CONVITE

The Embassy of Portugal in Bangkok

in cooperation with

The Siam Society Under Royal Patronage

requests the pleasure of your company for the evening on

“The Portuguese-Siamese Treaty of 1820:
Siam's first attempt of integration into the international community”

 

Tuesday 22nd February 2011, 18:30

 

“Portugal and Thailand celebrate this year an uncommon but happy anniversary: 500 years of continuous, equal, never disrupted and still extant cultural, commercial, political and diplomatic relations. Perhaps a unique case in the long and not always peaceful history of the Western presence in Asia and surely a unique occasion to commemorate one of the highest points of the long and illustrious history of the Portuguese in Asia.”

After an introduction by H.E. the Ambassador  of Portugal, Dr. Jorge Torres-Pereira, Professor António Vasconcelos de Saldanha will present the book and the author, Miguel Castelo Branco, is ready to answer some questions from the audience regarding what he underlined in his research: “It seems the diplomatic history of Siam in early Bangkok period has been written from front to back. The so called Bowring Treaty was not, after all, so decisive as it was thought, since in 1820 Portugal and Siam have negotiated a treaty in such conditions that allowed Siam to break with the sino-centric system. The Bowring Treaty was imposed by threat and resulted in an unequall treaty. The treaty with the Portuguese was discussed on the base of absolute parity.”

The facsimile of the Treaty of 1820, signed between the two kingdoms, will be on display.

The evening will take place at the Auditorium of the Siam Society on 22th February 2011, at 18.30 hours. The presentations will be followed by a cocktail. Free admission for the evening. Due to limited parking space at the Siam Society, guests are requested to make use, if possible, of the BTS/MRT – Asoke /Sukhumvit station.

Please  R.S.V.P at Ms Subiya by e-mail