The first stamps of the Kingdom of Siam, today known as Thailand, were issued in 1883. The stamps carried the portrait of King Chulalongkorn in profile, and had no English imprinted on them. Before that, stamps of India and the Straits Settlements were used for postage. Some 1882 stamps of the Straits Settlements were overprinted with a large B, standing for Bangkok, Thailand’s capital. In 1885, Thailand joined the Universal Postal Union (UPU). Most issues of 1887 and beyond were imprinted “Siam”, and starting in 1950, “Thailand”, in English. Many Thailand stamps of the late 19th century were surcharged over portraits of the king.