Through the Eyes of the King: The Travels of King Chulalongkorn to Malaya

This books takes the reader to old Malaya as seen through the eyes of King Chulalongkorn of Siam. The King was probably the most travelled monarch of his time. He went to Java three times, India and Burma once, and Europe twice. In all these journeys, he had to pass through Singapore, and when he went westwards, he had to pass through Penang.

The King travelled to Malaya more than ten times – mainly to Singapore but also to Johor, Penang, Malacca, Taiping and Kulim. The narrative is told through historical photos and notes on the places he visited and pen sketches of the people he met.

Since King Chulalongkorn’s travels cover nearly the whole period of his reign, they reflect the different stages of his life and reign. We see him first as a young man eager to see the world and preparing himself to rule. Then we see him in middle age, in poor health and taking a respite from the cares of state. Lastly, we see him as a statesman withstanding severe pressures from aggressive British officials.

The context of each journey is discussed in the light of Siam’s relations with Britain and the northern Malay states that were still under Siamese suzerainty. Malaya was both holiday destination and confrontational space.

Stories of Thailand’s great King Chulalongkorn have laboured under the “King and I” stereotype – that that it was entirely due to his trips to Europe and association with things European that led to Thailand’s modernization. Pat Lim’s book and its richly annotated visual feast of rarely seen historical photos of Chulalongkorn’s trips to Malaya, suggests that it was his sojourns to the Straits Settlements and Java – from youth to adulthood – which may have left an even deeper impression on the King, allowing him to compare, contrast, and consider the differences between Thailand and its immediate neighbours. A very valuable addition to the history of colonial Southeast Asia’s most enlightened monarch and his interactions with key players in the region.

Ho Kwon Ping
Executive Chairman
Banyan Tree

This meticulous book shows how Malaya was key to King Chulalongkorn’s education on the colonial world. On his first Singapore visit, aged 18, he inspected school, jail, and telegraph, but also sampled the fragile splendour of colonial society – flower show, amateur dramatics, grand ball, and circus. Patricia Lim captures the king both off duty, rowing on a lake and touring botanical gardens, and on duty, manoeuvring with Chinese tycoon families, fading Malay sultans, and steely British imperialists over control of the peninsula.

Chris Baker
Former Lecturer on Asian history and politics,
Cambridge University.

About the Author

Now living in Johor Bahru, Datin Patricia Lim Pui Huen grew up in Singapore and worked in Singapore libraries, ending her career as Founding Librarian of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS). She studied Arts at the University of Malaya, where she met her husband, Dato’ Dr. Lim Kee Jin.

She comes from a family with deep roots in Johor. Her great-grandfather Wong Ah Fook was one of the early pioneers, and his son Dato’ S.Q. Wong was a member of the Council of State for more than twenty years. Her husband, Dato’ Lim Kee Jin, served as State Physician for an even longer period.

She has written about secret societies, clan associations, Chinese genealogies, and the Second World War. The book she wrote about her great-grandfather – Wong Ah Fook: Immigrant, Builder, and Entrepreneur (2002) – and this volume, Johor: Local History, Local Landscapes 1833–1937 – reveal her connections to Johor and her fascination with its history. Her other works include Through the Eyes of the King (2009), War and Memory in Malaysia and Singapore (2000), One-Legged Football and Other Stories (2020) – a collection of short stories dedicated to Dato’ Dr. Lim’s work for the disabled – and Lim Kee Jin: Doctor and Mentor (2025), a book that captures the life of Dato’ Dr. Lim Kee Jin, from his experiences during the Japanese Occupation and his Penang roots to his pioneering contributions in medicine, healthcare, and nature.