In 1775, he was imprisoned for several months with Bishop Olivier-Simon Le Bon and Fr Garnault on the orders of King Taksin, after Christian officers refused to drink holy water prepared by Buddhist monks.
[2][3][4] After leaving Siam, Coudé went to Pondicherry, where he remained until 1781, and then travelled to 'Port of Queda' at the mouth of the Kedah River, on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula, where he was joined by Garnault.
[2][3][4][5] In 1782, whilst on a visit to Junk Ceylon (present day Phuket), Coudé found letters from the Pope and Papal Bulls, dated 20 January 1782, appointing him 'Bishop of Siam and Queda' and titular Bishop of Rhesaina.
However, the Portuguese refused to recognise his powers although officially granted by Rome, and he decided to return to Kedah where he was due to be consecrated by Pigneau de Behaine, Bishop of Cochinchina, who was stopping in the town to perform the service on his way to France.
[2] However, while returning overland from Bangkok to Kedah, Coudé contracted malaria and died in the church in Junk Ceylon on 15 January 1782, aged 34.