Pirates, kings and customs: how Siam's envoys reached Britain and France 330 years ago
In 1684, the first Siamese embassy arrived in England, proceeding from there to France. The party consisted of two envoys, Oc Khun Pichaivalit and Oc Khun Pichitmaitri, an official, six students to study in France and two French missionaries, Father Vache
They had set sail aboard an English ship at Ayutthaya with gifts from King Narai for King Charles II and King Louis XIV – but their journey was to be a difficult one.
Voyages made by Siamese diplomats to the West began with a mission to the Netherlands in 1608 and were nothing less than hazardous throughout the 17th century. In 1680, the first embassy to France was shipwrecked off the African coast leaving no survivors. It was followed by another to Persia which met a similar fate, while yet another to Portugal capsized off the coast of Madagascar, with survivors having to trek through the African jungle before reaching safety in Cape Town.
The Siamese party of 1684, however, rounded the Cape in safety. But just as it approached the English Channel, Barbary pirates appeared and gave chase. They were on the point of catching the Siamese when the British navy came to the rescue and escorted their ship to Margate.
However, what was meant to be a simple port of transit proved otherwise for the Siamese mission when British customs confiscated all the gifts from King Narai and insisted on opening all the crates.
The ambassadors immediately went to London to seek an audience with King Charles II.
They eventually found him 34 kilometres away at Windsor Castle where, in jovial mood, he held forth about China – confusing it for Siam. Pichaivalit, the chief Siamese ambassador, explained their predicament. The king then ordered that a letter be sent to the treasurer-general, who was head of the customs, telling him to return the Siamese cargo without opening it.
Back in London the Siamese party went to confront the treasurer-general, who kissed the royal letter, but told them that parliament must first debate the matter.
The ambassadors hurried back to Windsor and relayed the events to the king, who asked for paper and at once wrote another letter.
Its contents were noted down verbatim and filed away in Paris:
“My Grand Treasurer, when you see this letter you will have been instructed by Me to go to the customs, and to transmit to the bearer of this letter all that he has brought from Siam for France without opening or imposing any charges whatsoever, and you will put them all in my yacht La Charlotte which will take the ambassadors to Calais, and that everything shall be done without incurring my displeasure.”
The following day parliament had already begun debating the Siamese incident when the ambassadors knocked at the door of the House. Half opening the door the usher was at first angry, since no one had ever dared to disturb the House in session. On seeing the king’s letter, he relented and let them in. The treasurer-general came to meet the Siamese, read the letter and told parliament to adjourn. He then ordered a carriage and immediately took the Siamese to the customs house at Margate. The goods were duly returned to the ambassadors, who were ushered aboard La Charlotte for the trip to France, and all ended well.
Besides the royal audience at Windsor, what made this embassy a diplomatic milestone was the concluding of a treaty with England. The East India Company had earlier declared war on Siam in the name of England and the topic must have been raised by the Siamese ambassadors. However, the treaty – probably kept at the India Office – has yet to be found.
The ambassadors duly returned to Ayutthaya in 1685 along with Chevalier de Chaumont, who led the first French embassy to Siam. The following year, the celebrated Kosa Pan boarded a ship to Brest with a much larger and more colourful retinue, and established his embassy and residence in Paris at No 10 Rue de Tournon.
The first permanent Siamese embassy was, however, established in 1884 at No 49 Rue de la Pompe. The address became No 13 Rue de Siam when a new street cut across the mission’s compound. This new street’s name was actually insisted upon by Prince Prisdang, who was the ambassador. The prince was to become ambassador designate to a total of 12 countries, 11 in Europe, and America. He established Siam’s first legation in London in 1882 before taking up his station in Paris, while Prince Nares took over the London posting, which also covered America from 1883-6.
A diplomatic reception to celebrate 330 years of Thai relations with Britain and France will be held at the Siam Society today.
