Queen Rambai Barni ( th, รำไพพรรณี, , ), formerly Princess Rambai Barni Svastivatana ( th, รำไพพรรณี สวัสดิวัตน์, ; born 20 December 1904 – 22 May 1984), was the wife and
queen consort of King
Prajadhipok
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 ...
of
Siam
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 mi ...
.
Early life
Princess Rambai Barni Svastivatana was born on 20 December 1904, to Prince Svasti Sobhana, the Prince of Svastivatana Visishta (a son of HM King
Mongkut
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 Ramathibod ...
and
Princess Piyamawadi) and Princess Abha Barni Gaganang. She was given the nickname, ''Thanying Na'' or Princess Na ( th, ท่านหญิงนา). At the age of two she entered the palace, to be "given" to a queen for education as was the custom. In Princess Rambai Barni's case it was Queen
Saovabha
Queen Saovabha Phongsri ( th, เสาวภาผ่องศรี; RTGS: Saowapha PhongsiPronunciation) was an agnatic half-sister and queen of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) of Thailand, and mother of both King Vajiravudh (Rama VI) and King Pr ...
, wife of HM King
Chulalongkorn
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 ...
(her aunt). From then on she lived at
Dusit Palace
Dusit Palace ( th, พระราชวังดุสิต, RTGS: ''Phra Ratcha Wang Dusit'') is a compound of royal residences in Bangkok, Thailand. Constructed over a large area north of Rattanakosin Island between 1897 and 1901 by King Chu ...
.
After the death of King Chulalongkorn in 1910, she was moved to the
Grand Palace
The Grand Palace ( th, พระบรมมหาราชวัง, Royal Institute of Thailand. (2011). ''How to read and how to write.'' (20th Edition). Bangkok: Royal Institute of Thailand. .) is a complex of buildings at the heart of Ban ...
, where she studied at the
Rajini School
Rajini School ( th, โรงเรียนราชินี, , lit. "Queen's School") is a private girls' school in Thailand, and one of the oldest in the country. It was founded in 1904 by Queen Saovabha Phongsri as a replacement for the recen ...
(or Queen's School) set up by Queen Saovabha. During this period she became very close to her cousin, Queen Saovabha's youngest son, Prince
Prajadhipok
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 ...
Sakdidej, the Prince of Sukhothai. In 1917, after completing his studies abroad and the customary period of
monasticism
Monasticism (from Ancient Greek , , from , , 'alone'), also referred to as monachism, or monkhood, is a religious way of life in which one renounces worldly pursuits to devote oneself fully to spiritual work. Monastic life plays an important role ...
, Prince Prajadhipok and Princess Rambai Barni were married at
Bang Pa-In Palace
Bang Pa-In Royal Palace ( th, พระราชวังบางปะอิน), also known as the Summer Palace, is a palace complex formerly used by the Thai kings. It lies beside the Chao Phraya River in Bang Pa-in District, Phra Nakhon Si ...
and given the blessings of her new brother-in-law, King
Vajiravudh
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 ...
. The couple lived at the prince's Bangkok residence, Sukhothai Palace.
Queen
In 1925, King Vajiravudh died without leaving any male issue (his only daughter, Princess Bejaratana Rajasuda, was born a day earlier and palace law dictated that the throne must pass to the next male full-sibling of the king). The crown was then passed on to his younger brother and heir. Princess Rambai Barni's husband ascended the throne as King Prajadhipok (or Rama VII), she was immediately invested with title of Queen Consort of Siam after her husband's own
coronation ceremony
A coronation is the act of placement or bestowal of a crown upon a monarch's head. The term also generally refers not only to the physical crowning but to the whole ceremony wherein the act of crowning occurs, along with the presentation of ot ...
. Prajadhipok followed his brother's abandonment of polygamy and instead had one queen. Both the king and queen received modern European educations in their youth. Once they inherited the throne they set about modernizing the institution of monarchy, copying European dress and customs.
The king and queen spent most of their time away from
Bangkok
Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estima ...
, preferring instead to stay at the beach resort town of
Hua Hin
Hua Hin ( th, หัวหิน, ) is one of eight districts (''amphoe'') of Prachuap Khiri Khan province in the northern part of the Malay Peninsula in Thailand. Its seat of government, also named Hua Hin, is a beach resort town. The district ...
in
Prachuap Khiri Khan Province at a palace called ''Klai Kangwon'' (
Thai: วังไกลกังวล) (or "far from worries"), which they had built. It was here in June 1932 that the royal couple was told of the
revolution instigated by the Khana Ratsadon, which demanded of the absolutist king a constitution for the people of Siam. The event would be a turning point for Rambai Barni and her husband, as the absolute rule of the
House of Chakri
The Chakri dynasty ( th, ราชวงศ์ จักรี, , , ) is the current reigning dynasty of the Kingdom of Thailand, the head of the house is the king, who is head of state. The family has ruled Thailand since the founding of the ...
was replaced by a constitutional regime.
![Rama VII and Queen Rambai](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Rama_VII_and_Queen_Rambai.jpg)
In the early stages of the constitutional monarchy, the King and the royalists seemed to be able to compromise with Khana Ratsadon. The constitutional bill which was drafted by
Pridi Banomyong
Pridi Banomyong ( th, ปรีดี พนมยงค์, , ; 11 May 1900 – 2 May 1983), also known by his noble title Luang Praditmanutham ( th, หลวงประดิษฐ์มนูธรรม) was a Thai politician and professo ...
and intended to be a permanent one was made temporary. The new constitution restored some of the monarch's lost power and status. Among them were introduction of unelected half of the House of Representatives and royal veto power. The country's first prime minister
Phraya Manopakorn Nititada
Phraya Manopakorn Nitithada ( th, พระยามโนปกรณ์นิติธาดา; ; born Kon Hutasingha ( th, ก้อน หุตะสิงห์; ); 15 July 1884 – 1 October 1948) was the first Prime Minister of Siam ...
was a conservative and royalist nobleman.
The compromise broke down quickly. He did not contest when his interpretation of Pridi's economic plan, which also aim on land reform and seizure of royal land, was released with his signature. The King played a role in the coup d'état of April 1933 where the House was ordered to close by the Prime Minister. He signed an order to execute Khana Ratsadon leaders. But Khana Ratsadon's military wing leader
Phraya Phahol Phonphayuhasena ousted the government and restored its power.
He played an active role in an anti-revolutionary network, which also aim to assassinate Khana Ratsadon's leaders.
In October 1933, the maverick Prince
Boworadej
Prince Boworadej ( th, พระวรวงศ์เธอ พระองค์เจ้าบวรเดช; ; 3 April 1877 – 16 November 1953) was a Thai attempted-coup leader in 1933, so call ''Boworadet rebellion'', government official, a ...
, a former minister of defence, led an armed revolt against the government. In the
Boworadet Rebellion, he mobilised several provincial garrisons and marched on Bangkok, occupying the
Don Muang aerodrome. Prince Boworadej accused the government of being disrespectful to the monarch and of promoting communism, and demanded that government leaders resign. The rebellion ultimately failed.
The King did not directly supported the rebellion, but there was a
check
Check or cheque, may refer to:
Places
* Check, Virginia
Arts, entertainment, and media
* ''Check'' (film), a 2021 Indian Telugu-language film
* ''The Checks'' (episode), a 1996 TV episode of ''Seinfeld''
Games and sports
* Check (chess), a thr ...
from the treasury to Boworadej.
The insurrection diminished the king's prestige. When the revolt began, Prajadhipok immediately informed the government that he regretted the strife and civil disturbances. The royal couple then took refuge at
Songkhla
Songkhla ( th, สงขลา, ), also known as Singgora or Singora (Pattani Malay: ซิงกอรอ), is a city (''thesaban nakhon'') in Songkhla Province of southern Thailand, near the border with Malaysia. Songkhla lies south of Ba ...
, in the far south. The king's withdrawal from the scene was interpreted by the Khana Ratsadorn as a failure to do his duty. By not throwing his full support behind government forces, he had undermined their trust in him.
[Batson, Benjamin. (1984) ''The End of the Absolute Monarchy in Siam''. Oxford University Press.]
In 1933, the couple left Siam for Europe where the king was due to have an eye operation in
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
. Despite the long distance the king continued to fight with his government back in Bangkok, through letters and telegrams. The fight came to a head when the government refused to accept Prajadhipok's ancient power of pardon. The king first threatened, but when he was ignored, decided to abdicate his throne on 2 March 1935. He was succeeded by his nephew
Ananda Mahidol
Ananda Mahidol ( th, พระบาทสมเด็จพระปรเมนทรมหาอานันทมหิดล; ; 20 September 1925 – 9 June 1946), posthumous reigning title Phra Athamaramathibodin ( th, พระอั ...
. The couple settled in
Surrey
Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...
, first at Knowle House, then at Glen Pammant.
Life in exile
![Bundesarchiv Bild 183-2005-0524-508, Berlin, Ankunft des siamesischen Königspaares](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/24/Bundesarchiv_Bild_183-2005-0524-508%2C_Berlin%2C_Ankunft_des_siamesischen_K%C3%B6nigspaares.jpg)
The couple moved again to Vane Court, the oldest house in the village of Biddenden in
Kent
Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...
. They led a peaceful life there, gardening in the morning and the king writing his autobiography in the afternoon. In 1938 the royal couple moved again to Compton House, in the village of
Wentworth Wentworth may refer to:
People
* Wentworth (surname)
* Judith Blunt-Lytton, 16th Baroness Wentworth (1873–1957), Lady Wentworth, notable Arabian horse breeder
* S. Wentworth Horton (1885–1960), New York state senator
* Wentworth Miller (born 1 ...
in
Virginia Water
Virginia Water is a commuter village in the Borough of Runnymede in northern Surrey, England. It is home to the Wentworth Estate and the Wentworth Club. The area has much woodland and occupies a large minority of the Runnymede district. Its nam ...
, Surrey. The couple had no children, but adopted the infant son of one of Prajadhipok's deceased brothers. (The stepson, Prince Jirasakdi, would later serve as a
RAF
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
fighter pilot during the
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain, also known as the Air Battle for England (german: die Luftschlacht um England), was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defende ...
. He died on duty in 1942.)
Due to active bombing by the German
Luftwaffe
The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...
in 1940, the couple again moved, first to a small house in
Devon
Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devon is ...
, and then to Lake Vyrnwy Hotel in
Powys
Powys (; ) is a Local government in Wales#Principal areas, county and Preserved counties of Wales, preserved county in Wales. It is named after the Kingdom of Powys which was a Welsh succession of states, successor state, petty kingdom and princi ...
,
Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...
, where the former king suffered a heart attack. King Prajadhipok eventually died from heart failure on 30 May 1941.
Leader of the resistance
After the King's death, the queen became more involved in politics. In December 1941
the Japanese Empire invaded and occupied Thailand. The Japanese government forced the Thai government to declare war on both the United Kingdom and the United States. Regent
Pridi Banomyong
Pridi Banomyong ( th, ปรีดี พนมยงค์, , ; 11 May 1900 – 2 May 1983), also known by his noble title Luang Praditmanutham ( th, หลวงประดิษฐ์มนูธรรม) was a Thai politician and professo ...
built the anti-Japanese underground, the Free Thai Movement ("Seri Thai") network, in Thailand. The
Free Thai Movement
The Free Thai Movement ( th, เสรีไทย; ) was a Thai underground resistance movement against Imperial Japan during World War II. Seri Thai were an important source of military intelligence for the Allies in the region.
Background
I ...
was set up partially by Thai exiles living abroad. The movement included many diplomats, students, and members of the royal family.
The queen and her brother, Prince
Subhasvastiwongse Snith Svastivatana, made clear their
Free Thai
The Free Thai Movement ( th, เสรีไทย; ) was a Thai underground resistance movement against Imperial Japan during World War II. Seri Thai were an important source of military intelligence for the Allies in the region.
Background
I ...
sympathies and used their connections to assist like-minded students in organising a resistance movement in the UK. She was among the four women who volunteered for non-military tasks with the Free Thai. Despite not being an official member, the queen assisted the movement through fund raising and lobbying influential ministers.
Return and death
![Sirikit Rambhai Barni Galyani Vaddhana](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/Sirikit_Rambhai_Barni_Galyani_Vaddhana.jpg)
On the morning of 9 June 1946, the young King
Ananda Mahidol
Ananda Mahidol ( th, พระบาทสมเด็จพระปรเมนทรมหาอานันทมหิดล; ; 20 September 1925 – 9 June 1946), posthumous reigning title Phra Athamaramathibodin ( th, พระอั ...
was found dead in his bed in the Baromphiman Mansion in the
Grand Palace
The Grand Palace ( th, พระบรมมหาราชวัง, Royal Institute of Thailand. (2011). ''How to read and how to write.'' (20th Edition). Bangkok: Royal Institute of Thailand. .) is a complex of buildings at the heart of Ban ...
, dead from a gunshot wound to his head. In October 1946, a commission ruled that the King's death could not have been accidental, but that neither suicide nor murder was satisfactorily proved.
Sulak Sivaraksa
Sulak Sivaraksa ( th, สุลักษณ์ ศิวรักษ์; ; pronounced ; born 27 March 1933 in Siam) is a Thai social activist, professor, writer and the founder and director of the Thai NGO " Sathirakoses-Nagapradeepa Foundation", ...
, a prominent conservative and monarchist, wrote that Pridi's role in the event was he protected responsible royals, and prevented the arrest of a person who destroyed the evidence.
[ส. ศิวรักษ์]
เรื่องปรีดี พนมยงค์ ตามทัศนะ ส.ศิวรักษ์
สำนักพิมพ์มูลนิธิโกมลคีมทอง, 2540 However, when his government cannot solve the case, his political opponents quickly put the blame on him; some went so far as to branding him as the mastermind behind the assassination.
Pridi's opponents composed of royalist, conservative and military camps. On 8 November 1947, army troops seized various government installations in Bangkok. The coup, led by Lieutenant General
Phin Choonhavan
Field Marshal Phin Choonhavan ( th, ผิน ชุณหะวัณ; ; August 14, 1891 – 26 January
1973) was a Thai military leader and Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand. Phin was a leader of several coups against the government, most nota ...
and Colonel Kat Katsongkhram, ousted
Thamrong's government, which is the political ally of Pridi. He spent a week hiding in Admiral Sindhu Songkhramchai's headquarters. On 20 November, he was spirited to
Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...
by British and US agents.
The 1947 coup marked the return to power of Field Marshal
Plaek Phibunsongkhram
Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram ( th, แปลก พิบูลสงคราม ; alternatively transcribed as ''Pibulsongkram'' or ''Pibulsonggram''; 14 July 1897 – 11 June 1964), locally known as Marshal P. ( th, จอมพล ...
, and the end of Khana Ratsadon's role in Thai politics. (At this time, Phibun was often considered in the military camp.)
In 1948, the royalist government made a law that increase the power to control the
Crown Property
The Crown is the state in all its aspects within the jurisprudence of the Commonwealth realms and their subdivisions (such as the Crown Dependencies, overseas territories, provinces, or states). Legally ill-defined, the term has different m ...
by the
monarch
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 ...
as the restoration of their political power and assets, which was taken to the state property by the
People Party
The Green Party, also known as the Green Party UK, was a Green politics, Green political party in the United Kingdom.
Prior to 1985 it was called the Ecology Party, and before that PEOPLE Party, PEOPLE. In 1990, it separated into three polit ...
from the
Siamese revolution of 1932. Additionally, former Queen Rambai Barni was returned the 6 million baht that the People Party seized.
The coup inadvertently led to the draft and signing of the
1947 Constitution and
1949 Constitution. The most
Royalist
A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of governme ...
constitutions to date, it gave the monarchy back almost all of the powers that were taken away from it by the
1932 Revolution. They were similar to the constitution draft by King
Prajadhipok
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 ...
before the 1932.
In 1949, the queen was invited to return to Thailand, bringing with her the king's ashes. After her return she continued to carry out many official duties on behalf of the new king,
Bhumibol Adulyadej
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 ...
. She spent the rest of her life at Sukhothai Palace, dying in 1984 at the age of 79. She was cremated in a grand
royal funeral presided over by her nephew the king at Sanam Luang in front of the Grand Palace.
Ancestry
Taxon named in her honor
''
Mugilogobius rambaiae'' is named in honor of Her Majesty Rambai Barni (1904-1984), the former Queen of Siam; As an interesting aside, in 1934 a water-color painting showing several life-size renderings of this goby in its natural habitat was given to her majesty.
References
*
*
Further reading
* Stowe, Judith A. ''Siam Becomes Thailand: A Story of Intrigue''. C. Hurst & Co. Publishers, 1991
* Baker, Christopher John, & Phongpaichit, Pasuk. ''A History of Thailand''. Cambridge University Press, 2005
, -
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rambai Barni
1904 births
1984 deaths
20th-century Thai women
20th-century Chakri dynasty
Thai queens consort
Svastivatana family
Dames Grand Cross of the Order of Chula Chom Klao
Grand Crosses of the Order of Beneficence (Greece)
20th-century nobility
Thai female Mom Chao
Thai princesses consort