SIAM WAS THE next place to attact British attention, following the accession of King Mongkut, who was seen as friendly, in 1851. As ever, Britain wanted to expand its trade and influence, a terrifying prospect for most Asian potentates – many an Indian one had engaged with the country on this basis, only to find their lands taken over. But Mongkut believed that by voluntarily opening Siam to foreign trade, he could maintain its independence while taking advantage of Western expertise to modernise it.

He was completely unlike most other Asian rulers, especially those of China and Japan, in that he was open to and knowledgeable about the world outside his own country. Like Sakyamuni (who became Buddha), he had abandoned the grand life of a palace for the austere one of a monastery, living as a monk for twenty-seven years. He shared a simple life with people from all strata of society, from nobles to the most humble. Each morning he went into the streets to receive alms and he chanted the Pali sutras, studied and meditated. It was a life of abstinence, devoid of any luxury, but it was not enclosed and because of his intellectual curiosity, he was able to learn about the outside world. He made the acquaintance of a French priest, Jean-Baptiste Pallegoix, who taught him French and Latin, and about Christianity – in exchange, Pallegoix learned Pali and was taught about Buddhism. Mongkut was interested in what religions could learn from each other and invited Pallegoix to preach at his monastery. He was not, however, converted to Christianity, saying, ‘What you teach people to do is admirable but what you teach them to believe is foolish.’ He also met a different kind of Christian, American Presbyterians, whose leader Rev. Dr. Beach Bradley became Mongkut's English tutor. He loved learning, especially geography, mathematics and astronomy, and he worked at reconciling Buddhism and science.

When Mongkut became king, the role he inherited was as an absolute monarch in which the people were forbidden to look at his face. He decided to change this, telling them to look at him and even to petition him if they had a problem, which he would personally look into.