It would not be outlandish to suggest that the Bowring Treaty marked Siam’s entrance into the modern era. The treaty transported Siam from the ancient orbit of the Chinese tribute trade system into the new order of free trade under British imperial standards. The Thailand we know today came into being, at least in part, as a result of the Bowring Treaty. In the year of the 170th anniversary of the Bowring Treaty—which, while not marking the absolute beginning of Thai–British relations, truly inaugurated a strong alliance between the Kingdom of Thailand and the United Kingdom in the modern era—this collection of essays offers a timely commemoration. Written by five historians (Wasana Wongsurawat, Dhiravat na Pombejra, Wisarut Junsook, Thep Boontanondha and Lily Patcharaviral C. Schuessler), Forging Ties, Advancing Our Future: 170 Years of Thailand–UK Diplomatic Relations recounts and celebrates the enduring friendship between the two kingdoms through four chapters: (1) Before Bowring: Anglo–Siamese Relations, 1612–1850; (2) The Treaty of Bowring, 1855; (3) From World War I to World War II; (4) From Enmity to Alliance: Relations in the Cold War. The story of Thai–British friendship remains one of history in the making. This collection serves as a testament to how far we have come in our dedicated and fruitful partnership, and we hope it will encourage our peoples and governments to continue developing this alliance to even greater heights in the centuries to come.