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King Buddha Yodfa Chulalok established the Chakri Dynasty and moved the Capital City to Bangkok in 1782. The king based his new city's layout to Ayutthaya, the old kingdom, and the new royal regalia with reference to the Ayutthayan Monarchs as well. |  |
The Great Crown of Victory was made for the Coronation of King Rama I in 1782, originally in gold, diamonds and enamel. A large diamond from India was lated added at the top of the crown during King Rama IV's reign. |  |
| Ayutthaya | King Rama I | Great Crown of Victory | ||
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King Rama II ruled during a quiet period, so he expanded the city and reestablished the old culture, arts and poetry. King Rama III's reign centred around commerce, which made Siam a very rich country. |
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King Rama III's famous red pouches, where he kept his gold savings, eventually were used to buy Siam's freedom from the French and British during their colonial hunt, as well as Japan during their occupation of Siam in World War II. |
| Siamese Poetry | King Rama II | King Rama III | ||
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The first king to learn English, and established relationships with Western World Powers. He often wrote letters to foreign Heads of States as well as newspapers. |  |
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King Rama IV elevated his younger brother to the rank of Second King. The often-forgotten Second King Pin Klao was a Navy expert as well as a highly diplomatic person fluent in many languages. |
| Royal Emblems | King Rama IV | 2nd King Pin Klao | ||
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King Rama V's 42-year-reign saw the modernisation of Siam, thoroughly established relations with world powers, the only colonial-free country in S. E. Asia, and a well-respected and accepted kingdom worldwide. |  |
KIng Chulalongkorn was the first Siamese King to visit Europe and actually met many of his counterparts, visiting many in their country, and receiving many to Siam. |  |
| King Rama V | In Foreign News | |||
| King Rama VI first studied thoroughly the concept of constitutional monarchy. A genius in his own right, he was the first king to be educated abroad, in England. |  |
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King Rama VII ruled Siam during the World Depression, and a much poorer kingdom than during his grandfather's and father's time. He finally granted Siam its constitution under pressure. His view that the people has needs to undesrtand the system first, holds through to this day. |
| King Rama VI | The Prince of Songkla | King Rama VII | ||
| King Rama VIII became king during Thailand's tumultuous period, with power being wrangled between different parties. His sudden death is still a mystery to this day, and the truth will probably not be known. |  |
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The longest reigning monarch in the world during the last years of his reign, King Rama IX's role as a Constitutional Monarch brought him in close contact with his people like never before. He was indeed the "Father" to his people. |  |
| King Rama VIII | King Rama IX | Diamond Jubilee | ||
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The King is a symbol of unity for the Thai people. The Monarchy is a linkage of the present to Thailand's glorious past. Royalty is a symbol of continuation of Thailand's ancient cultural heritage. |
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| King Rama X |
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THE CORONATION SCHEDULE 2019 6 April - Collection of sacred water from all 76 provinces of Thailand 8 April - Gathering of Angels, and the lighting of the sacred candles 9 April - The Buddhist candle circling ceremony 18 April - The blessing ceremony of the sacred water at Wat Sutat 19 April - The moving of the sacred water from Wat Sutat to the Temple of The Emerald Buddha in The Grand Palace 22 April - Blessing Ceremony by 10 monks 23 April - The ceremony to inscribe the King's name on the Golden Nameplate 2 May - HM the King will lay wreath at King Rama I's statue 3 May - Royal Ceremony at the Temple of The Emerald Buddha, and the Royal Ashes 4 May - The Coronation Ceremony 5 May - HM the King will travel around Old Bangkok to greet people 6 May - HM the King will greet his people from the balcany of the Sutthai Sawan Throne Hall at the Grand Palace, and receive members of the Diplomatic Corps October - HM the King will attend the Annual Krathin Ceremony by the Royal Barge on the Chao Praya River |
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| Thai PBS for Thai Version of the Schedule | Reuters Coronation Schedule in details | ||||||||||||
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| Video summary of the Coronation Ceremony, 4-6 May 2019 | |||||||||||||
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| Coronation Pin | Coronation Medals | Coronation Invitation Pack |
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| Rama X Ratanabhorn Medal 3rd Class | Rama X Monk's Talipot Fan | Coronation Invitation Card |
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| 1 May 2019 - His Majesty the King bestowed the title of Queen Consort on his wife, General Suthida Vajiralongkorn na Ayudhya. She also received the Maha Chakri Royal Decoration, given only to the immediate members of the Royal Family, as well as the Rama X Ratanabhorn Medal, 1st Class. It was indeed a surprise to everyone, and people wondered about the new Queen. We have seen her around the King for a few years now, but there were no indications that she would become Thailand's next Queen Consort. | ||
4 May 2019 - The Coronation Day - The day started with the Bathing Rites, with the Supreme Patriach pouring Holy Water on the King. It was said that the King asked why the Supreme Patriach poured water on his back, whereas the then Supreme Patriach poured Holy Water on the shoulder of his father, King Bhumibol, the 9th Rama. The Supreme Patriach said that "the then Supreme Patriach was born a prince, whereas he was born a commoner, so the shoulder of the king is too high for him". Such a sweet and caring gesture, from one who is now the only person the King bows to. Then the King moved to the Octagonal Throne and received the Princes and Statemen for their blessings representing all of the 8 auspicious directions of the Kingdom. |
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| The Brahman Priest hands the King his Crown of Victory | The King puts on his Crown | The King is Crowned | ||||
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After the King is crowned, he made his wife Her Majesty the Queen of Thailand and gave her the Order of the Nine Gems.
It is noted that Her Majesty the Queen wears the ruby and diamond belt from the Royal Collection, which was well worn by Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, mother of His Majesty the King. Queen Sirikit has not been seen publicly for sometime, with the latest news that she was admitted to the hospital after she had high temperature. She has suffered a stroke several times in the past few years, and now spends her time quietly recuperating at Chitralada Palace.   | ||||||
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| The making of a Queen | The King and Queen of Thailand | |||||
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| 5 May 2019 - A much anticipated day - the day we would know which members of the Royal Family will receive new titles and names. Most people who are familiar with royalty know already that the King's 3 children would become "Chao Fahs", the highest ranking the King and Queen, reserved for children of the King. In the old days, only the King's children with a Queen Consort would become Chao Fahs, but today, the customs has changed to include the King's children. Another member of the family that everyone wanted to know was Princess Sirindhorn, the King's hard-working younger sister, who already holds a very high rank, only second to the Crown Prince. And lastly, the King's older sister, who had relinguished her royal status to marry a commoner, and has been in the news quite a bit recently - would she be made a princess again? As it turns out, she did not. It is fair to say that she has not represent the Royal Family in doing their work for the people and country as much as the others, so time will tell if she will increase her workload, and finally become a royal again. Please click for more information about Royal Titles, simplified. Thai Royal titles are quite different from Europeans. Princes and Princesses have different ranks within the family as well, though they might be all Royal Highnesses. And, there are meanings in the names too. The royals will have different ranks and titles, and names under different reigns, signifying their links to the Monarchs. Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, the King's mother, is now known as Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother, but in Thai Her Majesty is now "Queen of a Thousand Years". The first Queen Consort to be both The Queen Regent as well as the Queen of a Thousand Years was Queen Sri Bajarindra, Queen Consort of King Chulalongkorn, and mother to King Vajiravudh. Incidentally, His Majesty identifies quite closely with King Vajiravudh, who held the name with a similar meaning, as well as having been King following a long-reigning King-Father. | ||
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| HRH The Princess (Krom Somdetch) Maha Chakri Sirindhorn | HRH Princess Chulabhorn Valailaksana, The Princess Srisawangkawatna Vorakuttiya Rajnari | HRH Princess Somsawali, The Princess Sudhanarinath |
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| HRH Princess (Chao Fah) Bajrakitiyabha Narendira Debayavadi | HRH Princess (Chao Fah) Sirivannavari Nariratanarajakanya | HRH Prince (Chao Fah) Dipangkorn Rasmijoti Ririvibulyarajakumar |
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| HRH Princess (Pra Chao Worawongse Ter Pra Ong Chao) Siribha Chudabhorn, elder daughter of Princess Chulabhorn | HRH Princess (Pra Chao Worawongse Ter Pra Ong Chao) Aditayadorn Kitikhun, younger daughter of Princess Chulabhorn | Princess Siribha just courtseyed her aunt, Princess Sirindhorn, after receiving her new title and decorations, and returned to her seat behind. It's nice to see the smiles and happiness all around. |
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| The late afternoon of 5 May was the Royal "Walk About", with His Majesty the King taken on the Royal Palanquin on a walk around the old town for people to have a chance to see their new King. The King will stop at Royal Temples along the route to make merits. The members of the Royal Houses descended from the Kings of the Chakri Dynasties will wait for an audience at different temples, with King Chulalongkorn's descendants stationed at the Raj Bopit Temple, seat of the current Supreme Patriach. | ||
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| Thairath Newspaper's Front Page | ||||
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| 4 May 2019 | 5 May 2019 | 6 May 2019 | ||
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| With Princess Bajrakitiyabha on the balcany for the greeting with the people, on 6 May 2019 | With Princess Sirivannavari on the balcany for the greeting with the people, on 6 May 2019 |
With Prince Dipangkorn at Rajbopit Temple, on 5 May 2019 | ||
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| With the Diplomatic Corp | ||||
| 7 May 2019 - The palace announced that His Majesty the King had given The Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao 2nd Class as well as the Rama X Ratanabhorn Medal 2nd Class to Khun Ploypailin Jensen and Khun Sirikitiya Jensen, daughters of Toon Kramom Ying Ubolratana Rajakanya, His Majesty the King's elder sister. Khun Ploypailin, the older sister, will now have the title of Thanpuying in front of her name, but Khun Sirikitiya will still use "Khun" as she is unmarried. Only married ladies will be able to use the title of Thanpuying. They have both been helping His Majesty the King in various areas in the past years. Incidentally, they are now of equal ranking to their mother, who though is known by her courtesy title of Toon Kramom Ying, she is in fact would officially be Thanpuying Ubolratana Rajkanya. On the same day, the King also gave different Orders to the Serene Highnesses who were involved in the Coronation Ceremony, most appropriately but one, I must note. | |
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| Above, left to right: "Khun" Sirikitiya Jensen, "Toon Kramom Ying" Ubolratana Rajkanya and "Thanpuying" Ploypailin Jensen | |
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Thailand has been a Kingdom forever, so it is something very important to the Thai people that we continue on the same route. The monarchy represents stability, especially when the country is not stable. It is the pillar for the people through both good and bad times. It also represents the Thai culture and age old customs, that is very unique in the world. Our ceremonies are way out and grand, and that is how we like it. One cannot put a price on a culture and customs. Many countries without the ancient ways and the monarchy may not understand. And, those who don't support this way of life, may regret later if and when we don't have it anymore. It is part of our identity. Without it, we are just another bland country in the already difficult and bland world, with everything becoming alike.
LONG LIVE HIS MAJESTY THE KING!
| Since 19 April 2019 - updated 22 May 2019 |