Thai royal and noble titles are the royal and noble styles indicating relationship to the king which were introduced by King Trailokanat (reigned 1448–1488). The system is rooted in the Thai language equivalent of feudalism, Sakdina (ศักดินา: "power over fields"). It is somewhat similar to peerage, but more complicated and obscure even to most Thais. A title of honor may not be confined to the beginning or the end of the name, but may be split across the name. Those with titles ceased to be known by personal names, and were referred to by the awarded (or similar) title. The King may bestow any title on anyone, although such promotion is personal and the person's children will not normally benefit from it.
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The Sovereign
There are two styles which can be used for a king in ordinary speech, depending on whether he has been crowned:
Consorts
Traditionally, titles of royal wives depended on their birth titles and royal favour; only princesses of high birth (Chao Fa, Phra Ong Chao and Mom Chao Ying) assuming titles higher than Chao Chom. There were no clear rules about the hierarchy of titles above Chao Chom until the time of King Mongkut, and titles changed over successive reigns. The rule about commoners also seems to be evolving, and it appears that there are no more restrictions on a commoner from becoming queen. Most of the titles below are from King Vajiravudh's 1924 enactment of the Succession Law.
Princes and princesses
Holders of these titles are still considered royal, since they are (at most) two generations removed from a king. Nai Luang (ในหลวง) is an epithet for a king. Children of a king are called Luk Luang (ลูก หลวง "royal children"), and grandchildren of a king are called Laan Luang (หลาน หลวง "royal grandchildren"). In English, they are normally called "prince" or "princess". Special forms are used when one wishes to address them, although the language is less elaborate than when speaking to the king or the queen. A male Luk Luang who does not accede to the throne would assume a new royal surname, normally reflecting his birth name (as opposed to an honorific given later). The surname can be used by his wife if she is a commoner by birth, possibly with Na Ayudhya added if she has no noble title. It is otherwise not normally used until his children (or grandchildren) first hold the title of Mom Chao, when the surname will first appear in their names.
Royal descendants
More distant royal progeny, starting from the children of male Mom Chao, are considered commoners. However, these commoners have titles indicating that their ancestry can be traced back to a king.
Mom Rajawongse
Mom Rajawongse (หม่อมราชวงศ์, rtgs: Mom Ratchawong; abbreviated in Thai as ม.ร.ว. and in English as M. R. and translated as "The Honourable") is the title assumed by children of male Mom Chao. Informally, they may be called Khun Chai (male) or Khun Ying (female) (คุณชาย.../คุณหญิง...). Holders of this title are occasionally erroneously referred to as princes or princesses in older English documents; it is now more common to use the correct title, "Mom Rajawongse".
Mom Luang
Mom Luang (หม่อมหลวง, abbreviated in Thai ม.ล. and sometimes in English as M. L. and translated as "The Honourable") are the last royal descendants retaining a title. Mom Luang titles are conferred on children of male Mom Rajawongse. Colloquially (although incorrectly), they are sometimes addressed as "Mom"; the correct informal address is "Khun" (คุณ).
Na Ayudhya
In the Family Name Act, B. E. 2465, Rama VI ordered that royal descendants who do not hold any title should append "Na Ayudhya" (ณ อยุธยา) to their surname to signify they are descended from a royal bloodline.
Wife of prince
Wives of princes have titles, depending on the titles on both sides.
Phra Vorachaya
Phra Vorachaya (พระวรชายา) is a title of the royal consort of the Crown Prince. She is elevated to Phra Chao Vorawongse Ther Phra Ong Chao.
Phra Chaya
Phra Chaya (พระชายา) is a princess, Chao Fa (HRH Princess) or Phra Ong Chao (HRH Princess) who is married to prince, at every level. She retains her own title. When referring to her as a wife of the prince, she may be called "Phra Chaya Nai (husband's name)".
Chaya
Chaya (ชายา) is a princess or Mom Chao (HSH Princess) who is married to prince, at every level. Again, she would retain her own title. When referring to her as a wife of the prince, she may be called "Chaya Nai (husband's name)".
Mom
Mom (หม่อม), in this context, is a commoner married to a prince. She uses this title as a prefix of her name, adding na Ayudhya to her new surname; for example, Mom Srirasmi Mahidol na Ayudhya (a wife of Chao Fa Maha Vajiralongkorn, whose surname is Mahidol). If she has her own title (Mom Rajawongse or Mom Luang), she retains it.
Married princesses
The son of a holder of the following titles generally inherits a title one step below; a female Mom Rajawongse married to a commoner would produce a child with no title. According to the Royal Marriages Act, B. E. 2475, a princess wishing to marry to a commoner must request royal permission and abandon her royal title. For example, if princess Chao Fa, HRH Princess of Thailand, wished to marry a Mom Rajawongse commoner she would lose her royal title (Chao Fa, HRH Princess of Thailand) but retain royal style as follows:
However, Chao Fa Chulabhonwalailak received permission from the king to keep her title when she married commoner Weerayut Disayasirin.
Nobility
The nobility of Siamese feudalism was enacted by Trailokkanat, king of the Ayutthaya Kingdom, in 1454. The Act of Sakdina of Civil, Military and Colony classified citizens by role and responsibilities: royal family, nobility, bhikkhus, commoners and slaves.
The nobility is part of the Thai honour system for rewarding bravery, achievement, or service to the monarch. The sovereign confers peerages, including titles of nobility and orders of chivalry. Thai peerage is an honour under the crown, and a holder can be withdrawn or elevated to higher rank. The peerage consists of a prefix signifying the rank (บรรดาศักดิ์ – Bandasakdi) and an honorific name (ราชทินนาม – Raja Dinnanam). Before the Siamese revolution of 1932, the peerage had four groups: royal, civil and military, courtiers and clergy.
Royal peerage
Enacted by King Narayana the Great, the peer has Krom for managing their household and staffs. The ranks of royal peerage are:
The sovereign may grant titles to other royal-family members:
- Somdet Phra Prathom Borom Ratchachonok: HRH Prince Father of Rama I
- Somdet Phra Rupsirisobakya Mahanaknari: HRH Princess Rupsirisobakya Mahanaknari, Mother of Queen Amarindra
- Somdet Phra Piyamavadi Sri Bajarindra Mata: HRH Princess Piyamavadi Sri Bajarindra Mata, Mother of Queen Saovabha Bongsri
- Somdet Phra Sri Savarindira Barom Raja Devi: HM Queen Sri Savarindira, Queen Grandmother of Rama VI and Rama VII
- Somdet Phra Mahitaladhibes Adulyadejvikrom Phra Borom Ratchachonok: HRH Prince Mahidol Adulyadej, Prince Father of Rama VIII and Rama IX
- Somdet Phra Debaratanarajasuda Chao Fa Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Rathasimagunakornpiyajat Sayamboromrajakumari: HRH Princess Sirindhorn, the Princess Royal
Men
These titles were given only to men and were not inheritable, similar to a life peerage. European equivalents were also used on diplomatic missions.[1] Although all are obsolete, Phan and Nai have modern meanings. Civil and military peerage had the following order of precedence:
- Somdet Chao Phraya Maha Kshatriyas Suek: Granted by King Taksin of Thonburi
- Somdet Chao Phraya Borom Maha Bijaya Yati: Granted by Rama IV
- Somdet Chao Phraya Borom Maha Prayurawongse: Also granted by Rama IV
- Somdet Chao Phraya Borom Maha Sri Suriyawongse: Granted by Rama V
- Gold Class (engraved title on gold leaf): For ministers who are Mom Rajawongse or Mom Luang; also awarded to commoners.
- Silver Class (engraved title on silver leaf): For ministers who are commoners and other honorees
- Regular Class
Note: Chao Khun (เจ้าคุณ) equivalent to Lord in British term, used as a generic term to denote peerages of Phra, Phraya and Chao Phraya
Women
These titles were given only to women, and were non-hereditary. They were ordered as follows:
Companion or Member of the Order of Chula Chom Klao. If a woman is Mom Rajawongse or Mom Luang, she does not use Khun Ying.
Men
Women
Chao Khun (เจ้าคุณ), Thao (ท้าว), Luang Mae Chao (หลวงแม่เจ้า), and Cha (จ่า) are all obsolete.
Khun (courtesy title)
Khun (คุณ), a courtesy title pronounced with a middle tone, should not be confused with the similarly-spelled tree or the feudal title of Khun (ขุน, pronounced in a rising tone). The courtesy title is used for children born to a noble mother who gave up her title to marry a man of lesser rank; a notable example is Khun Poom Jensen. Today, this word is used informally to courteously address nearly anyone except those who hold a title of Mom Rajawongse or higher. It is T-V distinct from thoe (เธอ).