List of Thai Kings
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This article lists the
monarchs of Thailand A monarch is a head of stateWebster's II New College DictionarMonarch Houghton Mifflin. Boston. 2001. p. 707. Life tenure, for life or until abdication, and therefore the head of state of a monarchy. A monarch may exercise the highest authority ...
from the foundation of the Sukhothai Kingdom in 1238 until the present day.


Titles and naming conventions

In the Sukhothai Kingdom prior to political association with Ayutthaya, the monarch used the title ''Pho Khun'' ( th, พ่อขุน; 'Father'), while monarchs whose reigns ended disgracefully or was otherwise dishonorable are referred to by the title ''Phaya'' ( th, พญา; 'Lord'). Beginning with monarchs of the Ayutthaya Kingdom, '' thanandon'', the system of Thai royal ranks and titles, determines the style of the monarch's full
regnal name A regnal name, or regnant name or reign name, is the name used by monarchs and popes during their reigns and, subsequently, historically. Since ancient times, some monarchs have chosen to use a different name from their original name when they ...
, which consists of two or three central parts: * The first part of the name is ''Phra Bat Somdet Phra'' ( th, พระบาทสมเด็จพระ, 'the King'). If the monarch was not crowned, ''Phra Bat'' is omitted. If the monarch's reign ended disgracefully or was otherwise dishonorable, ''Somdet'' is additionally omitted. * The second part of the name is the monarch's bestowed regnal names, which may or may not include their birth name, and may include more names than how the monarch is referred to by historians. ''Maharaj'' ( th, มหาราช; 'the Great') is an example of one of these additional names. * The third part of the name is ''Chao Yu Hua'' ( th, เจ้าอยู่หัว; 'His Majesty'), which is sometimes fully omitted. ''Yu Hua'' alone is also sometimes omitted, in which case ''Chao'' is moved to the end of the first part of the name. A monarch's regnal name may be different from their birth name, their name as ''
uparaja Uparaja or Ouparath, also Ouparaja ( my, ဥပရာဇာ ; km, ឧបរាជ, ; th, อุปราช, ; lo, ອຸປຮາດ, ''Oupahat''), was a royal title reserved for the viceroy in the Buddhist dynasties in Burma, Cambodia, and ...
'' (
viceroy A viceroy () is an official who reigns over a polity in the name of and as the representative of the monarch of the territory. The term derives from the Latin prefix ''vice-'', meaning "in the place of" and the French word ''roy'', meaning " ...
), or their
posthumous name A posthumous name is an honorary name given mostly to the notable dead in East Asian culture. It is predominantly practiced in East Asian countries such as China, Korea, Vietnam, Japan, and Thailand. Reflecting on the person's accomplishments ...
and/or historical style. For example, the first king of the Chakri dynasty was born Thongduang, ruled as Ramathibodi, but is referred to posthumously as Phutthayotfa Chulalok the Great (Rama I). This list refers to the monarchs by their name as most commonly used by traditional historians, usually a section of the regnal name unless otherwise indicated. Western nations referred to the monarch as the "King of Siam" ( la, Rex Siamensium), regardless of Thai titles, since the initiation of relations in the 16th century. Mongkut (Rama IV) was the first monarch to adopt the title in its Western capacity, at the same time the name ''Siam'' was first used in an international treaty. The kingdom's name changed to Thailand on 24 June 1939, then briefly back to Siam in 1946, before being permanently changed back to Thailand in 1948; the monarch's Western title changed accordingly.


Sukhothai Kingdom (1238–1438)

Tai peoples Tai peoples are the populations who speak (or formerly spoke) the Tai languages. There are a total of about 93 million people of Tai ancestry worldwide, with the largest ethnic groups being Dai, Thais, Isan, Tai Yai (Shan), Lao, Tai Ahom, a ...
migrated into Mainland Southeast Asia in the 8th–10th centuries. In the years after,
Northern Thai Kam Mueang ( nod, , กำเมือง) or Northern Thai language ( th, ภาษาไทยถิ่นเหนือ) is the language of the Northern Thai people of Lanna, Thailand. It is a Southwestern Tai language that is closely rela ...
groups established various ''
mueang Mueang ( th, เมือง ''mɯ̄ang'', ), Muang ( lo, ເມືອງ ''mɯ́ang'', ; Tai Nuea: ᥛᥫᥒᥰ ''muang''), Mong ( shn, ''mə́ŋ'', ), Meng () or Mường (Vietnamese), were pre-modern semi-independent city-states or principal ...
'', among them Chiang Saen, which evolved into larger states, such as
Ngoenyang The Kingdom of Hiran or Kingdom of Ngoenyang ( th, อาณาจักรหิรัญเงินยาง ) was an early mueang or kingdom of the Northern Thai people from the 7th through 13th centuries AD and was originally centered on ...
.Wyatt, D. K. Thailand, A Short History, p. 35–38, Bangkok 2003 However, it was not until the decline of the Khmer Empire in the 13th century that a Central Thai kingdom, politically and culturally related to modern Siam or
Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...
, was first founded.


Phra Ruang dynasty (1238–1438)

The Phra Ruang dynasty was the first and only royal family to rule the Sukhothai Kingdom, the first Central Thai state. Established by
Si Inthrathit Si Inthrathit ( th, ศรีอินทราทิตย์, ; also spelt ) was the first king of the Sukhothai Kingdom, a historical kingdom of Thailand, and ruled from 1238 until around 1270. He is credited as the founder of the Phra Ruang ( ...
in 1238, who declared independence from the Khmer Empire, the family laid the foundations for Thai dominance in mainland Southeast Asia. Under
Ram Khamhaeng the Great Ram, ram, or RAM may refer to: Animals * A male sheep * Ram cichlid, a freshwater tropical fish People * Ram (given name) * Ram (surname) * Ram (director) (Ramsubramaniam), an Indian Tamil film director * RAM (musician) (born 1974), Dutch * Ra ...
, the initial
Thai script The Thai script ( th, อักษรไทย, ) is the abugida used to write Thai, Southern Thai and many other languages spoken in Thailand. The Thai alphabet itself (as used to write Thai) has 44 consonant symbols ( th, พยัญชน ...
was invented and Therāvada Buddhism was established as the state religion of Siam.Chakrabongse, C., 1960, ''Lords of Life'', London: Alvin Redman Limited The dynasty is named after the ''Traiphum Phra Ruang'', a philosophical Buddhist cosmology book written by Maha Thammaracha I. Under Maha Thammaracha I, the kingdom was invaded by Ayutthaya, a neighboring Thai state, and Sukhothai became a
tributary A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drai ...
under
Maha Thammaracha II Maha Thammaracha II ( th, มหาธรรมราชาที่ ๒, ), born as Lue Thai ( th, ลือไทย, ), was a king of the Sukhothai Kingdom, a historical kingdom of Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam ...
. In the Sukhothai Kingdom, the king ruled from the city of Sukhothai, while the
heir presumptive An heir presumptive is the person entitled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an heir apparent or a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question. ...
would occasionally be named by the king to rule in Si Satchanalai as ''
uparaja Uparaja or Ouparath, also Ouparaja ( my, ဥပရာဇာ ; km, ឧបរាជ, ; th, อุปราช, ; lo, ອຸປຮາດ, ''Oupahat''), was a royal title reserved for the viceroy in the Buddhist dynasties in Burma, Cambodia, and ...
'', or
viceroy A viceroy () is an official who reigns over a polity in the name of and as the representative of the monarch of the territory. The term derives from the Latin prefix ''vice-'', meaning "in the place of" and the French word ''roy'', meaning " ...
. In 1438, Ayutthaya annexed Sukhothai at the death of
Maha Thammaracha IV Maha Thammaracha IV ( th, มหาธรรมราชาที่ ๔, ), born as Borommapan ( th, บรมปาล, ), was the last king of the Sukhothai Kingdom. In 1419, after the death of Sai Lue Thai, his sons Phaya Ram and Phaya Ban ...
when
Borommarachathirat II Borommarachathirat II or Borom Rachathirat II ( th, บรมราชาธิราชที่ ๒), also known as King Samphraya ( th, เจ้าสามพระยา) (1386–1448), was a king of Ayutthaya. His reign saw its early expa ...
of Ayutthaya installed his son,
Prince Ramesuan Prince Ramesuan ( th, ราเมศวร; my, ဗြရာမသွန်; d. November 1564) was a Siamese prince and military commander during the Ayutthaya period in the 16th century. He was a son of Prince Thianracha (later King Maha Cha ...
, as ''uparaja''. After unification with Ayutthaya, the tradition of ''uparaja'' would evolve into the Front Palace system.


Ayutthaya Kingdom (1351–1767)


1st Uthong dynasty (1351–1370)


1st Suphannaphum dynasty (1370–1388)


2nd Uthong dynasty (1388–1409)


2nd Suphannaphum dynasty (1409–1569)


Sukhothai dynasty (1569–1629)


Prasat Thong dynasty (1629–1688)


Ban Phlu Luang dynasty (1688–1767)


Thonburi Kingdom The Thonburi Kingdom ( th, ธนบุรี) was a major Siamese kingdom which existed in Southeast Asia from 1767 to 1782, centered around the city of Thonburi, in Siam or present-day Thailand. The kingdom was founded by Taksin the Great, ...
(1767–1782)


Thonburi dynasty The Thonburi Kingdom ( th, ธนบุรี) was a major Siamese kingdom which existed in Southeast Asia from 1767 to 1782, centered around the city of Thonburi, in Siam or present-day Thailand. The kingdom was founded by Taksin the Great, ...
(1767–1782)


Rattanakosin Kingdom (1782–present)


Chakri dynasty (1782–present)


Timeline of monarchs

ImageSize = width:1200 height:auto barincrement:12 PlotArea = top:10 bottom:30 right:130 left:20 AlignBars = justify DateFormat = yyyy Period = from:1225 till:2030 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:100 start:1300 ScaleMinor = unit:year increment:25 start:1250 Colors = id:canvas value:rgb(1,1,1) id:p value:rgb(0.5,0.75,1) id:u value:rgb(0.75,0,0) id:s value:red id:d value:rgb(0.5,0.5,1) id:h value:rgb(0.75,0.25,0.75) id:b value:rgb(1,0.5,0.75) id:t value:orange id:c value:yellow id:eon value:white Backgroundcolors = canvas:canvas BarData = barset:Rulers bar:eon PlotData= align:center textcolor:black fontsize:8 mark:(line,black) width:25 shift:(0,-5) bar:eon color:eon from: 1238 till: 1350 color: p text:Phra Ruang from: 1350 till: 1370 color: u text:Uthong from: 1370 till: 1388 color: s text: from: 1388 till: 1409 color: u text: from: 1409 till: 1569 color: s text:Suphannaphum from: 1569 till: 1629 color: d text:Sukhothai from: 1629 till: 1688 color: h text:Prasat Thong from: 1688 till: 1767 color: b text:Ban Phlu Luang from: 1767 till: 1782 color: t text:Thonburi from: 1782 till: 2022 color: c text:Chakri width:5 align:left fontsize:S shift:(5,-4) anchor:till barset:Rulers from:1238 till: 1270 color:p text:"
Si Inthrathit Si Inthrathit ( th, ศรีอินทราทิตย์, ; also spelt ) was the first king of the Sukhothai Kingdom, a historical kingdom of Thailand, and ruled from 1238 until around 1270. He is credited as the founder of the Phra Ruang ( ...
" from:1270 till: 1271 color:p text:" Ban Mueang" from:1279 till: 1298 color:p text:"
Ram Khamhaeng Ram Khamhaeng ( th, รามคำแหง, ) or Pho Khun Ram Khamhaeng Maharat ( th, พ่อขุนรามคำแหงมหาราช, ), also spelled Ramkhamhaeng, was the third king of the Phra Ruang Dynasty, ruling the Sukhoth ...
" from:1298 till: 1323 color:p text:"
Loe Thai Loe Thai ( th, เลอไทย, ) was the fourth king of the Sukhothai Kingdom (a historical kingdom of Thailand) from 1298 to 1323. He was preceded by his father Ram Khamhaeng the Great until the throne was usurped by his cousin Ngua Nam Thum ...
" from:1323 till: 1347 color:p text:" Ngua Nam Thum" from:1347 till: 1368 color:p text:" Mahathammaracha I" from:1368 till: 1399 color:p text:" Mahathammaracha II" from:1400 till: 1419 color:p text:"
Mahathammaracha III Maha Thammaracha III ( th, มหาธรรมราชาที่ ๓, ), born as Sai Lue Thai ( th, ไสลือไทย, ), was a king of the Sukhothai Kingdom. Ancestry See also *Sukhothai kingdom The Sukhothai Kingdom ( th, ...
" from:1410 till: 1438 color:p text:" Mahathammaracha IV" from:1350 till: 1369 color:u text:"
Ramathibodi I King U-thongThe Royal Institute. List of monarchs Ayutthaya''. ( th, พระเจ้าอู่ทอง) or King Ramathibodi I ( th, สมเด็จพระรามาธิบดีที่ ๑ ; 1314–1369) was the first king of ...
" from:1369 till: 1370 color:u text:" Ramesuan" from:1370 till: 1388 color:s text:"
Borommarachathirat I King Borommarachathirat I or King Borom Rachathirat I ( th, สมเด็จพระบรมราชาธิราชที่ ๑), also known as Khunluang Pha Ngua ( th, ขุนหลวงพะงั่ว); 1370–1388), was the th ...
" from:1388 till: 1388 color:s text:"
Thong Lan King Thong Lan () was a king of Ayutthaya, an ancient kingdom in Thailand. A son of Borommarachathirat I and member of the House of Suphannaphum, Thong Lan succeeded his father to the throne of Ayutthaya in 750 LE (1931 BE, 1388/89 CE) at the ...
" from:1388 till: 1395 color:u text:" Ramesuan" from:1395 till: 1409 color:u text:" Ramrachathirat" from:1409 till: 1424 color:s text:" Intharacha" from:1424 till: 1448 color:s text:"
Borommarachathirat II Borommarachathirat II or Borom Rachathirat II ( th, บรมราชาธิราชที่ ๒), also known as King Samphraya ( th, เจ้าสามพระยา) (1386–1448), was a king of Ayutthaya. His reign saw its early expa ...
" from:1448 till: 1488 color:s text:"
Borommatrailokkanat Borommatrailokkanat ( th, บรมไตรโลกนาถ, , sa, Brahmatrailokanātha) or Trailok (1431–1488) was the king of the Ayutthaya Kingdom from 1448 to 1488. He was one of many monarchs who gained the epithet ''King of White Elep ...
" from:1488 till: 1491 color:s text:" Borommarachathirat III" from:1491 till: 1529 color:s text:"
Ramathibodi II Chettathirat ( th, เชษฐาธิราช, ) or (upon accession to the Ayutthayan throne) Ramathibodi II ( th, รามาธิบดีที่ ๒; 1472/73 – July/10 October 1529) was the King of Sukhothai from 1485 and King of Ay ...
" from:1529 till: 1533 color:s text:" Borommarachathirat IV" from:1533 till: 1533 color:s text:" Ratsadathirat" from:1533 till: 1546 color:s text:"
Chairacha Chairachathirat ( th, ไชยราชาธิราช, ), or ''Chai'' reigned 1534–1546 as King of the Ayutthaya kingdom of Siam. His reign was remarkable for the influx of Portuguese traders, mercenaries, and early Modern warfare technol ...
" from:1546 till: 1548 color:s text:" Yodfa" from:1548 till: 1548 color:s text:"
Worawongsathirat Worawongsathirat ( th, วรวงศาธิราช, ) was a usurper in the Ayutthaya Kingdom, ruling for only 42 days in 1548 before being assassinated. Siamese chronicles relate that Worawongsathirat attainted the crown — his kingship is ...
" from:1548 till: 1564 color:s text:"
Maha Chakkraphat Maha Chakkraphat ( th, มหาจักรพรรดิ, ; lit.: 'The Great Emperor'; 1509 – 1569) was king of the Ayutthaya kingdom from 1548 to 1564 and 1568 to 1569. Originally called Prince Thianracha, or Prince Tien, he was put on the ...
" from:1564 till: 1569 color:s text:"
Mahinthrathirat Mahinthrathirat ( th, มหินทราธิราช, , ; 1539–1569) was king of Ayutthaya 1564 to 1568 and again in 1569. He ruled his first reign as a vassal of Toungoo Burma before restoring his father in 1568 as the sovereign king. H ...
" from:1569 till: 1590 color:d text:" Sanphet I" from:1590 till: 1605 color:d text:" Sanphet II" from:1605 till: 1620 color:d text:" Sanphet III" from:1620 till: 1620 color:d text:" Sanphet IV" from:1620 till: 1628 color:d text:" Borommaracha I" from:1628 till: 1629 color:d text:"
Borommaracha II Borommarachathirat II or Borom Rachathirat II ( th, บรมราชาธิราชที่ ๒), also known as King Samphraya ( th, เจ้าสามพระยา) (1386–1448), was a king of Ayutthaya. His reign saw its early expa ...
" from:1629 till: 1629 color:d text:"
Athittayawong AthittayawongThe Royal Institute. List of monarchs Ayutthaya''. ( th, อาทิตยวงศ์, ; born 1620) was the shortest-reigning monarch of Ayutthaya, only for 36 days in 1629 and the last king of the Sukhothai dynasty.Chakrabongse, C ...
" from:1629 till: 1656 color:h text:" Sanphet V" from:1656 till: 1656 color:h text:" Sanphet VI" from:1656 till: 1656 color:h text:" Sanphet VII" from:1656 till: 1688 color:h text:" Ramathibodi III" from:1688 till: 1703 color:b text:"
Phetracha Phetracha (alternative spellings: ''Bedraja'', ''P'etraja'', ''Petraja'', ''Petratcha''; also called ''Phra Phetracha''; th, เพทราชา, ; 1632– 5 February 1703) was a king of the Ayutthaya kingdom in Thailand, usurping the throne fr ...
" from:1703 till: 1709 color:b text:"
Sanphet VIII Sanphet VIII ( th, สรรเพชญ์ที่ ๘) or Suriyenthrathibodi ( th, สุริเยนทราธิบดี) (1661 – 1709) was the King of Ayutthaya from 1703 to 1709 and the second ruler of the Ban Phlu Luang Dynasty. S ...
" from:1709 till: 1733 color:b text:" Sanphet IX" from:1733 till: 1758 color:b text:" Borommarachathirat V" from:1758 till: 1758 color:b text:" Borommarachathirat VI" from:1758 till: 1767 color:b text:"
Borommaracha III Borommarachathirat III or Borom Rachathirat III ( th, บรมราชาธิราชที่ ๓) was the king of Ayutthaya from 1488 to 1491. He was a son of Trailokanat and served as Trailokanat’s regent in Ayutthaya during his father ...
" from:1767 till: 1782 color:t text:"
Taksin King Taksin the Great ( th, สมเด็จพระเจ้าตากสินมหาราช, , ) or the King of Thonburi ( th, สมเด็จพระเจ้ากรุงธนบุรี, ; ; Teochew: Dên Chao; April 17, ...
" from:1782 till: 1809 color:c text:"
Rama I Phra Phutthayotfa Chulalok Maharaj (, 20 March 1737 – 7 September 1809), personal name Thongduang (), also known as Rama I, was the founder of the Rattanakosin Kingdom and the first monarch of the reigning Chakri dynasty of Siam (now T ...
" from:1809 till: 1824 color:c text:"
Rama II Phra Phutthaloetla Naphalai ( th, พระพุทธเลิศหล้านภาลัย, 24 February 1767 – 21 July 1824), personal name Chim ( th, ฉิม), also styled as Rama II, was the second monarch of Siam under the Chakri ...
" from:1824 till: 1851 color:c text:"
Rama III Nangklao ( th, พระบาทสมเด็จพระนั่งเกล้าเจ้าอยู่หัว, ; 31 March 1788 – 2 April 1851), birth name Thap ( th, ทับ), also styled Rama III, was the third king of Siam u ...
" from:1851 till: 1868 color:c text:"
Rama IV Mongkut ( th, มงกุฏ; 18 October 18041 October 1868) was the fourth monarch of Siam (Thailand) under the House of Chakri, titled Rama IV. He ruled from 1851 to 1868. His full title in Thai was ''Phra Bat Somdet Phra Menthora Ramathibo ...
" from:1868 till: 1910 color:c text:"
Rama V Chulalongkorn ( th, จุฬาลงกรณ์, 20 September 1853 – 23 October 1910) was the fifth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri, titled Rama V. He was known to the Siamese of his time as ''Phra Phuttha Chao Luang'' (พร ...
" from:1910 till: 1925 color:c text:"
Rama VI Vajiravudh ( th, วชิราวุธ, , 1 January 188126 November 1925) was the sixth monarch of Siam under the Chakri dynasty as Rama VI. He ruled from 23 October 1910 until his death in 1925. King Vajiravudh is best known for his efforts ...
" from:1925 till: 1935 color:c text:"
Rama VII Prajadhipok ( th, ประชาธิปก, RTGS: ''Prachathipok'', 8 November 1893 – 30 May 1941), also Rama VII, was the seventh monarch of Siam of the Chakri dynasty. His reign was a turbulent time for Siam due to political and ...
" from:1935 till: 1946 color:c text:"
Rama VIII Ananda Mahidol ( th, พระบาทสมเด็จพระปรเมนทรมหาอานันทมหิดล; ; 20 September 1925 – 9 June 1946), posthumous reigning title Phra Athamaramathibodin ( th, พระอั ...
" from:1946 till: 2016 color:c text:"
Rama IX Bhumibol Adulyadej ( th, ภูมิพลอดุลยเดช; ; ; (Sanskrit: ''bhūmi·bala atulya·teja'' - "might of the land, unparalleled brilliance"); 5 December 192713 October 2016), conferred with the title King Bhumibol the Great ...
" from:2016 till: 2022 color:c text:"
Rama X Vajiralongkorn ( th, วชิราลงกรณ; , ; born 28 July 1952) is the King of Thailand. He is the only son of King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit. In 1972, at the age of 20, he was made crown prince by his father. After his ...
" barset:skip


Family Tree of the Thai Monarchy


See also

*
Family tree of Thai monarchs The known history of the monarchy of Thailand begins with the founding of the Sukhothai Kingdom, inaugurated by Si Inthrathit in 1238. This was succeeded by the Ayutthaya Kingdom and the short-lived Thonburi Kingdom. The present reigning dynasty, ...
* Monarchy of Thailand * List of rulers of Lan Na *
List of Thai royal consorts This article lists the royal consorts of monarchs of Thailand from the foundation of the Sukhothai Kingdom in 1238 until the present day. Sukhothai Kingdom Phra Ruang Dynasty Ayutthaya Kingdom Uthong Dynasty Suphannaphum Dynasty ...
*
Rama (Kings of Thailand) All kings in the current Chakri dynasty of Thailand are often referred to as King Rama in the English speaking world. The name Rama was adopted from the name of the Hindu God Rama, an avatar of Vishnu. The use of the name "King Rama 'n'th" is in ...
* Chakri dynasty *
Regent of Thailand In Thailand, the regent ( th, ผู้สำเร็จราชการแทนพระองค์) is a person who exercises the official functions of a monarch of Thailand when the monarch is incapable of functioning or during a period ...
*
Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...


Notes


Bibliography

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Thai Monarchs Thai monarchs
Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...
Monarchs A monarch is a head of stateWebster's II New College DictionarMonarch Houghton Mifflin. Boston. 2001. p. 707. for life or until abdication, and therefore the head of state of a monarchy. A monarch may exercise the highest authority and power in ...