The Chakri Dynasty (from 1782)

From the ashes of Ayutthaya rose a remarkable military leader: Taksin the Great, a half-Chinese general who repelled Burma within a few years and founded the new capital Thonburi (on the west bank of the Chao Phraya). Taksin was overthrown in 1782 — the circumstances remain disputed and a sensitive topic to this day.

Founding of Bangkok

General Chakri ascended the throne in 1782 as Rama I and moved the capital to the east side of the river — today's Bangkok (in Thai: Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, "City of Angels"). He founded the Chakri Dynasty, which still reigns today. The Grand Palace and the Wat Phra Kaeo (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) date from this founding period.

Modernization under Rama IV & V

King Mongkut (Rama IV, reign 1851–1868) was a learned monk who spent 27 years in the monastery before ascending the throne. He opened Siam to the West, signed trade agreements, and began modernization. He is known in the West through the (historically questionable) musical "The King and I" — which is banned in Thailand because it portrays the king disrespectfully.

His son Chulalongkorn (Rama V, reign 1868–1910) is perhaps the most beloved king in Thai history. He abolished slavery, introduced a modern education system, the railway, and a legal system. His masterpiece was diplomacy: While France and Britain colonized all of Southeast Asia, he skillfully played the colonial powers against each other and preserved Siam as the only country in the region to maintain its independence. The price was high — Siam had to cede Laos and Cambodia to France and the Malay territories to Britain — but the heartland remained free.

On October 23 (Chulalongkorn Day), Thais still lay flowers at his equestrian statue in Bangkok.