The Bowring Treaty of 1855 is a landmark of Thailand's modern history. The treaty opened the door for the colonial invasion of Siam's economy, and helped drag Siam into the modern world. It's a story about the great wheels of history, especially of colonial expansion and the cultural collision of East and West. But such events of great practical and symbolic significance are also about people, about the "big people" who shape these events, and the "little people" who get caught up in them by fate.
This fascinating book retells the history of the Bowring Treaty with a focus on the people involved, especially on two tragic deaths that had an impact on how the treaty was implemented with long-term consequences. This unusual angle is a product of the author's experience and talents. Simon Landy has lived in Thailand for around 40 years. He worked first as a university teacher and later in the property sector. In retirement he has decided to become a historian. The resulting book starts out like a typical essay in colonial-era history, then morphs into something more like a melodramatic novel, and rounds off with a discourse on Thailand's property law and the story of the recent sale of Britain's Ploenchit embassy site.
The negotiation of the treaty in 1855 was surprisingly easy because the two principals were both desperately in need of some success. Sir John Bowring had wrecked a brilliant career as a prominent liberal by making some bad investments and agreeing to become governor of Hong Kong and thus a spearhead of Britain's distinctly illiberal colonial policy. Recently enthroned, King Mongkut was still trying to establish his own authority amid a fierce struggle between the noble factions at court. These backgrounds concentrated the minds of the two principals. A draft treaty was agreed within three weeks.
Tying up the loose ends of the treaty and beginning its implementation was much messier and involved new characters struggling to negotiate the political and cultural context that was changing around them. Charles Hillier was transferred from Hong Kong to become the first British consul. As the British Empire expanded rapidly in this era, more Britons were needed to administer it. At other times, Hillier might have become a local English solicitor or schoolteacher, but in 1856 he found himself, at the age of 36, pioneering Britain's diplomatic entry into Siam. He probably lacked the talents or training for this task, and certainly lacked the robustness of health. Only five months into the job, he sadly sickened and died.
On Seng, much less is known. He had been a monk and then a royal page, but also seems to have acquired language skills and some legal knowledge. He had worked for King Mongkut but also for some of the resident Western businessmen. He probably had no idea of the mistake for which he suffered a vicious and fatal punishment.
Both deaths were linked to the treaty's clauses about the foreign occupation and ownership of land. In the Bowring Treaty, the Siamese had tried to give the Westerners enough scope to settle and do business, without allowing them to become involved in the market for land. Hillier had been trying to buy land to site the first British consulate, facing difficulty in finding a suitably prestigious site at the tight budget. Seng had been hired by a maverick English adventurer who was looking for ways to circumvent the restrictions on land ownership in the treaty. After the double tragedy, King Mongkut presented the British with a site for the consulate (not Ploenchit, acquired in 1922, but an earlier site by the river), and allowed the English adventurer to buy his desired plot.
But these gifts were designed to protect against any broader concession. Landy argues that this 1856 incident shaped Siamese reluctance to allow foreign ownership of land down to the present day: "The dilemma was and is, how to ensure the Kingdom is as attractive as possible to foreign capital while at the same time protecting the land market from too much of the same foreign capital." The Land Act of 1901 outlawed foreign ownership. In the era of globalisation, several work-arounds have been provided for foreigners, creating a legal tangle that shades into criminality, but the situation is still highly restrictive. The limits on leasehold remain tighter than in most neighbouring countries, which may contribute to Thailand's declining attractiveness for foreign investment.
This is an unusual, entertaining and enlightening book. Its blend of big history with human tragedy is very well handled and very affecting. The narrative paints the scene of the fledgling farang society in 1850s Bangkok with a lot of human warmth and colour. The complex account of property law is explained with the clarity of someone who knows the subject very well. The story of the Ploenchit sale is included as a bonus, and there is even a good joke about Boris Johnson.
