The Journal of the Siam Society Vol. LXXII, Part 1-2, 1984 - Khamkoo

THE 1902 SIAMESE-KELANTAN TREATY 121
"I submit that if there were no Secret Treaty, Siam would not be allowed to
interfere with Trengganu and Kelaotan . .. . unless Siam now accepts the British
proposals to make the Secret Treaty effective, I recommend that we deal directly with
Kelantan and Trengganu to protect our own interest and theirs". 77
In spite of specific instructions from the Colonial and the Foreign Offices that
he should not encourage the Raja to expect British protection while the negotiations
were still being conducted with Siam, Sir Frank Swettenham continued to keep the
Raja in Singapore and entertained the latter's desire to be under British protection.78
Eventually, he submitted his further recommendation about British policy towards
Kelantan in his telegram to the Colonial Office.
"I venture to repeat the foll owing points - Kelantan declares its independence
and asks for British protection and Resident. British interests in danger while Siamese
integrity and commerce not affected by extending our protection over Kelantan . . . . In
every transaction hitherto Siam has gained, Britain never ... " 7 9
As expected, the Foreign Office turned down his suggestions and gave directives
that the Raja should only be assured of his authority over the internal administration
of Kelantan and that he should be sent back to his State.
Nonetheless, the attitude
and the open support of Swettenham to the Kelantan Raja had annoyed the Siamese
extremely.
They saw it as yet another act on the Governor-General's part to subvert
the Siamese authority over her Malay Chiefs.
Bangkok officially complained of Swettenham's
action of intriguing with the Siamese Malay Raja, and requested the Foreign
Office to send. dir.ecti ves prohibiting Swettenham to repeat such conduct ever again. so
Before the Siamese annoyance and irritation with Swettenham and the Raja of
Kelantan dissipated, the Sultan of Kelantan again found an opportunity to request
British assistance against Siamese encroachment.
Swettenham telegraphed London by
the end of August reporting Siamese interference with the collecting of duties at
77. FO 422/56, op. cit. ft. note 76.
78. FO 422/ 56 Swettenham to Chamberlain, June 3, 1902, (telegraphic); Sultan of Kelantan to
Swettenham, 4, 1902.
79. FO 422/56 Swettenham to Colonial Office, June 4, 1902, (telegraphic). These suggestions
were completely in violation of the 1897 Secret Convention and the instructions the Colonial
Office sent to the Straits Settlements Governor in December 1896, which stated, "I have now
to instruct you definitely that in future you should not in any way question their [ Kelantan and
Trengganu] dependence on Siam . . . It is essential that Siamese sovereignty over Trengganu
and Kelantan should not be questioned; otherwise there would remain a part of the Malay
Peninsula which might be seized by a foreign power with hostile interest ..." [ FO 422/45
Chamberlain to Mitchell, December 2. 1896]
80. FO 422/ 56 Thai Minister to Lansdowne, July 8, 1902.