In 1878, Wichienmaat, or Siamese cats, were imported to the US and then, in 1884 to England where the Siamese Cat Club was founded in 1901. But variations in the Siamese breed -- identifiable by their heart-shaped face, slender tail and short hair -- have grown significantly. The changes prompted some breeders to call for the registration of a new breed named "Thai". These breeders believe that the cats should be named after their country of origin, Thailand, in the same way that Siamese cats were named after Siam. Timba, a local association that registers Thai cat breeds, is campaigning to have the cats called Wichienmaat.

Source: Bangkok Post November 06, 2016 00:10 UTC