Title: The visit of King Chulanongkorn to Europe in 1897 and the reflection of business development in Thailand: The Cases of Siam Commercial Bank and Siam Cement Company

Speaker: Dr. Porphant Ouyyanont from School of Economics, Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University,Thailand

Date and time: November 16th (Fri.) 14:00-15:30, 2018

Venue: Tonan-tei (Room no. 201) on the 2nd floor of Inamori Foundation Memorial building

Moderator: Dr. Edoardo Siani, CSEAS, Kyoto University

Abstract:
The First visit of King Chulalongkorn to Europe in 1897 saw significant impacts on Thai history. The talk discusses the establishment prior to the First World War of the Siam Commercial Bank and the Siam Cement Company, two of the principal investments of the Thai Crown Property Bureau. The very success and longevity of the two great enterprises that remain the financial backbone of the Privy Purse Bureau. It is argued that not only the role of the Thai monarchy and elites in developing these business but also the significance of the political and economic context and of the role of Europeans, especially Danes, in the formation of these companies.

About the speaker:
Porphant Ouyyanont is currently Associate Professor of Economics at Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, Thailand. He obtained his doctorate in economic history from the University of New England, Australia, and has been a visiting researcher at Kyoto University Center for Southeast Asian Studies, and ISEAS –Yusof Ishak institute. His publication and research interests include the economic history of Bangkok and regions of Thailand, village economy. The Crown Property Bureau in Thailand and its investment role. He has published 5 books including The Village Economy in the Central Region of Thailand (2003), The Thai Economy during the Reign of King Prajadhipok (2015), and A Regional Economic History of Thailand (2015, and English Translation version 2017).

His recent published journal articles include “The Crown Property Bureau in Thailand and the Crisis of 1997” (Journal of Contemporary Asia 2008) (This paper was also selected as a runner-up to the winning essay for the Journal of Contemporary Asia Prize of 2009), “Underdevelopment and Industrialization in Pre-War Thailand” (Australian Economic History Review 2012) and “The Foundation of the Siam Commercial Bank and the Siam Cement Company: Historical Context and Alternative Historiographies” ( SOJOURN, 2015).