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

AMERICAN DIPLOMATS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA 87
the delay, and reported to Washington, "I feel certain there is something
behind the whole affair that should come out."l92
Boyd finally took charge of the legation in May of 1893 and
remained in charge for a year, during one of the most critical periods in
modern Thai history. In the summer of 1893 the tensions between Siam
and France on Siam's eastern frontier culminated in border incidents, a
French display of naval power at Bangkok and an ultimatum, and
finally Siam's cession to France of large areas in the eastern Lao
dependencies. Most American officials sympathized with Siam in its
uneven fight against "French imperialism" and gunboat diplomacy,t93
but the United States bad only a minor role in the affair. Boyd
contented himself with keeping Washington informed through a series
of cables and despatches, and requesting that a gunboat be sent to
protect American interests. Boyd thought that the British were "as
much to be feared as the French,'' and also that in the event of
hostilities the large Chinese population of Bangkok would cause trouble.
After French gunboats forced the river defenses and came up to Bangkok,
Boyd reported that Chinese secret societies "have decided to plunder the
city at the first opportunity. "194
Siam and France eventually came to terms,t9S calm returned to
Bangkok and hope to the despairing Thai leadership, and Boyd
192) Siam DesjJatches, May 18, 1893.
193) Americans were generally less aware than the French of the degree of ''Thai
imperialism" in Bangkok's rule of its outer dependencies; certainly some, and
perhaps a majority, of the Lao elite preferred French rule to Thai rule,
194) SiamDespatches, May 23, 1893; June 28, 1893; and July 17, 1893. This last
despatch contains texts of the notes exchanged between Pavie and Prince
Devawongse (taken from the Bangkok Times). When the French cited the
"disturbed situation" as a justification for the presence of their gunboats
at Bangkok, the Thai Foreign Minister replied that if the French ships
would go away, "the disturbed situation would be changed into a very quiet
one~"
195) On the French ultimatum, the subsequent negotiations, and the final.settle·
ment, see Siam Despatches, July 24, 1893; July 26, 1893; July 28, 1893;
July 31, 189 3; August 5, 189 3 (two despatches); August 23, 1893; September
5 1 1893; October 10 1 1893; ang Qctp\Jer 23 1 1~9~,