Southeast Asia: A UK (Scottish Geographical Magazine) map of Greater Indochina and the Malay Peninsula, 1886

A detailed and remarkably accurate map of Burma, Siam, Vietnam, Cambodia and Malaya dating from 1886 and showing the rectangle of independent Burma around Mandalay - which was losing its independence to Great Britain in 1885-1886 when the map was published. The Burmese Shan States are shown as under Burmese influence (shortly to be replaced by that of Great Britain), while the (Siamese) 'Shan States' of the former Lan Na Kingdom at Chiang Mai (Zimme) and the Lao Kingdom of Luang Phrabang are shown as de facto tributaries of Siam.

Within the Chiang Mai portion of the Shan States, Zimme (Chiang Mai) includes the territories of Lamphun (Labong), Lampang (Lagong) and Chiang Rai (K. Hai), but Fang and points north are shown as part of the Burmese Shan States. The 'Independent Tribes' region in Tonkin (Tonquin) corresponds to the former White Tai Princedom of Sipsongchuthai, absorbed by the French in 1882 and now a part of Vietnam.

Further south, the former Lao kingdoms of Vien Chan (Vientiane) and Bassac (Champassak) are shown as directly administered Siamese posessions, as is all western and northern Cambodia including Angkor Wat and Battambang. To the south, Siamese possessions extend far into Malaysian Kelantan and Terengganu, and as far south as Kedah.

The map - showing proposed and existing railways - indicated projected rail links between Bangkok and Simao in southern Yunnan via Raheng (Tak) and Jinghong (Kianghung); Between Tak (Rakheng) and Moulmein (Maulmain) linking to the existing British-built track in southern Burma; and north from Tongoo in Burma to Sadiya in Assam, linking Southeast Asia to India by rail. By 2012, more than 125 years after this map was drawn, few of these links had actually been constructed, though several - notably linking southern China with Thailand - are still being planned.

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Supplier: CPA Media Co. Ltd.

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