In this episode of The Story of Thailand, Lucas and Luna explore a little-known chapter of Siam's survival: the opium trade. While China crumbled under the Opium Wars, Siam under King Mongkut (Rama IV) and King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) played a delicate game of balance. They used opium revenue to modernize the state, but also faced pressure from British and French traders. Learn how the Siamese government managed a state opium monopoly, how it funded railways and telegraphs, and why the 1839 Opium War in China was a terrifying warning. We also discuss the 1909 Anglo-Siamese Treaty's hidden clauses on opium suppression, and the moral debates within Siam's court. This episode ties together economic history, colonial diplomacy, and the quiet resilience that kept Siam free.
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