Statue of King Rama V (fig.) with his half-brother Prince Mahison Rachareuthay, who is also known by his birth name Chaiyanta Mongkon. The latter was Minister of Finance and after having joined Rama V on his 1897 European tour, he set out to develop international trade relations and worked towards modernizing Siam’s business practices, in line with those in Europe, and which led to the establishment of Thailand's first domestic bank.