the most important was the abolition of slavery. As he took the throne over 1/3 of the Thai population at the time were slaves. Slavery was for life and the children of slaves were also slaves which kept the slave population growing.
A Thai could buy their way out of slavery but the price was excessive and for the most part beyond the slaves means to pay, making them a slave for life.
On August 21st 1874 King Chulalongkorn issued the Royal Slave Ablation Act which was the beginning of theKing Chulalongkorn (Rama V) end for slavery in Thailand. The act allowed for children born of slaves in or after 1868 had the right to reduce their slave price every year and by the time they were 21 if they had not already bought their freedom they would be freed. The Act also fixed the price of a slave to be half as much as it was originally. All other slaves were to have their debt lowered to 1 baht a month until they had their freedom.
Virtually every province in Thailand has at least one memorial to King Chulalongkorn and on October 23rd each year these become the focus for offerings in his honour. Portraits of King Chulalongkorn are believed to be a good luck charm for businesses and many shops and businesses carry images of the present king alongside his grandfather, King Chulalongkorn. His picture can also be found on the back of Thailand�s 100 Baht note. Thailand�s first university was founded in 1917 and the Bangkok seat of learning was named after the king. Today, students affectionately refer to the venerable institution as, �Chula�