Someone pointed out to me that Thailand doesn't actually have Aristocrats. I thought hard about it, and have to succumb to the fact that may be true, in some ways. The English Aristocrats continue to be so because of their system of passing down titles and everything else that goes with it,from generation to generation. The Thai "nobles" were actually individuals, rather than family, but it was often many members of a single family who were bestowed titles for their own hard work. The titles did not pass down from father to son. The land and wealth did not pass down to the eldest son, but divided out between family members. There was really no continuity, unless one in the family (or a few) decided to continue the legacy of the father. Every child of the titled father had some advantage of already belonging to "the group," but had to do the rest of the work himself. It was a fair system, really. If one didn't do the work, then one was lost by the wayside, even with the surname of an "aristocratic" father. Some had a head start, some didn't, everyone had to prove himself. When many members of one family having achieved high status, and therefore titles, the family collectively became known as aristocratic or noble. The 1932 Revolution ended these titles, though the women's titles of Thanpuyings and Khunyings remains, strangely.

Siamese Aristocrats

(Please note that the English spellings of the titles may differ, as I have tried using how they are actually pronounced rather than how they are normally spelt. For example, "Praya" is sometimes spelt Phya or Phraya, but is actually pronounced Praya.)

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Aristocratic Titles Simplified can familiarise you with the basic understanding of the old aristocratic system of Siam. It was certainly a complex system, but I have tried my best to simplify it here.

The first five aristocratic gentlemen are my forebears. Chao Praya Sri Pipat is my great-grandfather, or my maternal grandmother's father. Praya Bhirom Bhakdi is my great-grandfather, my grandfather's father, and Pra Bhirom Bhakdi was his father, thus is my great-great-grandfather. Luang Visal Silpakam is also my great-grandfather, my paternal grandmother's father. Chao Praya Surasih Visitsak is the elder brother of Chao Chom Manda Cham, my great-gradfather, Prince Pravitra's mother. Pra Lipikorn Kosol is from the Debhakam family, linked to me by my first cousins, children of my aunt's. Chao Praya Yomaraj was the most distinguished gentleman of King Rama VI's court, and is linked to me as he was my great-grandfather Prince Pravitra's teacher. In addition, cousins of the Sukhum clan in the Bhirombhakdi family is also a descendant of the Chao Praya. The rest are notable individuals or presentation photographs or photographs I have in my collection.

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Chao Praya Sri Pipat Pra Bhirom Bhakdi Praya Bhirom Bhakdi Luang Visal Silpakam Chao Praya Surasih Visitsak Pra Lipikorn Kosol
Chao Praya Sri Pipat Pra Bhirom Bhakdi Praya Bhirom Bhakdi Luang Visal Silpakam Chao Praya Surasih Pra Lipikorn Kosol
Chao Praya Yomaraj Chao Praya Bhanuwongse Chao Praya Dhamasak Montri Chao Praya Mukmontri Chao Praya Surabodintorn Chao Praya Polthep
Chao Praya Yomaraj Chao Praya Bhanuwongse Chao Praya Dhamasak Chao Praya Mukmontri Chao Praya Surabodintorn Chao Praya Polthep
Praya Kraikosa Praya Visootkosa Praya Sri Suriya Praya Pirentra Dhibodi Praya Pahol Pol Payuha Sena Praya Pipatana Kosa
Praya Kraikosa Praya Visootkosa Praya Sri Suriya Praya Pirentra Dhibodi Praya Paholpol Payuhasena Praya Pipatana Kosa
Praya Indra Montri Praya Supakorn Praya Devasa Praya Senasongkram Praya Soontorn PIpith Francis Chit
Praya Indra Montri Praya Supakorn Bansarn Praya Devasa Praya Senasongkram Praya Soontorn Pipith Luang Angkani Naruemitr
Praya Pasakornwongse Praya Mahibal Praya Aniruth Deva Praya Pacharintara Praya Bhakdi Norasresth A Siamese Aristocrat
Praya Pasakornwongse Praya Mahibal Bariraksa Praya Aniruth Deva Praya Pacharintara Praya Bhakdi Norasresth Old Aristocrats
           
Families
Many notable individuals came from a single family, and there might be too many individuals to list here, at this time, therefore it is easier to summarise that family into a single page. In old Siam, there were a number of these families, and they intertwined with the Royal Family as well as among the different aristocratic families, ensuring that the power and prestige were not dispersed in too different a direction.
Families Synopsis
Bunnag Probably the largest family in Thailand, once extremely powerful, second only to the Royal Family
Sucharitkul 3 Queens of Rama V's and a consort of Rama VI's came from the family
   
 
 

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Updated 31 July 2022