№ 2232. Joint Issue of Russia and Thailand. State Rulers

 

Diplomatic relations between Russia and Thailand (Siam) were established during the visit of King Chulalongkorn (King Rama V) to the Russian Empire in July 1897. Russian diplomat Aleksandr Olarovsky was appointed Charge d’affaires and Consul General of the Russian Empire to Siam on December 4, 1897. A Declaration on Jurisdiction, Trade and Seafaring was signed in Bangkok on June 23, 1899. Siam saw the Russian Empire as a possible ally hoping for support in asserting its independence from European colonial powers and retaining its political sovereignty. Relations between the two states gradually improved. Russian hereditary prince Nicholas visited Bangkok in 1891. In turn, the Siamese royal family paid numerous visits to Russia, which strengthened friendship between the countries.

In 1897, when King Rama V traveled around Europe, the Kingdom of Siam received a summons to surrender the country to the French army. Chulalongkorn turned to all the European nations for help. It was only Russia that answered inviting the King of Siam to Petersburg to Emperor Nicholas II, who proposed taking a shared picture. The photo was printed in all the European press as an evidence of close friendship between the Russian Empire and the Kingdom of Siam. A conflict with Russia was highly disadvantageous for the French government so France forgot about the summons and left Siam after the photo was published. Such a political move by Nicholas II saved the Kingdom of Siam from colonization.

The postage stamp features King Chulalongkorn of Siam and Emperor Nicholas II of Russia during their meeting in Saint Petersburg in 1897.