Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909

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The Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909 , also known as the Bangkok Agreement (1909) or the Bangkok Agreement (1909) , is a treaty between Great Britain and Siam (Thailand) that governs the northern Malay states of Kedah , Kelantan , Perlis and Siamese Terengganu joined the British Empire .

history

Loss of dependent territories in Siam to the French and British colonial empires (1862–1909)

The treaty was preceded by the Burney Treaty , a friendship and trade treaty between Siam and Great Britain from 1826. In it, Great Britain had confirmed Siamese sovereignty over the northern Malay states of Kedah , Kelantan , Perlis and Terengganu . At the same time, Siam guaranteed British rule over Penang and their right to undisturbed trade with Kelantan and Terengganu.

The new treaty of 1909 between Siam and Great Britain suspended the Burney Treaty and made Great Britain sovereign over the four Malay states. There have also been significant changes to the jurisdiction over UK nationals living in Siam.

The treaty was signed by the Foreign Ministers of Siam and Great Britain on March 10, 1909, and ratified in London and Bangkok on July 9, 1909. Were signers of the contract

In the same month the High Commissioner of the Federated Malay States , Sir John Anderson, published corresponding proclamations in the affected areas .

Content of the contract

Today's Thailand and Malaysia: The orange-marked sultanates Perlis (6), Kedah (7), Kelantan (8) and Terengganu (9) ceded Siam to Great Britain with the Treaty of 1909.

The contract is divided into eight articles and four annexes.

  • In Article I, Siam transfers all sovereignty, protection, administration and control over its possessions in the states of Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah, Perlis and associated islands to Great Britain. According to Article II, this transfer should take place within 30 days of the ratification of the Treaty.
  • Article III provides that within 6 months of ratification an Anglo-Siamese commission shall determine the details of the demarcation between the four states and Siam as set out in Appendix 1 to the treaty. Siamese who now live on British soil as a result of the demarcation of the border can decide within this period whether they want to keep their Siamese citizenship. Concessions granted by the Thai government to individuals or companies are recognized by the UK government.
  • In Article IV, the government of the Federated Malay States assumes any debts and obligations of the Siamese government in the four Malay states.
  • Article V extends the jurisdiction of the Siamese International Courts of Justice to include British citizens. The details are regulated in a separate Appendix 2 to the contract. It is also specified that this system should only apply until a separate Siamese jurisdiction comes into force. Thereafter, UK nationals are subject to Siamese criminal, civil or commercial law.
  • Article VI legally equates Brits who are within Siam with the Siamese. This also applies to property and tax matters. However, the British living in Siam are exempt from all military service and exempt from forced loans and military tribute payments.
  • Article VII provides that all other treaties, agreements and understandings between Great Britain and Siam will continue to be in force.
  • Article VIII states that the treaty must be ratified no later than four months after signature.
  • Appendix 1 ( Boundary Protocol annexed to the treaty dated March 10, 1909 ) contains a precise description of the future border between Siam and the four separate states.
  • Appendix 2 ( Protocol concerning the Jurisdiction applicable in the Kingdom of Siam to British subjects, and annexed to the treaty dated March 10, 1909 ) contains rules on the jurisdiction over British nationals.
  • Appendix 3 contains an agreement that, out of consideration for the military interests of Great Britain, prohibits Thailand from ceding certain parts of its national territory to foreign governments and allowing them to maintain ports or shipyards or operate military coaling stations in these areas. The construction of small coal depots to maintain shipping operations is approved, however.
  • Appendix 4 contains further agreements on jurisdiction and the promise that certain regulations will be subjected to a critical assessment in due course.

Construction of the Siamese State Railway

Attentive observers of the negotiations could not fail to notice that the Siamese cession of more than 100,000 km² of land had to be countered by a corresponding consideration by the British. Although there was no indication in the official contract, the press had leaked that the British were loaning £ 4 million to build the southern line of the Siamese State Railroad . This agreement was "hidden" in an agreement between the Federated Malay States and the Siamese Railway Authority, which was signed on March 10, 1909 along with the Anglo-Siamese Treaty.

Consequences of the contract

British colonies and protectorates in Malaya: Unfederated Malay States in blue

The treaty divided the northern Malay states in two. The current territory of the provinces of Pattani ( ڤتنا (Patani)), Narathiwat ( منارة (Menara)), Songkhla ( سيڠڬورا (Singgora)), Satun ( مقيم ستل (Mukim Setul)) and Yala ( جال (Jala)) remained under Thai rule , while the British sphere of influence was expanded to include Kedah ( ไทรบุรี (Saiburi)), Kelantan ( กลันตัน (Kalantan)), Perlis ( ปะลิส (Palit)) and Terengganu ( ตรัง กา นู (Trangkanu)). Together with Johor , these four states later became the " Unfederated Malay States ".

Satun and Perlis belonged to the Malay Sultanate of Kedah, but only Satun, with a mixed population of Thai and Malays, remained with Thailand. Patani, Narathiwat, the south of Songkhla and Yala were originally part of the Malay Sultanate of Patani , which had long been tributary to the Thai.

For Great Britain the contract meant an expansion of the British Empire by 103,600 km². At the same time, the acquisition of the 300 km long coastline closed the last gap in the supremacy of the British, which stretched from the Persian Gulf to Singapore.

The current border between Thailand and the Malaysian Federation goes back essentially to the Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909. The latent dissatisfaction with the treaty in the border regions is also one of the reasons that led to the conflict in southern Thailand from 2004 in the Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat regions .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Baker, C .; Phongpaichit, P. (2009): A History of Thailand ; Cambridge Uni. Press, Port Melbourne
  2. ↑ The Straits Times: ANGLO-SIAMESE TREATY - Official Communication received in Bangkok ( Memento of the original from January 13, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. ; March 17, 1909 issue, page 8; Accessed January 12, 2014 @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / newspapers.nl.sg
  3. ↑ The Straits Times: GREAT BRITAIN AND SIAM - The effect of the new Treaty, explained by Mr. Duff ( Memento of the original from January 16, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. ; April 10, 1909 issue, page 8; Accessed January 14, 2014 @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / newspapers.nl.sg
  4. ↑ The Straits Times: TAKING OVER RAHMAN. Text of Proclamation by the High Commissioner ( Memento of the original from January 15, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. ; Issue of July 19, 1909, page 7; Accessed January 12, 2014 @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / newspapers.nl.sg
  5. ↑ The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942): Saturday, July 10, 1909 ( Memento of the original of January 13, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. ; July 10, 1909 issue, page 6; Accessed January 12, 2014 @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / newspapers.nl.sg
  6. ↑ The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942): Tuesday, August 3, 1909 ( Memento of the original of January 14, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. ; Issue of August 3, 1909, page 4; Accessed January 12, 2014 @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / newspapers.nl.sg
  7. ↑ The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942): Thursday, June 17, 1909 ( Memento of the original of January 13, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. ; June 17, 1909 issue, page 8; Accessed January 12, 2014 @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / newspapers.nl.sg