Page 42 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Bangkok

40 ❯❯ The Top 10 of Everything

Moments in History

1767: Ayutthaya
1
Overrun by the
Burmese
After 400 years of being
one of Asia’s most powerful
empires, the Kingdom of
Ayutthaya (see pp34–7)
was invaded by Burmese
troops in 1767. Though
the Burmese were expelled
within a year, Ayutthaya
was deemed unsafe as
a capital and General Taksin
chose Thonburi as the
new capital of Siam
(now Thailand).
1782: Bangkok
2
Founded
Just 15 years later, a
rebellion against Taksin’s
auto cratic rule led to his Rama V, King of Siam (r.1868–1910)
demise. He was succeeded
by General Chao Phraya from the clutches of colonial powers
Chakri who established the Chakri such as England and France, which
dynasty and acquired the official were carving up Southeast Asia at
title of Rama I. On assuming the the time.
throne, his first action was to move
1893: First
the capital east across the river 5
to Bangkok. Railroad Line
Rama V carried on his
1851: Rama IV
3 father’s programme of
Crowned
modernization, and in
After 27 years as a 1893 the country’s first
monk, King Mongkut railroad line opened,
acceded to the throne to stretching just
become Rama IV of the 14 miles (22 km) to
Chakri dynasty. Thais Pak Nam. The line
regard him as the man was later extended to
who began to modernize the south, north, and
Siam, particularly northeast of the country.
through treaties that
1932: End to
opened the country to 6
trade with the West. Absolute
Monarchy
1868: Rama V
4 Rama IV, crowned the Siamese monarchy
The absolute power of
Crowned
Chulalongkorn, son of in 1851 was ended by a bloodless
Rama IV, succeeded his coup in 1932. It brought
father as Rama V of the Chakri the military to power, setting the stage
Dynasty when he was only 15 years for the string of coups and counter-
old. He ruled for over 40 years and coups that dominated the politics of
is credited with keeping Siam free Thailand for the rest of the century.
Eyewitness Travel – Top 10 series LAYERS PRINTED:
Two-column, 8.5pt grid “UK” LAYER
(SourceReport v.1.9)
040-041_Top_10_Bangkok.indd 40 22/05/2017 12:13
Date 24th June 2015
Size 100mm x 191mm