The number three featured prominently in the recent celebration at the Siam Society to mark 330 years of the first Siamese Embassy to England and France, and 130 years of the Siamese Legations in London and Paris. The event was hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Legislative Assembly Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Siam Society, together with the British and French embassies.
An exhibition was set up on both sides of the hall to give some background on the historic events, but what made this evening most memorable were the speeches, which made reference to an article by Sumet Jumsai, part of which follows.
“The voyages of Siamese diplomats to the West in the 17th century were nothing less than hazardous. The earliest mission from Siam to Europe actually took place in 1608, to the Netherlands, which mission set the tone for the many diplomatic misses and near-misses that followed. In 1680, the actual first embassy to France was dispatched but it was shipwrecked off the African coast leaving no survivors. It was followed by another to Persia which perished similarly, while yet another to Portugal capsized off the coast of Madagascar with the survivors having to trek through the African jungle before reaching safety in Cape Town.
“In 1684, King Narai dispatched another mission which actually reached England and 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 Vachet and Father Pascot, acting as advisers and interpreters.
“These Siamese students were the first to be sent to Europe and one of them wrote a thesis in Latin which he defended at the Sorbonne in 1686 in the presence of Oc Phra Visutsunthorn, or Kosa Pan, ambassador to France in 1686-87.
“The Siamese party of 1684, rounded the Cape in safety, but just as it approached the English Channel the Barbary pirates appeared and gave chase. The latter were on the point of catching the Siamese when came the British navy to their rescue. Their ship was then escorted to Margate.
“What was to be a simple port of transit proved otherwise for the Siamese mission, for the British customs confiscated the gifts from King Narai and insisted on opening all the crates.
“The ambassadors immediately went to London to seek audience with King Charles II. On being told that His Majesty was at Windsor, the party proceeded there with the help of the French ambassador who presented the Siamese party to the king. At the audience, the king, who was with the Earl of Sunderland and the Duchess of Portsmouth, was in a jovial mood and talked about what he had read on China, Siam being confused with the latter.
“Oc Khun Pichaivalit, the chief Siamese ambassador explained to His Majesty their predicament. The king then asked the Earl of Sunderland to prepare a letter to instruct the treasurer-general who was head of the customs to return the belongings to the Siamese without opening them.”
British Ambassador Mark Kent praised Thailand for being forever the true diplomats, bringing together the British and the French for the party, which was just as well since the French were able to provide a much more pleasing wine than the Brits.
He also commiserated on the plight of the Siamese mission, but noted that at least they did not have to get visas in those days.
From across the Channel, French Ambassador Thierry Viteau couldn’t resist pointing out that of four paintings in the Chakri Throne Hall, three were of the Siamese missions to the court of Louis XIV, while only one showed the mission with Queen Victoria.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Don Pramudwinai made his own reference to the story, saying the trip could not have been more hazardous than his own trip from Rama II Road to Asok intersection that evening, for which he had to make the final leg on foot to get to the party in time.
Cheers to the next 300 years! n
