The Journal of the Siam Society Vol. LXIV, Part 1-2, 1976 - Khamkoo

AMEHICAN DIPLOMATS IN SOUTIIEAST ASIA 43
relations, "American relations with Siam did not become important."9
The United States faced several special problems in its relations
with Siam in the nineteenth century. The American mission in Bangkok
was underpaid and understaffed by any standards, and particularly when
measured against the elaborate diplomatic establishments maintained by
the larger European powers. Furthermore, American diplomats
represented a republic rather than royalty. An early Ameri~an Consul
in Batavia (Djakarta) had recommended that American diplomats not
let Asian courts find out that the United States was a republic, and the
first American Consul in Bangkok reported that King Mongkut "is
enamored of Royalty and has little respect for plain Republicanism. "1 o
Mongkut was fond of exchanging letters with royal heads of state,
addressing Queen Victoria as "Our royal Sister" and "by race of the
royalty our very affectionate Sister" and signing himself"Your Majesty's
affectioned Royal Brother." II Obviously he felt less comfortable about
writing to elected presidents. Early in 1861 Mongkut wrote to
President Buchanan, "or to whomsoever having been popularly elected
as his successor," to thank Buchanan for a letter and gifts. Mongkut
9) Tyler Dennett, Americans in East Asia (New York, 1922), p. 352. It is harder
to accept Abbot Low Moffat's statement, "The relations between Siam and
the United States never assumed importance to either country until the Second
World War •... "