Treaty between the United Kingdom and Siam (1909)
TREATY BETWEEN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND SIAM.
Signed at Bangkok, March 10, 1909.
[Ratifications exchanged at London, July 9, 1909.]
TREATY.
His Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas, Emperor of India, and His Majesty the King of Siam, being desirous of settling various questions which have arisen affecting their respective dominions, have decided to conclude a Treaty, and have appointed for this purpose as their Plenipotentiaries:
His Majesty the King of Great Britain, Ralph Paget, Esq., his Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary, &c. ;
His Majesty the King of Siam, His Royal Highness Prince Devawongse Varoprakar, Minister for Foreign Affairs, &c.;
who, after having communicated to each other their respective full powers, and found them to be in good and due form, have agreed upon and concluded the following Articles :—
Article 1.
The Siamese Government transfers to the British Government all rights of suzerainty, protection, administration, and control whatsoever which they possess over the States of Kelaman, Tringgann, Kedah, Perlis, and adjacent islands. The frontiers of these territories are delined by the Boundary Protocol annexed hereto.[1]
Article 2.
The transfer provided for in the preceding Article shall take place whithin thirty days after the ratification of this Treaty.
Article 3.
A mixed Commission, composed of Siamese and British officials and officers, shall be appointed within six months after the date of ratification of this Treaty, and shall be charged with the delimination
of the new frontier. The work of the Commission shall be commenced as soon as the season permits, and shall be carried out in accordance with the Boundary Protocol annexed hereto.
Subjects of His Majesty the King of Siam residing within the territory described in Article 1 who desire to preserve their Siamese nationality will, during a period of six months after the ratification of the present Treaty, be allowed to do so if they become domiciled in the Siamese dominions. His Britannic Majesty’s Government undertake that they shall be at liberty to retain their immovable property within the territory described in Article 1.
It is understood that, in accordance with the usual customs where a change of suzerainty takes place, any Concessions within the territories described in Article 1 hereof to individuals or Companies, granted by or with the approval of the Siamese Government, and recognized by them as still in force on the date of the signature of the Treaty, will be recognized by the Government of His Britannic Majesty.
Article 4.
His Britannic Majesty’s Government undertake that the Government of the Federated Malay States shall assume the indebtedness to the Siamese Government of the territories described in Article 1.
Article 5.
The jurisdiction of the Siamese International Courts, established by Article 8 of the Treaty of the 3rd September, 1883, shall, under the conditions defined in the Jurisdiction Protocol annexed hereto,[2] be extended to all British subjects in Siam registered at the British Consulates before the date of the present Treaty.
This system shall come to an end, and the jurisdiction of the International Courts shall be transferred to the ordinary Siamese Courts after the promulgation and coming into force of the Siamese codes, namely, the Penal Code, the Civil and Commercial Codes, the Codes of Procedure, and the Law for organization of Courts.
All other British subjects in Siam shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the ordinary Siamese Courts under the conditions defined in the Jurisdiction Protocol.
Article 6.
British subjects shall enjoy throughout the whole extent of Siam the rights and privileges enjoyed by the natives of the country, notably the right of property, the right of residence and travel.
They and their property shall be subject to all taxes and services, but these shall not be other or higher than the taxes and services which are or may be imposed by law on Siamese subjects. It is particularly understood that the limitation in the Agreement of the 20th September, 1900, by which the taxation of land shall not exceed that on similar land in Lower Burmah, is hereby removed.
British subjects in Siam shall be exempt from all military service, either in the army or navy, and from all forced loans or military exactions or contributions.
Article 7.
The provisions of all Treaties, Agreements, and Conventions between Great Britain and Siam, not modified by the present Treaty, remain in full force.
Article 8.
The present Treaty shall be ratified within four months from its date.
In witness whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed the present Treaty and affixed their seals.
Done at Bangkok, in duplicate, the 10th day of March, in the year 1909.
(L.S.)RALPH PAGET.
(L.S.)DEVAWONGSE VAROPRAKAR.
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