• Can Siam Be Reformed Through International Spaces? Venues of Personalized Modernity and Self-Discovery

Reforms are not limited to domestic spaces; they extend globally. Recent studies argue that modernity is a global phenomenon marked by diffusion, adaptation, and resistance. Nevertheless, in Thai historiography, explanations of Siamese modernization have focused predominantly on domestic reforms, particularly those of King Chulalongkorn. These accounts overlook the international dimensions of reform, even as Chulalongkorn sent his sons abroad for education. Scholars often treat the princes' overseas years as sheer preparation, examining only their post-return contributions.

Addressing this limitation, the essay argues that the princes' international experience were integral to the modernization project and cannot be dismissed as a mere prelude to subsequent reforms. Their time abroad became a transformative space that shaped their identities and Siam's modernization in ways that challenge simplistic narratives of Western assimilation and absolutist continuity. Examining the cases of Crown Prince Vajiravudh, Prince Chakrabongse, and Prince Paribatra, the essay reconstructs their time abroad to reveal how these princes were far from passive learners but active reformers who had already begun conceptualizing a new Siamese regime. Specifically, the essay analyzes the European elements that the princes adopted and rejected and discusses the implications of these choices for Siamese modernization.

Drawing on untapped sources from both Thailand and the United Kingdom, the essay makes two contributions. First, it expands Thai historiography's domestic focus by illustrating how the princes reformed Siam from international spaces, absorbing Western knowledge, securing diplomatic recognition, and performing Siamese identity for foreign audiences—indicating their role as architects of change and masters of their own destinies. Second, it contributes to youth historiography, where traditional narratives often frame these princes through their monarchical status. The essay instead examines them as youths against the backdrop of their royal expectations and predestined roles—demonstrating that the international space, beyond contestation, functioned as a space of self-discovery.