The Kingdom of Siam was an older name for Thailand, and referred to a historical time period that lasted until 1351 to 1932. The country was a major power in Southeast Asia throughout the 19th century and was a rival of neighboring Dai Nam for supremacy in the region. In 1836, it had a predominantly agricultural population of 1.23 million people, of which about 4.5% were literate. The country's main exports were tropical wood and grains. Siam was also the only country in the region to remain independent of colonial powers, including France and Britain. From 1782 until 1932 Siam was officially called the Rattanakosin Kingdom, in which politics were dominated by the conservative Royal Faction.
During the late 19th century, it ended up conquering its neighboring states, including Dai Nam, Cambodia, Johore, and Luang Prabang. However, Siam eventually became a vassal of the Qing Empire.
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