Siam declares neutral

Declares neutral, August 6, 1914

By command of His Majesty the King Maha Vajiravudli Phara Mongkut Klao.

To all to whom the presents shall come, know ye:

Whereas the second Convention of The Hague, 18th October, 1907, relative to the opening hostilities, article 2 says: "The existence of the state of war must be notified to the neutral powers without delay, and shall not take effect in regard to them until after the receipt of the notification, which may, however, be given by telegraph. Neutral powers, nevertheless, can not reply on the absence of notification if it is clearly establish that they were in fact aware of the existence of the state of war"; and

Whereas the state of war now exists in Austria-Hungary, France, Germany, Great Britain, Russia and Serbia; and

Whereas we are happily at peace and on terms of friendship with each of these sovereigns and Chiefs of state and with their respective subjects and the inhabitants of their respective dominions; and

Whereas we desire that our subjects shall continue to enjoy, and shall be secured in the enjoyment of peace; to which and we are determined to keep the strict and impartial neutrality in the state of war above mentions;

Now, therefore, we do issue this our Royal proclamation, and we hereby order and command all our subjects to observe strict and impartial neutrality in and during the said war, and to observe the laws of this Kingdom, her treaty engagements, and the law of nations in that behalf.

Given at our court at Nagara Pathom on this 6th day of August, 2547, year of our Lord Buddha, and in the fifth year of our reign (August 6, 1914).