Extraterritoriality without Colonisation: British Judges in the Supreme Court of Siam during the European Age of Empire
12 October 2026 (Monday), 4:30 – 5:30 PM
Rm901, 9/F Cheng Yu Tung Tower, The University of Hong Kong
Based on the speakers’ chapter in Thai Legal History (CUP, 2021), this talk explores a little known yet fascinating period of Siam’s legal development during the European age of empire. Facing the rising threat of colonisation from Western powers, Siam signed the Bowring Treaty with Britain in 1855, the first of 15 unequal trade treaties with nations around the world, which introduced extraterritoriality to Siamese soil. The extraterritoriality led to the pressure for the country to modernise the legal system and introduce legal codes modelled on those in civil law countries such as France, Germany and Japan.
Much less examined is the quiet, latent influence of common law during this important juncture of the country’s legal history. This talk looks at some of the leading British lawyers who sat on the Supreme Court of Siam, or the Dika Court, as members of the ‘Committee of the Supreme Court’, equivalent to modern day Supreme Court judges. Tracing the legal backgrounds of these men and their careers in Siam, our inquiry reveals a fascinating dynamic of a power play between France and Britain for legal domination in Siam – a microcosm of their much greater ambitions in Southeast Asia.
Speakers:
Surutchada Reekie (LL.B, LL.M, Ph.D (UCL), LL.B. (Chulalongkorn)) is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand. She joined the Faculty as a full-time lecturer in 2015 after having received her LL.B, LL.M, and Ph.D in law from University College London (UCL), U.K. Later, she also acquired an LL.B. in Thai Law from Chulalongkorn University. Her research interests include comparative private law, legal history, and trusts law. She has written a book on equity and edited another on comparative law, both in Thai language. She has also published book chapters and articles in peer reviewed journals in English language. A list of previous publications can be found here: https://www.law.chula.ac.th/en/profile/5536/
Adam Reekie (MA (oxon), LL.M, LL.D (Thammasat), Solicitor (England & Wales, non-practising)) is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Law, Thammasat University, Thailand. He studied classics at the University of Oxford before becoming an English-qualified solicitor, practising commercial law for a large firm in London. Following relocation to Thailand, he moved to academia, pursuing further legal education, teaching and research at Thammasat University. His research focuses on comparative private law, in particular comparative business law, and legal history and he has published book chapters and articles in peer reviewed journals on these topics. A list of previous publications can be found here: https://www.law.tu.ac.th/teacherspecial/adam-reekie/
Moderator: Weilin Xiao, Assistant Professor, The University of Hong Kong Faculty of Law