The Embassy of France in Bangkok is the chief diplomatic mission of
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
in
Thailand
Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...
, and one of the oldest in the country. It was established as a consulate in its current location on the
Chao Phraya River
The Chao Phraya River is the major river in Thailand, with its low alluvial plain forming the centre of the country. It flows through Bangkok and then into the Gulf of Thailand.
Etymology
Written evidence of the river being referred to by the ...
off
Charoen Krung Road
Shophouses along Charoen Krung road with the Sathorn Unique Tower in the vicinity (2021)
Charoen Krung Road (, ) is a major road in Bangkok and the first in Thailand to be built using modern construction methods. Built during 1862–1864 in the ...
in
Bangkok
Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estim ...
's
Bang Rak District in 1857, following the signing of the Treaty of Friendship and Commerce which re-established
diplomatic relations between the two countries the previous year. The mission was elevated to a legation in 1892 and an embassy in 1949, and supports
the ambassador in promoting political, economic and cultural ties between the two countries.
The original embassy building, which now serves as the ambassador's residence, predates the embassy's establishment, and was probably built during the 1840s–1850s, undergoing major modifications between 1875 and 1894, as well as several later renovations and restorations. It is recognized as a historic heritage building, having received the
ASA Architectural Conservation Award
The Architectural Conservation Award () is given by the in recognition of architectural conservation efforts by both the public and private sectors in Thailand. The awards, first given in 1982 and held annually since 2004, are presented to multipl ...
in 1984, and stands in contrast with the striking contemporary design of the embassy's new office building, completed in 2015.
History

Diplomatic relations between France and Siam (as Thailand was historically known) date to the 17th century, when King
Narai
King Narai the Great (, , ) or Ramathibodi III ( ) was the 27th monarch of Ayutthaya Kingdom, the 4th and last monarch of the Prasat Thong dynasty. He was the king of Ayutthaya Kingdom from 1656 to 1688 and arguably the most famous king of the ...
of
Ayutthaya
Ayutthaya, Ayudhya, or Ayuthia may refer to:
* Ayutthaya Kingdom, a Thai kingdom that existed from 1350 to 1767
** Ayutthaya Historical Park, the ruins of the old capital city of the Ayutthaya Kingdom
* Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province (locall ...
exchanged embassies with
Louis XIV
LouisXIV (Louis-Dieudonné; 5 September 16381 September 1715), also known as Louis the Great () or the Sun King (), was King of France from 1643 until his death in 1715. His verified reign of 72 years and 110 days is the List of longest-reign ...
, but ended abruptly when the French were expelled in the
Siamese revolution of 1688
The Siamese revolution of 1688 was a major popular uprising in the Siamese Ayutthaya Kingdom (modern Thailand) which led to the overthrow of the pro-French Siamese king Narai. Phetracha, previously one of Narai's trusted military advisors, took a ...
. While French Catholic priests continued to work in Siam, official relations only resumed during the mid-19th century, when King
Mongkut
Mongkut (18 October 18041 October 1868) was the fourth Monarchy of Thailand, king of Siam from the Chakri dynasty, titled Rama IV. He reigned from 1851 until his death in 1868.
The reign of Mongkut was marked by significant modernization ini ...
(Rama IV, r. 1851–1868) significantly opened up the country to the West. Following the landmark
Bowring Treaty
The Bowring Treaty was a treaty signed between the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of Siam on 18 April 1855. The treaty had the primary effect of liberalising foreign trade in Siam, and was signed by five Siamese plenipotentiaries (amongst them ...
with the United Kingdom in 1855, other Western countries entered into similar agreements with Siam, which liberalized trade and granted several concessions to the foreign powers, including France in 1856. The
Comte de Castelnau then became the French consul to Siam, and Mongkut granted the French use of a piece of land by the
Chao Phraya River
The Chao Phraya River is the major river in Thailand, with its low alluvial plain forming the centre of the country. It flows through Bangkok and then into the Gulf of Thailand.
Etymology
Written evidence of the river being referred to by the ...
, in the area now known as
Bang Rak, for establishing a consulate in 1857.
The land came with a building, which was probably previously used as a customs office. It probably dates to the late
Rama III
Nangklao (born Thap; 31 March 1788 – 2 April 1851), also known by his regnal name Rama III, was the third king of Siam from the Chakri dynasty, ruling from 21 July 1824 to 2 April 1851.
Nangklao was the eldest surviving son of King Rama II. ...
to early Rama IV reigns (late 1840s to early 1850s), though details of its original construction and designer are unknown. It was originally a two-storey masonry structure with a
Dutch gable roof
A Dutch gable roof or gablet roof (in Britain) is a roof with a small gable at the top of a hip roof. The term Dutch gable is also used to mean a gable with parapets. Some sources refer to this as a gable-on-hip roof.
A Dutch gable roof combine ...
, demonstrating
American colonial
American colonial architecture includes several building design styles associated with the colonial period of the United States, including First Period English (late-medieval), Spanish Colonial, French Colonial, Dutch Colonial, and Georgian. ...
and
neo-Palladian
Palladian architecture is a European architectural style derived from the work of the Republic of Venice, Venetian architect Andrea Palladio (1508–1580). What is today recognised as Palladian architecture evolved from his concepts of symmetr ...
influence typical of early Western architecture in Siam. Offices were located downstairs, with the consul's residence on the upper floor.
Rights to the land were granted to the French by King
Chulalongkorn
Chulalongkorn (20 September 1853 – 23 October 1910), posthumously honoured as King Chulalongkorn the Great, was the fifth king of Siam from the Chakri dynasty, titled Rama V. Chulalongkorn's reign from 1868 until his death in 1910 was cha ...
in 1875. Between 1875 and 1894, the building underwent several modifications, which added a front porch—with a Roman-arched gallery on the lower floor, a veranda on the upper floor, and an ornate outdoor staircase connecting the two—and a third floor, of wooden construction, surrounded by a latticework frame and decorated in Victorian
gingerbread
Gingerbread refers to a broad category of baked goods, typically flavored with ginger root, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon and sweetened with honey, sugar, or molasses. Gingerbread foods vary, ranging from a moist loaf cake to forms nearly ...
style. Further renovations in 1901 added a rear annex featuring a teak dining hall and other support buildings. By the early 20th century, the Bang Rak area had become a busy commercial hub, thanks to development that flowed along
Charoen Krung Road
Shophouses along Charoen Krung road with the Sathorn Unique Tower in the vicinity (2021)
Charoen Krung Road (, ) is a major road in Bangkok and the first in Thailand to be built using modern construction methods. Built during 1862–1864 in the ...
. As the nearby
British legation
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies.
* British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...
relocated to the quieter
Phloen Chit area in 1922, so did the French consider moving, but the plans never materialized.
However, the embassy would later establish a second office on
Sathon Road
Sathon Road (, , ; also ''Sathorn'' or ''Satorn'') is a major road that passes through the districts of Bang Rak and Sathon in central Bangkok, Thailand. It is an important transportation link between Phra Nakhon and Thonburi sides of Bangkok.
...
, on a plot of land shared with the
Alliance Française
(; "French Alliance", stylised as ''af'') is an international organization that aims to promote the French language and francophone culture around the world. Created in Paris on 21 July 1883 under the name ''Alliance française pour la propa ...
.
The mission was the centre of French diplomatic activity in Siam, including the confrontations of the
1893 Franco-Siamese crisis
The Franco-Siamese crisis of 1893, known in Thailand as the Incident of Rattanakosin Era 112 (,
, ) was a conflict between the French Third Republic and the Kingdom of Siam. Auguste Pavie, French vice-consul in Luang Prabang in 1886, was the c ...
, when French naval ships sailed up the Chao Phraya to anchor at the consulate during the
Paknam Incident. It was occupied by Japanese forces during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, and only resumed operations a few years after the war, which left much damage requiring extensive repairs. The mission had been elevated to a legation in 1892, and was established as an embassy in 1949. Further renovations and restorations were undertaken through the years, especially between 1959 and 1968. The most recent work, in the 2000s, removed later-added wall partitions to improve ventilation and bring the main building, which now serves as the ambassador's residence, closer to its original state.
The building received the
ASA Architectural Conservation Award
The Architectural Conservation Award () is given by the in recognition of architectural conservation efforts by both the public and private sectors in Thailand. The awards, first given in 1982 and held annually since 2004, are presented to multipl ...
in 1984.

In 2011, the embassy and the Alliance Française announced the sale of their Sathon property. A new office building was built in the original Charoen Krung embassy compound from 2012, and opened in 2015, with all embassy services consolidated there. (The Alliance Française moved to a new, separate campus on
Witthayu Road
Witthayu Road (, , ), also known as Wireless Road, is a road in Bangkok, located almost entirely in Lumphini subdistrict of Pathum Wan district. It originally linked Phloen Chit Road to Rama IV Road, running from what is now Phloen Chit Int ...
.) The building, by the French firm
ADP Ingénierie
Groupe ADP, formerly Aéroports de Paris or ADP (''Paris Airports''), is an international airport operator based in Paris (France). Groupe ADP owns and manages Parisian international airports Charles de Gaulle Airport, Orly Airport and Le Bourge ...
, features a striking contemporary design, with a monolithic, prismatic appearance that stands in sharp contrast with the ambassador's residence.
References
Further reading
*
External links
*
{{coord, 13, 43, 29, N, 100, 30, 52, E, type:landmark, display=title
France–Thailand relations
Bangkok
Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estim ...
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
Bang Rak district
Buildings and structures on the Chao Phraya River