Ayutthaya's opening to the outside world under King Narai

Name: Ayutthaya's opening to the outside world under King Narai
Start: 1671
End: 1680

Type Event Region Southeast Asia Time 1671–1680

In the 1670s, Siam's Ayutthaya under King Narai (Ramathipodi III) reached its zenith, pursuing diplomacy and trade with France, Holland, and Persia, …

Timeline

1671–1674Lopburi · ThailandKing Narai expanded Lopburi into a secondary capital, receiving foreign envoys and holding court activities there, demonstrating the kingdom's outward-looking posture and strengthened centralization.
1675–1680Ayutthaya · ThailandFrench envoys and missionaries visited frequently, and the Greek adventurer Constantine Phaulkon gained King Narai's trust, serving as grand vizier and directing trade and diplomatic negotiations with Europe, bringing Siamese-French relations to their peak.

Sources

A History of Thailand — Chris Baker, Pasuk Phongpaichit (2014)
The Cambridge History of Southeast Asia, Volume 1 — Nicholas Tarling (ed.) (1999)