Chulalongkorn, also known as King Rama V, of Siam was a modernizing monarch. As regent to the ailing King Mongkut, he embarked on a tour of British colonies in Asia from 1870 to 1872. To commemorate the first stop on his tour, Chulalongkorn brought a gift of an elephant statue that still stands today. When the regent landed in Singapore in 1871, he was warmly received by the colonial administration. The statue he brought was erected in 1872 in front of the old Town Hall (now the Victoria Memorial Hall). The bronze…
