Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Pinklao died of tuberculosis in 1866, and Rama
IV
died two years later. Prince Chu-
lalongkorn was only age 15 when he became Rama
V
, and a regent, Chuang Bunnag, the
eldest son of Dit Bunnag, governed Siam. Prince Vichaichan, Pinklao's 30-year-old son,
was controversially appointed second king without the full consent of the monarch. Rama
V
was a reforming king, while Vichaichan was a conservative. A power struggle developed
between them and came to a head at the end of 1874 when a fire broke out in the Grand
Palace and the blame was directed at the second king's faction. Vichaichan fled and took
sanctuary in the British Consulate.
Afterwards, the Front Palace was stripped of its power and after Vichaichan's death in
1885 the title was abolished, Rama
V
taking the British system of making his eldest son
crown prince. The king had the Outer Court of the Front Palace converted into barracks
for the royal guards, and today the buildings form Thammasat University. The buildings
of the Middle Court became the National Museum. The Inner Court was at first retained
for the women, but their numbers gradually dwindled and they were moved to the Grand
Palace. The buildings have over the subsequent years either been demolished to make way
for roads, or converted into offices.
