War and politics in mid-19th Centuy Siam and Burma : the historical context of the Chiang Tung wars

Abstract

To examine the Chiang Tung wars, a series of conflicts that occurred in the Tai principalities of the upper Mekong and Lan Na from 1802 to 1854, and demonstrates their significance within the 19th century history of the Tai principalities. These conflicts had their origins in three regional conflicts, namely, the restoration of the principalities of Lan Na, the dynastic politics of the Sipsongpanna, and the long political and military rivalry of Siam and Burma. Making use of Tai, Burmese, and Siamese as well as western sources, this paper traces the relations between the Tai principalities, as well as between the individual principalities and the regional powers of Siam, Burma, China, and the British Tennasserim, over the course of the conflict. The final Chiang Tung War, fought from 1852 to 1854, was the only direct conflict between Siamese and Burmese forces in the 19th century, and marked a turning point in Siam's policy towards its tributaries, with the Siamese and Burmese rulers campaigning to, respectively, expand and consolidate their political domains, in indirect competition with the increasingly aggressive British.