Siam's king Chulalongkorn had asked one of…

Siam's king Chulalongkorn had asked one of his princes, Devawongse, to initiate a study of European forms of government and how European institutions might be fruitfully adopted in 1887.

The following year, the prince returns with a proposal for a cabinet government consisting of twelve functionally differentiated ministries.

The king approves the plan, though several years pass before it can be fully implemented.

In 1893 Prince Damrong Rajanubhab, acting as minister of interior, begins an overhaul of Siam's antiquated provincial administration.

The old semifeudal system in the outer provinces is gradually replaced by a centralized state administration.

Under Damrong, the Ministry of Interior becomes immensely powerful and plays a central role in national unification.