Dr. Friedrich Schäfer and the Creation of a Public Health Service in Early Twentieth-Century Siam

This study examines the role of German medical experts during the reigns of Rama V (1868-1910) and Rama VI (1910-1925), with a particular focus on the German surgeon, Dr. med. Friedrich Schäfer, who served in the Siamese army between 1909 and 1914. By exploring western influence on the Siamese administration between 1868 and 1911, this study analyses Schäfer’s role in the Siamese military and as a consultant for the construction of King

Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital and the development of the country’s medical education.

Dr. Schäfer helped lay the foundation for modern surgery in Thailand. He made significant contributions to the advancement of medical and surgical training and assisted in the construction of advanced military hospitals in Bangkok and surrounding areas. As a sharp observer, he documented natural phenomena in Bangkok and other cities, as well as the rapid urban expansion at the end of King Chulalongkorn’s reign.

About the lecturer
Kornkanok Khetnongbua is a PhD Candidate in Southeast Asian History at the Faculty of Humanities, University of Hamburg. She is a recipient of the State Graduate Funding Program scholarship (Hamburger Nachwuchsförderung, Stipendien der Landesgraduiertenförderung HmbNFG), which supports her dissertation on the geopolitical dynamics of the region. Her project specifically examines German – English Rivalry in Semi-colonial Siam (1862-1917). Further contributing to the field, her Master’s thesis has been accepted for an upcoming volume in the HGT series.

Friday, 6 February 2026 14:00—16:00 (CET)
20:00-22:00 (Thai time)

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