The year was 1920, the Great War had just ended.
The King bought ten thousand brand-new SMLE rifles from BSA for his Wild Tiger Militia.
Likely he could have got them very cheap, or even free, from the British Government, but he wanted his OWN rifles with his OWN markings.
I do notice a number of Broad-Arrow marked parts in some of these.
I REALLY hope they gave him a very good deal.
The Siamese rifles represent TWO-TENTHS OF ONE PERCENT of SMLE manufacture and they went to the most hostile climate in the world. In Viet Nam, an American barrel on a M1911A1 lasted a WEEK out in the jungle; these rifles are nearly a CENTURY old now. They must have something going for them, one would think.