In 1881, five years after the first telephone had been invented in 1876, a telephone system was imported into Thailand by the Minister of Defense, His Royal Highness Prince Phanurangsriswangwongs. It is to the Prince, therefore, that credit must go for introducing this modern form of communication to Thailand. He installed the first telephone line from Bangkok to Paknam, in Samutprakarn, for the purpose of informing Bangkok of the news concerning the arrival and departure of ships at Paknam.