Kankakee Valley Post, Volume 9, Number 47, DeMotte, Jasper County, 12 October 1939 — Siam Changes Nation’s Name To "Thailand’ [ARTICLE]

Siam Changes Nation’s Name To "Thailand’

Western Political Ideas Filter Into Modern Government. Prepared by National Geographic Society. Washington, D. C.—WNU Service. A modern, streamlined government in Siam has changed the name of the country to Thailand. The Siamese have long called their country Muang Thai, “the land of the Thai race,” but the name “Siam” or “Sayam” is on record for the country for more than a thousand years. Siam adopted a constitutional government June 24, 1932. With the advent of the new regime, international treaties were revoked and new treaties gave Siam full jurisdictional and fiscal autonomy. • The change from an absolute monarchy has been attributed in part to the infiltration of Western ideas following the custom offending prirtces of the blood royal and sons of prominent families to the United States and other countries for their education. The new king has been at school in Switzerland. The president of the new council and commarider of the army was a classmate of General Goering’s in Germany. The new minister of foreign affairs was educated in France. Hopes for Neutrality. The latter has expressed the hope that Siam’s international position may be neutral, and an enlarged defense program is in progress. Under new enactment, every able-bod-ied man between 18 and 30 is now liable to serve two years with the colors. The navy has been more than doubled in strength, and highspeed bombing planes were purchased in the United States. Substantial appropriations have also enabled the government to increase public utilities service, in addition to private plants, and new factories have been set up, some by the government. These produce paper, cotton cloth, petroleum, sugar, hemp, silks, vegetable oils and drugs.