Rama VI ascended in 1910 and made a deliberate push to modernize Siam's monetary system along Western lines, partly to deflect European colonial pressure by demonstrating administrative sophistication. The salung, equal to one-quarter baht, had existed as a unit of account for generations before appearing in this westernized struck form. By 1915, the Royal Mint in Bangkok was producing these under the oversight of foreign-trained advisors brought in during the previous reign.
The .800 fineness was a concession to production economics rather than tradition — earlier Siamese silver had generally run higher.
Rama VI ascended in 1910 and made a deliberate push to modernize Siam's monetary system along Western lines, partly to deflect European colonial pressure by demonstrating administrative sophistication. The salung, equal to one-quarter baht, had existed as a unit of account for generations before appearing in this westernized struck form. By 1915, the Royal Mint in Bangkok was producing these under the oversight of foreign-trained advisors brought in during the previous reign.
The .800 fineness was a concession to production economics rather than tradition — earlier Siamese silver had generally run higher.