitals.
In 1997, a
memorial pavilion was raised in honour of King Chulalongkorn in
Ragunda, Sweden. This was done to commemorate King Chulalongkorn's visit to
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...
in 1897 when he also visited the
World's Fair in Brussels. During the time when Swedish–Norwegian king
Oscar II travelled to
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard also form part of the Kingdom of ...
for a council, Chulalongkorn went up north to study forestry. Beginning in
Härnösand and travelling via
Sollefteå and
Ragunda he mounted a boat in the small village of Utanede in order to take him back through
Sundsvall to
Stockholm
Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...
. His passage through Utanede left a mark on the village as one street was named after the king. The pavilion is erected next to that road.
The old 100 baht banknote of Series 14, circulated from 1994 to 2004, bears the statues of Rama V and Rama VI on its reverse. In 2005, the 100 baht banknote was revised to depict King Chulalongkorn in naval uniform and, in the background, abolishing slavery.
The 1,000 baht banknote of Series 16, issued in 2015, depicts the King Chulalongkorn monument, Ananda Samakhom Throne Hall, and the abolition of slavery.
Chulalongkorn was one of twenty "Most Influential Asians of the Century" for the 20th Century by Time Asia Magazine in 1999.
File:Mahachulalongkorn ChulalongkornUniversity.jpg, Chulalongkorn University, named after King Chulalongkorn
File:พระบรมรูปทรงม้า เขตดุสิต กรุงเทพมหานคร (21).jpg, Equestrian statue of King Chulalongkorn at Royal Plaza
Honours
Military ranks
*
Field Marshal
Field marshal (or field-marshal, abbreviated as FM) is the most senior military rank, senior to the general officer ranks. Usually, it is the highest rank in an army (in countries without the rank of Generalissimo), and as such, few persons a ...
of the
Royal Siamese Army
*
Admiral of the Fleet of the
Royal Siamese Navy
National honours
* 1882 – Founder and Sovereign of the
Most Illustrious Order of the Royal House of Chakri,
* 1868 – Sovereign Knight of the Ancient and Auspicious
Order of the Nine Gems, with Collar
* 1900 – Founder and Sovereign of the
Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao,
* 1909 – Knight Grand Cordon of the Most Exalted
Order of the White Elephant
* 1869 – Knight Grand Cross of the Most Noble
Order of the Crown of Thailand
* 1882 –
Dushdi Mala Medal Pin of Arts and Science (Military)
* 1882 –
Dushdi Mala Medal Pin the government in His Majesty (Military)
* 1882 – Chakra Mala Medal
* 1904 –
King Mongkut's Royal Cypher Medal, 1st Class
* 1901 – King Chulalongkorn's Royal Cypher Medal, 1st Class
* 1897 – King Chulalongkorn's Rajaruchi Medal, 1st Class
Foreign honours
*

Grand Cross of the
Royal Hungarian Order of Saint Stephen, ''1868'' (
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe#Before World War I, Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military ...
)
*

Grand Cross of the Royal and Distinguished
Order of Charles III, ''5 August 1871''; with Collar, ''16 October 1897'' (
Spain
Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
)
*

Honorary Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished
Order of St Michael and St George, ''3 August 1878'' (
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
)
[Shaw, Wm. A. (1906) ''The Knights of England'', I, London]
p. 338
/ref>
* Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Kamehameha I, ''1881'' ( Kingdom of Hawaii)
*
Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav, ''23 November 1884'' (Sweden-Norway)
*
Knight of the Royal Order of the Seraphim, ''11 July 1887'' (Sweden-Norway)
* Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum, ''6 October 1887'' (Empire of Japan)
*
Knight of the Order of the Elephant, ''8 January 1892'' (Denmark)
*
Grand Cross of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus, ''1887'' (Kingdom of Italy)
*
Knight of the Order of St. Andrew, Order of St. Andrew the Apostle the First-called, ''1891'' (Russian Empire)
*
Knight of the Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation, ''24 December 1891'' (Kingdom of Italy)
*
Grand Cross of the Sash of the Three Orders, ''1897'' (Kingdom of Portugal)
*
Knight of the Order of the Black Eagle, ''1897'' (Kingdom of Prussia)
*
Knight of the Order of the Rue Crown, ''1897'' (Kingdom of Saxony)
* Grand Cross of the Ludwig Order, ''7 October 1897'' (Grand Duchy of Hesse)
*
Knight of the House Order of Fidelity, ''1897'' (Grand Duchy of Baden)
*
Knight of the Order of Saint Hubert, ''1906'' (Kingdom of Bavaria)
*
Grand Cross of the Order of Henry the Lion, ''1907'' (Duchy of Brunswick)[''Hof- und Staatshandbuch des Herzogtums Braunschweig für das Jahr 1908''. Braunschweig 1908. Meyer. p. 9]
Family
King Chulalongkorn was a prolific producer of children. He had 9 consorts and 143 concubines during his lifetime, siring with them List of children of Chulalongkorn, 32 sons and 44 daughters.
Ancestry
See also
* List of children of Mongkut
* List of consorts and children of Chulalongkorn
* List of people with the most children
* King Ananda Mahidol
* King Bhumibol Adulyadej
Notes
References
External links
Chulalongkorn – Definition of Chulalongkorn
King Chulalongkorn Day
at Chiang Mai Best
A clip of King Chulalongkorns 1897 visit to Sweden
Investiture of His Majesty Somdetch Pra Paramindr Maha Chulalonkorn, King of Siam, with the Ensigns of a Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George
Diaries and Travel Writings of King Chulalongkorn of Siam , Southeast Asia Digital Library
.
{{Authority control
Chulalongkorn,
19th-century Chakri dynasty
20th-century Chakri dynasty
19th-century monarchs in Asia
19th-century Thai monarchs
20th-century Thai monarchs
Child monarchs from Asia
1853 births
1910 deaths
Deaths from kidney disease
Rama V period
Thai male Chao Fa
Children of Mongkut
Knights Grand Cordon of the Order of Chula Chom Klao
Honorary Knights Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George
Grand Crosses of the Order of Christ (Portugal), 3
Grand Crosses of the Order of Aviz, 3
Grand Crosses of the Order of Saint James of the Sword, 3
Knights Grand Cross of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus
Grand Crosses of the Order of Saint Stephen of Hungary