Essential Information about Thailand

• King Taksin (❌not Prime Minister Thaksin❌), who is considered a visionary leader in Thailand, was enraged when Burma invaded and destroyed Ayutthaya. He repelled the Burmese forces, conquered and absorbed Cambodia, and destroyed and absorbed the Lanna Kingdom in Laos. As a result, he conquered almost all of Southeast Asia, excluding Myanmar and parts of Vietnam, and established the Thonburi Kingdom.

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• King Taksin's father was Chinese, and his mother was Thai. There's a rumor that he received help from China during the war thanks to this.

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• The person you see riding a horse and carrying a sword in the streets is King Taksin.

• King Taksin was betrayed by his trusted right-hand man, General Chaophraya Chakri, who killed him and established the Chakri Dynasty, which is the current royal family.

• The fourth king, Mongkut (Rama IV), is the real-life model for the king portrayed by Yul Brynner in the famous movie "The King and I".

• Thailand was not colonized because of King Mongkut's flexible diplomacy (a metaphor for bending like bamboo). He fulfilled all the demands of the European powers, leading to the signing of unequal treaties. As a result of giving up the territories conquered by King Taksin to the European powers, Thailand's current size was reduced.

• King Mongkut's flexible diplomacy is still practiced in Thailand today.

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• During World War II, Japan approached Thailand and requested passage to attack the British in Myanmar and Malaysia (This sounds familiar... it's like the request to use Korea's path to invade Ming Dynasty... $#%#$%). Thailand granted passage, formed an alliance with Japan, and declared war on the United States and Britain. They provided support for the use of railroads, roads, and military facilities. However, when Japan began to lose to Britain, Thailand immediately betrayed and attacked Japan. As a result, Thailand was not classified as a defeated nation but as a victorious nation at the end of World War II, receiving special benefits.

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• The movie "The Bridge on the River Kwai" depicts the construction of a railway connecting Myanmar and Thailand by the British prisoners of war forced to work by the Japanese.

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• To appease Britain and France, angered by Thailand's betrayal, Thailand paid reparations. They also appeased the United States by sending troops to the Korean War. (That's why Thailand participated in the Korean War). In a way, it was the ultimate example of opportunistic diplomacy.

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• In 1939, the country's name was changed from Siam to Thailand, then back to Siam, and finally back to Thailand again, which is the current name.

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• Around 1525, foreigners began calling the Ayutthaya kingdom Siam (Siam) or Syam (Syam), which became the country's name given by foreigners. 'Thai' means 'freedom', and Thailand means 'land of freedom'.