The reign of King Rama IV was characterised by fostering relations and trade of Siam with foreign powers. A significant milestone of these relations was the signing of a diplomatic and commercial treaty with England by King Rama IV. The so-called “Bowring Treaty” opened doors of Siam to the world, and also led to numerous similar treaties with other countries.
With increasing ties to the West under the reigns of Kings Rama V and VI, there were several attempts by these western powers to establish a central bank for Siam to issue bank notes which would bring about substantial benefits. Yet these attempts did not materialise as the Siamese believed that these powers intended to reap the benefits for themselves. However, it was believed that in principle, having a central bank would serve as a central medium for trade and economy, but the project was shelved due to the lack of experience and expertise at that time.
