Presenting the Worldview Development: An Analysis of the Royal Personal Letters of King Rama V during His European Tour in 1897

Abstract

This article aims to analyze the concept of urban development during the reign of King Rama V through his royal writings, particularly the royal letters during his visit to Europe in 1897. Since Western culture differs from Eastern culture, it opened up new perspectives for Siam at that time. The main question of this article is what caused the first visit to Europe, and how did King Rama V perceive the countries of Europe? The study of this article employs an analytical approach using primary documents, specifically the royal private letters from the year 1897, to support the ideas of King Rama V in the country's reform. The study found that King Rama V's visit to Europe was a royal journey to foreign countries in Europe with the purpose of fostering friendly relations with various European nations. This was to show those countries that Siam was a developed nation and not a backward, primitive one, and to create opportunities for cooperation in addressing security issues and promoting Siam's independence, even amidst the colonial era. This was motivated by the dispute between Siam and France during the 1893 crisis (B.E.2436), which resulted in Siam losing more territory than any other time in its dealings with Western nations. During this visit to Europe, King Rama V expressed his views on the state of European countries as follows: 1) Technological advancement 2) Economic development 3) Progress in craftsmanship and art 4) Educational advancement and 5) European etiquette.