LOCATION: [MY FUTURE] [MY OFFICE] [MY KING] [INDEX] Naval Strategy at Pak Nam

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The navigating ship's France to be wrecked

A hundred years ago, the centre of the country was Bangkok, or to be more precise, the Royal Palace where the King lived and exercised his absolute power. King Rama V himself played a crucial role in the R.E. 112 incident. Among the brave men selected by the King to handle the incident were: Somdech Krom Phraya Thevavong Varopakan, Secretary for Foreign Affairs; Brigadier Phraya Cholyudh Yothin, Danish-born captain named Andredu Plessis de Richelieu who became Siam's Deputy Navy Commander; and Chaophraya Surasakmontri (Jerm Saengchuto), veteran commander from several wars. These three personalities played particularly important roles in planning of navy strategy, diplomatic negotiations, and concession for war compensation, resulting in France's agreement to withdraw its forces from Bangkok.
On the France side, there were two major figures: Monsieur Pavi, France Ambassador to Siam, who persuaded the Paris Government to claim France's inherited rights over Larn Chang (today's Laos) and Cambodia, which used to be under Vietnamese dominion. The other was Admiral Humann, France Navy Commander of Cochinchina, who ordered the invasion of Bangkok.
The dispute between Siam and France over the rights to rule the land on the left bank of the Mekong River had reached its breaking point in R.E. 112. Siam denied all of France's cliams and protested France's military moves along the Mekong River. Finally, on 23 June R.E. 112, the Siamese Government received a warning from France that should the event require, France would dispatch its naval forces to Bangkok. Hence, on 4 July R.E. 112, King Rama V discreetly traveled to Pak Nam by train to visit Phra Chulachomklao Fort. In the classified record dated 10 July R.E. 112, it said: "That day, the King wrote Phraya Cholyudh Yothin that the France gunboats are expected to enter the river's mouth in the evening of 13 July. He asked Phraya Cholyudh to lay torpedoes across the river. When they enter, it will be necessary to explode the torpedoes with no need for further command. Should they fire first, then we must fire ..."
People in Bangkok were frightened by the news of invading foreign vessels armed with the most modern weapons. Many prepared to escape.

The Thai army frorce moved to prevent Bangkok Naval Strategy at Pak Nam
On 13 July R.E. 112 at 17.00 hrs. military officers at Pak Nam were alerted to their stations. At 18.50 hrs. the French gunboats, comprising the navigating ship and three armed boats called Inconstante, Lutin and Comette, entered the Chao Phraya River. The Siamese side fired 2 warning shots from Phra Chulachomklao Fort. After the third and fourth shots. the French raised their flags and started their attack. Both sides suffered damage and losses. The three gunboats were able to pass through and continued their sail upstream. Phraya Cholyudh's plan to prevent the French ships from reaching Bangkok through the ancient strategy, i.e. by colliding the Maha Chakri Royal Barge against an enemy's ship at dusk hours, was aborted upon the royal command. Hence, at 21.00 hrs., the three gunboats reached the Thai capital and were anchored in front of the French Embassy (next to Oriental Hotel today).
That evening, the King decided to do utmost to protect the Royal Palace. He said to Phraya Surasakmontri: "Today it's either we or they." The Siamese troops were in full alert.
M. Pavi, French Ambassador, gave the utterly unfair six-point ultimatum to Krom Phraya Thevavong. The two most outrageous demands were, first, the withdrawal for Thai troops from the left side of the Mekong River within one mouth (which means cessation of Laos to French), nd, second, the payment of 3,000,000 franc as war compensation. The Thai side had to reply within 48 hours. Apparently, the large amount of compensation was intended to disallow any preparation on the Thai side, for once the demand was not met, the French could take over Bangkok and the whole of Siam. However, the King promptly refused to comply with the threats, demanding instead that the French present the evidence to support their claim over the demanded land. Angered by the bold response, the French ordered its embassy closed, recalled its ambassador, and brought in more gunships to blockade the Gulf of Thailand.... Admiral Humann, French Far East Navy Commander, arrived at Si Chang Island, which the French had had captured and used as temporary base, on 22 July.
More than two months of diplomatic efforts did not bear fruit. To preserve the country's independence, the large part of its territory, as well as the lives of the Thai people, the King finally and painfully agreed to an armistice with the French on 3 October R.E. 112.
The huge compensation necessitated the use of the foreign reserves in Mexican silver which the country had earned from international trade and kept in hundred of red bags in the vault under the Royal Palace. The reserves provided the sum of 2,400,000 franc with another 600,000 franc coming from the private properties of the King and the Royal relatives. A parade of chariots transported the heavy silver from the Royal Palace to the French gunboat, Lutin, mooring infront of the French embassy. Crowds stood by, crying in agony. According to the report in the French newspaper, Le Monde Iiiustre dated 18 November 1893, the compensation comprised 801,282 silver coins weighing 23 tonnes in total. And in addition to Siam's agreement to pay the money and withdraw from the left side of the Mekong River, Siam also had to concede Chanthabun (today's Chanthaburi) to French.
The three French gunboats left Bangkok earlier on 26 July R.E. 112 after posing threat to the Thai capital for 13 days. Yet, French continued to occupy Chanthaburi and Trat Province for another 14 years to ensure that all Siamese troops were withdrawn from the land on the left side of the Mekong River. Hence, it was not until 1907 (R.E. 126)
The Phra-Thinang Chakri Maha Prasat is the heart of Siam Kingdom at that time
The French Embassy (next to Oriental Hotel today)

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Information

: Tourism Authority of Thailand, 4 Ratchadamnoen Nok Avenue, Bangkok 10100, THAILAND. Tel. : (66 2) 281-0422 (20 Lines), E-mail : tat@cs.ait.ac.th : Tourist Service Center (TAT and Tourist Police), Tel. 1155 : Tourism Authority of Thailand Tourist Service Center : In Memory of R.E. 112 "Alas....Bangkok", Krairoek Nana, Siam Horizon, Oct.- Nov., 1997, P. 22-33.