Decades of history echo within these walls of the British Embassy in Bangkok. Established in 1947 the British Embassy has been a key diplomatic presence in Thailand. Before that a British consul was posted here in 1856. This followed the signing of the Bowring Treaty.
Originally, the British Embassy was located on Charoen Krung Road. It sat by the Chao Phraya River. In 1922, it moved to a new location. This was at the corner of Phloen Chit and Witthayu Roads. This area was once rural. It soon became a prime location in the city center.
The compound was a green space amidst the city. However, parts were sold to Central Group in 2007. The rest was sold in 2017. The British Embassy is now on Sathon Road. The old buildings are gone. They were torn down for redevelopment.
Charles Batten Hillier was the first British Consul in Bangkok. He arrived in 1856. King Mongkut gifted land for the mission. This was next to the Portuguese Consulate. It was a gesture of goodwill. Siamese officials had punished a British subject. This violated the new treaty’s rules. The new building was finished in 1876.
By 1895, the consulate became a legation. In the 1900s, it had several buildings. These included the minister’s residence. There were also two jails and two courthouses. A tall flagpole was raised in 1892. It replaced one lost in a storm. The flagpole cost £500. This led to a reprimand for extravagance. A statue of Queen Victoria was erected in 1903. Crown Prince Vajiravudh unveiled it in 1905.
In 1902, Minister Ralph Paget wanted to move the legation. The Bang Rak area was busy. There was pollution, noise, and noisy neighbors. These included a temple and a bar run by Madame Staro. The government was slow to act. In 1922, a new plot was bought in Phloen Chit from Nai Lert. The old compound was sold to the Siamese Government. It became Bangkok’s General Post Office. The money paid for the new land and buildings. The new site was swampy.
The legation became the British Embassy in 1947. Geoffrey Harrington Thompson was the first ambassador. More buildings were added. But the compound stayed green. By the late 20th century, the area was a commercial hub. It had hotels, offices, and malls.
In 2006, the British Foreign Office sold part of the estate. This faced Phloen Chit Road. Queen Victoria’s statue and the war memorial were moved. The Central Embassy shopping center was built there.
In 2017, the rest of the land was sold to Central Group. The price was very high. The British Embassy moved to AIA Sathorn Tower. The war memorial went to the British Club. Queen Victoria’s statue will stay with the site.
The main building was built from 1923 to 1926. It was a two-story British colonial style building. W. A. R. Wood helped with the design. Archibald Scott was the architect. The building had many windows. It featured wooden fretwork and stucco. It was the minister’s residence, then the ambassador’s. Later, it housed embassy offices. It won an award in 1984. It was listed as an ancient monument. Its demolition in 2019 led to the award being revoked.
The statue of Queen Victoria is like the one in Winchester. It bears an inscription. It reads: “Victoria, Queen of Great Britain & Ireland, Empress of India. Erected in loving memory by her subjects in Siam. 1903.” It was moved several times. During World War II, it was boarded up. But a peephole allowed the Queen to see outside. Thais would leave offerings for good fortune.
The war memorial was dedicated in 1922. It was the first structure at the new site. It is made of granite. Sir James Taggart designed it. It was moved in 2007. Following the embassy’s sale, it was moved to the British Club.
Today, the British Embassy continues its work. It supports British nationals in Thailand. It also promotes relations between the UK and Thailand. Though its location has changed, its mission remains constant.