WI: French influence in Ayutthaya continues from 1688 onward?

Deleted member 97083

The Ayutthaya Kingdom under King Narai (1657–1688) was highly amenable to foreign influence. Constantine Phaulkon, a Greek adventurer, became prime counsellor to King Narai, and became the de facto ruler of Thailand during that period.

Important commercial ties were forged with Japan. Dutch and English trading companies were allowed to establish factories, and Thai diplomatic missions were sent to Paris and The Hague. By maintaining all these ties, the Thai court skillfully played off the Dutch against the English and the French, avoiding the excessive influence of a single power. In 1664, however, the Dutch used force to exact a treaty granting them extraterritorial rights as well as freer access to trade.

Following troubles with the English and the Dutch, Phaulkon engineered a Franco-Siamese rapprochement leading to the exchange of numerous embassies between France and Siam, as well as the dispatch of an expeditionary force by the French in 1687.

French engineers constructed fortifications for the Thais and built a new palace at Lopburi for Narai. In addition, French missionaries engaged in education and medicine and brought the first printing press into the country. Louis XIV's personal interest was aroused by reports from missionaries suggesting that Narai might be converted to Christianity.

Indeed, King Narai's own adoptive son converted to Catholicism.

The French presence encouraged by Phaulkon, however, stirred the resentment and suspicions of the Thai nobles and Buddhist clergy. When word spread that Narai was dying, a general, Phetracha (reigned 1688–93) stage a coup d'état, the 1688 Siamese revolution, seized the throne, killed the designated heir, a Christian, and had Phaulkon put to death along with a number of missionaries and expelled the remaining foreigners.

Some studies said that Ayutthaya began a period of alienation from western traders, while welcoming more Chinese merchants. But other recent studies argue that, due to wars and conflicts in Europe in the mid-eighteenth century, European merchants reduced their activities in the East. However, it was apparent that the Dutch East Indies Company or VOC was still doing business in Ayutthaya despite political difficulties.

(Information from Wikipedia)

In any case, what if French influence in Thailand remained after 1688? How would it have affected the development of both France and Thailand? Would Thailand have Christianized? Become a puppet state of France?
 
Louis XIV's personal interest was aroused by reports from missionaries suggesting that Narai might be converted to Christianity.
The Persians said the exact same thing about Narai converting to Shia Islam, which he also never did.

There is absolutely no way that the king of Thailand can convert to Christianity without being overthrown (indeed, as Sultan Ibrahim of Cambodia was overthrown not too long ago). It's about as likely as the King of Scotland converting to Islam.

killed the designated heir, a Christian
There was no designated heir because Narai had no biological son and his surviving brothers were untrustworthy and politically impotent. The "adaptive son," Phrai Pi, had no claim whatsoever to the throne (he was of low birth, so low that not even Narai could get his own daughter to marry him). He also does not appear to have been Christian.
 

Echenberg

Banned
Considering what happened with much more extensive French influence in the late 18th-early 19th century Nguyen Dai Viet, I don't think it'd turn out that different. Nguyễn Phúc Cảnh, crown prince of Vietnam before he died of smallpox in 1801 was most likely a Christian, for example. It wouldn't have faced as a strong and imperialistic adversary as French Second Empire as Dai Viet did in the 1850s, but I doubt the relationship would have been beneficial to Thailand.
 
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