1767: When the Siamese kingdom at Ayutthaya collapsed under Burmese attack in 1767, a general in the Ayutthaya king's army, Chao Phaya Taksin, escaped from the city with 500 troops. He effectively transferred the Siamese capital to Thonburi, and crowned himself the new king of Siam. His choice of the site was to have a quick escape route should the Burmese attack again.
Phra Mondop, the scripture hall at Wat Po, Bangkok.
1775: King Taksin reconquered Chiang Mai.
1777: Rebellion erupted in Khorat. King Taksin sent General Chakri to quell it. General Chakri bestowed the title Chao Phaya for his role.
1781: King Taksin sent Chao Phaya Chakri and his army to Cambodia.
1782: King Taksin became insane. Revolt broke out and held the king captive. Chao Phaya Chakri rushed back from Cambodia. Council of high state officials decided to execute the demented king, and put Chao Phaya Chakri on the throne, giving birth to the Chakri Dynasty that still reigns today. Chao Phaya Chakri was given the title Rama I, in fact posthumously, because the numbering system did not come into being until Rama III. Rama I moved the capital from Thonburi, across the river, to its present site in Bangkok.
Bangkok was already a township when Rama I chose it as his capital (so it is erroneous to say that he founded Bangkok). Traders often stopped over in Bangkok on their way to Ayutthaya. While the European merchants of that time used the name "Bangkok" to refer to this stop, to the Siamese community, the left and right banks of the Chao Phraya river was known as Thonburi. By the time Rama I came to power, the Burmese threat was already not as eminent, and in fact, his new kingdom was now as strong as Burma, so his choice of site was for for defence.
1810: Burmese invaded Siamese areas on the Peninsula and occupied Phuket, but was eventually ejected.
1824: Rama II died without naming a successor (even though he has 38 sons and 35 daughters from 38 wives). The Accession Council selected Rama II's eldest son Prince Jetta as the next king, even though he was born of a non-royal wife, instead of Prince Maha Mongkut, the eldest son from a royal mother. Prince Jetta took the throne as Rama III, and his postnumous title was Phra Nangklao.
1826: A friendship treaty was concluded between Siam and the British East India Company.
1838: The former Sultan of Kedah tried to regain control of his territory, resulting in Siamese invasion of Kedah. It affected the neighbouring Malay territories and strained ties with Great Britain.
1851: Rama III died, and Prince Maha Mongkut was finally crowned Rama IV, with the title Phra Chomklao. After being bypassed for the throne 27 years ago, Maha Mongkut became a monk of the strict Thammayut sect. During his monastic life, he studied Western science as well as Western and Eastern languages. Upon assuming the throne, he started opening Siam to the west, an act that probably saved it from becoming another colony.
1868: Rama IV died, and his eldest son Prince Chulalongkorn (out of 39 sons and 43 daughters from 39 wives) ascended the throne as Rama V. He had received a sound education, including tutoring in English for a brief period under the English widow Mrs Anna Leonowens, whose books "An English Governess at the Siamese Court" and "Romance of a Harem" resulted in the film "King and I".
King Chulalongkorn did much to modernize Siam. He made two trips to tour Europe, and established contacts with European leaders. But the desire to remain free came at a price.
Buddha image, Wat Po
Between 1863 and 1903, Siam signed treaties that favor Western powers at its own expense. Cambodia, which was previously a vassal of Siam, became a French protectorate by virtue of a treaty between the Cambodian King Norodom and France. In the 1893 treaty between France and Siam, Siam gave up all territories on the left bank of the Mekong - basically, all of Laos, to France. Then, in 1909, it ceded Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu to Britain.
1910: King Chulalongkorn died, and was replaced by Prince Vajiravudh, under the title Rama VI. Among the achievements of this new king was the review of the many one-sided treaties that benefit western powers.
1913: Surnames were created for every Siamese family.
1925: King Rama VI died, and his younger brother Prince Prajadhipok, succeeded to the throne as Rama VII.
1932: While the king was at his summer residence in Hua Hin, a group toppled the absolute monarchy, and installed a constitutional monarchy.
1935: King Rama VII abdicated, leaving no successor. The National Assembly proclaimed his 10-year-old nephew, Prince Ananda Mahidol, as the legal heir, as Rama VIII.
1946: King Ananda Mahidol is found shot dead in his bed at the Grand Palace, and his brother Bhumiphol Adulyadej was proclaimed King of Siam, with the title Rama IX.
1949: Siam changes its name to Thailand, or Phratet Thai, in Thai.
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