Mongkut

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King Mongkut (Rama IV), (October 18, 1804 - October 18, 1868) was a king of Thailand 1851-1868. The historians regarded him as one of the most remarkable kings of Chakri dynasty. Prince Monkut was the son of King Rama II and the first wife, who, as the law of throne succession first had the right to be king. But when his father died, his influential half brother was unanimously concurred by the nobility to take over this. Prince Monkut decided to enter the priesthood and went in exile in many uptowns. As if the fate of Siam had been written by him, prince Monkut spent these 27 years searching for the western knowlegde; he had studied Latin, English, astronomy with the missionary and the sailors. Prince Monhkut was presumbly praised by the historians to be the dexterously English speaking Monarch, while some proved that his younger brother, vice-king Pinkao, could speak English better than him.

After 27 years of pilgrimage, King Monkut succeeded the throne in 1851, his awareness of the threat from the new enemies, British and French, led him to many innovative activities. He ordered the nobility to wear the shirt while being given his audience. This was to show that Siam was no longer barbaric from the Western point of view. King Monkut hired the lady from England, who was later most notorious and hated in Thai history, Anna Leonowens, to be his sons' tutor. It is still controversial how much this affected the worldview of one of his son, Prince Chula, who succeeded the throne. Anna claimed that her and Prince Chula's conversation about human freedom and the story telling of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" became the inspiration for his abolition of slavery almost 40 years later.

King Monkut's last task in 1868 was to invite the British consuls from Singapore to watch the solar eclipse he predicted 2 years before at Wakor district, Prachuap Khiri Khan province. This became perilous when he and Prince Chula got infected with malaria. He died several days later, and was succeeded by his son, who survived the malaria. King Mongkut was almost 100 years posthumously well known for the Hollywood when his story with Anna became the famous play "The King and I".

Reportedly, he remarked to one of his Christian missionary friends 'What you teach us to do is admirable, but what you teach us to believe is foolish'.

See also: Chakri dynasty, The King and I