Siam – Thailand as it has been known for several decades – is the result of a mix of people, cultures and literatures, which is still dynamic nowadays. Western influence appeared there at the beginning of the 16th century and increased very quickly during the 19th century when its kings had to prepare the kingdom to face the British and Frenchcolonial greed. King Vajiravudh (1910-1925), who studied about ten years in Great Britain, tried to make Occidental-style drama become well-known with his compatriots through translations, adaptations and, later, original works. Contrary to what has generally been affirmed, his action did not mark a break in the history of Thai literature : it was placed in an uninterrupted literary continuity and never rejected the traditional topics : his plays especially brought western dramatic and scenographic techniques, which have been developed through the last century. More than being the actor of a revolution in Thaidrama, King Vajiravudh marked out an evolution which has been continuous for centuries.
