Some recent history on Thailand and religion

This letter reminds me of Thai tolerance starting from the Ayutthaya period when the Jesuits tried to convert King Narai to Catholicism.
The Paris-based Jesuits, in parallel with their attempt to convert Siam, had a part in supporting Comte de Forbin, a French corsair on loan from King Louis XIV to King Narai. The French count, who was not interested in conversion, served the Siamese king faithfully and was ennobled “Oc Phra Sakdisongkram”.
He led the Siamese army to quell the Islamist rebellion at the location that today is occupied by the Suvarnabhumi airport terminus of Makkasan.
The Thai-Muslim connection in the Bangkok period is best illustrated by Lady Riam (Miriam), who was descended from the Javanese Sultan of Jogya, and who became King Rama III’s mother.
It sums up that “any religion should ‘surrender’ to any other religion including Buddhism in this country”
is a non-issue and inconceivable.
Sumet Jumsai