The Times (UK) has details of Sir Anthony Rumbold’s valedictory dispatch* at the ending of his posting as Ambassador in Bangkok from 1965-67. The details:

“They have no literature, no painting and only a very odd kind of music; their sculpture, ceramics and dancing are borrowed from others, and their architecture is monotonous and interior decoration hideous,” he recalled.

“Nobody can deny that gambling and golf are the chief pleasures of the rich, and that licentiousness is the main pleasure of them all.”

BP:  He was the tenth Baronet of Rumbold Baronetcy so definitely of “good British stock”. Actually, have read the dispatch from the BBC website – available as PDF from here – it is slightly misleading. He prefaces the above by saying “[i]t is true that….” and then talks about the things he does like in Thailand. He also says in a preceding sentence “[o]ne would have to be very insensitive or puritanical to take the view that the Thais had nothing to offer”. Nevertheless, he does across as a bit patronizing.

Actually, the 10 page dispatch is rather interesting. We have talk of the Royal Family, the elite members of the government, the Chinese in Thai society, promoting British education to influence Thailand etc. He certainly speaks his mind and it is worth reading in its entirety.

*No online copy available, but the basic details of the document can be found here.