Research & Article

When assessing the Bowring Treaty it is best to make a distinction between the aspects of international relations on the one hand and matters concerning the Thai economy on the other. With regard to foreign relations historians agree that the Thais made spectacular concessions to the British. Indeed, soon after the treaty was drafted in 1855 there were several Thais who expressed concern at the thought that they might have granted the British more than the Japanese and the Vietnamese had done in similar circumstances.1 As for the treaty's effect on the Thai economy the standard view in history books is that it revolutionised the Siamese taxation system and thus marked the beginning of a new era. In this paper the evidence upon which historians have based their statements on the Treaty's economic results is examined. It will be shown that all take their cue from Bowring's own words. Secondly it will be shown that Bowring's remarks are not necessarily a reliable indicator. Having shown grounds to doubt the wisdom of relying primarily upon the chief British negotiator's personal prediction of the treaty's effects, the indigenous economic perspective is introduced. Finally, a revised appraisal of the treaty's effect upon the Thai economy is prepared.