The Reign of Human Capital Accumulation: King Chulalongkorn’s Policy in Sending His Sons to Study in Europe

Abstract

During the reign of King Chulalongkorn, twenty of his sons were sent to continue their studies in Europe during 1885-1906. The King had a resolution to modernize Siam in many fields, including administration, infrastructure development, as well as reforms in the judicial, education and agricultural sectors. The Siamese princes were sponsored by King Chulalongkorn’s own funds to study from public school level to university level. The fields of study covered law, economics, military, engineering, agriculture, liberal arts, political science, education, medical science and architecture in England, Germany, France and Russia. After graduation, all the princes returned to Siam and became significant driving forces in the reform of the nation. Modern bureaucracy, Western army, expansion of infrastructure (roads, railways, canals) and public utilities (water) necessary for development, as well as reforms in law, finance, education, public health and agriculture, were put in place. King Chulalongkorn’s investment in human capital accumulation through the international migration of his sons to Europe proved important in modernizing Thailand.