The Corts Foundation is pleased to announce that the publication called “The Diplomatic Correspondence between the Kingdom of Siam and the Castle of Batavia during the 17th and 18th century” is translated and published in the Thai language. By translating original Dutch correspondence into English, Indonesian and now Thai, this unique correspondence becomes more accessible to historians worldwide, and especially also now in Thailand.

The important archival discovery of hundreds of diplomatic letters in the archives of the Arsip Nasional Republik Indonesia (ANRI) led to a project to highlight a few of these letters in particular. This treasure trove of unique correspondence between the Royal Court in Ayutthaya and Batavia Castle show the cultural heritage and the economic history of Southeast Asia. It is a rich source for the maritime history of Asia, as it specifies the old inter-Asian trade network and the close ties between kingdoms in the region.

The diplomatic letters are preserved in the archives of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) that were granted the status of UNESCO Memory of the World in 2004. They have a protected status and are regarded an important written source of global history. The correspondence is included in the archival series called ‘the Daily Journals of Batavia Castle’ (1624-1807) and are part of digitalized archives that can be accessed online at: www.sejarah-nusantara.anri.go.id .

All three versions of the Diplomatic letters publication can be found here:
[Thai language version >>]  [English version >>]  [Indonesian version >>]

 
This project has been made possible by The Corts Foundation in collaboration with ANRI and the Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, and with financial support of the Royal Dutch Embassy in Bangkok.