Rangsit Prayurasakdi, Prince of
Chai Nat
Chai Nat ( th, ชัยนาท, ) is a town (''thesaban mueang'') in central Thailand, capital of Chai Nat province. It covers the whole ''tambon'' tambon Nai Mueang and parts of Ban Kluai, Tha Chai and Khao Tha Phra, all in Mueang Chai Nat ...
( th, สมเด็จพระเจ้าบรมวงศ์เธอ พระองค์เจ้ารังสิตประยูรศักดิ์ กรมพระยาชัยนาทนเรนทร; ; 12 November 1885 – 7 March 1951) was the
Thai
Thai or THAI may refer to:
* Of or from Thailand, a country in Southeast Asia
** Thai people, the dominant ethnic group of Thailand
** Thai language, a Tai-Kadai language spoken mainly in and around Thailand
*** Thai script
*** Thai (Unicode block ...
Founder of the
Public Health Ministry and as
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 ...
.
Early life
Prince Rangsit was born as the 52nd child of 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 ...
and the second child of ''
Chao Chom Manda'' Mom Rajawongse
Nueng (great-granddaughter of King
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 ...
), the 22nd wife of Chulalongkorn. After the early death of his mother, Prince Rangsit and his elder sister Princess
Yaovabha Bongsanid
Yaovabha Bongsanid ( th, เยาวภาพงศ์สนิท; ; 28 August 1884 – 13 June 1934) was the Princess of Siam (later Thailand). She was a member of Siamese Royal Family. She was a daughter of Chulalongkorn, King Rama V of ...
were adopted by Queen
Savang Vadhana
Sri Savarindira ( th, ศรีสวรินทิรา; , 10 September 1862 – 17 December 1955), also known as Savang Vadhana ( th, สว่างวัฒนา; ), was a consort and half-sister of Chulalongkorn (Rama V), but she was no ...
. As a result, he grew up as a half-brother and childhood friend of
Prince Mahidol
Mahitala Dhibesra Adulyadej Vikrom, the Prince Father ( th, สมเด็จพระมหิตลาธิเบศร อดุลยเดชวิกรม พระบรมราชชนก , 1 January 1892 – 24 September 1929), f ...
. He started his education at the Royal School 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 ...
. At the age of 14, he was sent to
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
for his education. At first the
Martineum gymnasium in
Halberstadt
Halberstadt ( Eastphalian: ''Halverstidde'') is a town in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt, the capital of Harz district. Located north of the Harz mountain range, it is known for its old town center that was greatly destroyed by Allied bombi ...
where he graduated with
Abitur
''Abitur'' (), often shortened colloquially to ''Abi'', is a qualification granted at the end of secondary education in Germany. It is conferred on students who pass their final exams at the end of ISCED 3, usually after twelve or thirteen year ...
in 1905 and later Heidelberg-University in
Heidelberg
Heidelberg (; Palatine German language, Palatine German: ''Heidlberg'') is a city in the States of Germany, German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the river Neckar in south-west Germany. As of the 2016 census, its population was 159,914 ...
. Though he was more interested in
medicine
Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care pract ...
, his father insisted on an education in
jurisprudence
Jurisprudence, or legal theory, is the theoretical study of the propriety of law. Scholars of jurisprudence seek to explain the nature of law in its most general form and they also seek to achieve a deeper understanding of legal reasoning a ...
, which he completed at the
Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg
}
Heidelberg University, officially the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, (german: Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg; la, Universitas Ruperto Carola Heidelbergensis) is a public research university in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, ...
. He additionally studied philosophy in 1908. It was during his study that he met his wife, Elisabeth Scharnberger (15 September 1892 - 29 September 1973), a German woman whom he married in London on 28 August 1912. The couple had two sons and one daughter:
*Prince Piyarangsit Rangsit (25 December 1913 - 1 February 1990)
*Prince Sanidh Prayurasakdi Rangsit (19 August 1917 - 10 September 1995)
*Princess Charulaksana Kalyani Rangsit (7 August 1924 - 3 August 2012). She relinquished her royal title to marry a commoner on 28 June 1945.
Life in Siam
After returning to Siam in 1913, during the reign of his elder brother 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 ...
, Prince Rangsit worked to improve Siam's
health care
Health care or healthcare is the improvement of health via the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, amelioration or cure of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in people. Health care is delivered by health profe ...
system. Today, a statue of Prince Rangsit stands in front of Thailand's
Ministry of Public Health, of which he is the founding father. He also worked to improve the nation's university system, serving as the first director-general of the University Affairs Department, and the chairman of the Committee on Planning and Development of Chulalongkorn University.
Following the
Siamese Revolution of 1932, Prince Rangsit did not involve himself in politics, but was nevertheless seen as a threat by the Pro-
Fascist
Fascism is a far-right, Authoritarianism, authoritarian, ultranationalism, ultra-nationalist political Political ideology, ideology and Political movement, movement,: "extreme militaristic nationalism, contempt for electoral democracy and pol ...
military
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...
government
A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state.
In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a ...
of Major General
Phibunsongkhram, which
arrested the Prince under charges of treason in 1938. This was possibly due to his position as the most senior prince remaining in the country at the time. In prison he spent much of his time in
meditation
Meditation is a practice in which an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally cal ...
and in the writing of a
journal
A journal, from the Old French ''journal'' (meaning "daily"), may refer to:
*Bullet journal, a method of personal organization
*Diary, a record of what happened over the course of a day or other period
*Daybook, also known as a general journal, a ...
which recounts his
childhood
A child (plural, : children) is a human being between the stages of childbirth, birth and puberty, or between the Development of the human body, developmental period of infancy and puberty. The legal definition of ''child'' generally refers ...
memories and experiences of traveling to
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
for the first time in 1899. On 28 September 1943, having been jailed for 4 years and 9 months, Prince Rangsit was released by the Phibun-government (1 year prior to the release of other political prisoners originally on the covert prison of Tarutao Island since 1941 before being relocated to the Island of Koh Tao in 1944). Along with the release of Phibun's other political prisoners, Prince Rangsit's titles were permanently restored to him by the
Khuang-
Pridi government which came to power following Phibun's forced resignation in May 1944.
Prince Rangsit is reputed to have had a significant role in ensuring the continuity of the Thai royal family in its transitory phase from the uncertainties which followed the
abdication
Abdication is the act of formally relinquishing monarchical authority. Abdications have played various roles in the succession procedures of monarchies. While some cultures have viewed abdication as an extreme abandonment of duty, in other societ ...
of (his younger half-brother) King
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 ...
to the
coronation
A coronation is the act of placement or bestowal of a coronation crown, 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 ...
of his two nephews King
Ananda Mahidol
Ananda Mahidol ( th, พระบาทสมเด็จพระปรเมนทรมหาอานันทมหิดล; ; 20 September 1925 – 9 June 1946), posthumous reigning title Phra Athamaramathibodin ( th, พระอั ...
and King
Bhumibol
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 ...
Adulyadej.
After King Ananda Mahidols mysterious death 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 ...
,
Prince Bhumibol, the second child of Rangsit's half-brother Prince Mahidol, was appointed as the new king. Since the new king at first planned to finish his education abroad, Prince Rangsit was appointed
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 ...
on June 16, 1946, as well as chairman of the Supreme Council of State since 1947.
Honours
*
Knight of the Most Illustrious
*
Knight Grand Cordon (Special Class) of the Most Illustrious
Order of Chula Chom Klao
The Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao ( th, เครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์จุลจอมเกล้า; ) was established on 16 November 1873 by King Chulalongkorn, Rama V of The Thailand, Kingdom of ...
* Knight Grand Cordon (Special Class) of the Most Exalted
Order of the White Elephant
__NOTOC__
The Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant ( th, เครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์อันเป็นที่เชิดชูยิ่งช้างเผือก; ) is an order (decoration), orde ...
*
Recipient of the
King Chulalongkorn's Royal Cypher Medal
Foreign Honours
*:
**
Grand Cross of the
Order of the Zähringer Lion
The Order of the Zähringer Lion was instituted on 26 December 1812 by Karl, Grand Duke of Baden
, house = Zähringen
, father = Charles Louis, Hereditary Prince of Baden
, mother = Landgravine Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt ...
(1914)
[
]
Death
In March 1951, Prince Rangsit died of a heart attack while in bed at Vidyu Palace on
Wireless Road
Witthayu Road from above
Witthayu Road ( th, ถนนวิทยุ, , ), commonly known in English as Wireless Road, is a road in Bangkok, located almost entirely in Lumphini Subdistrict of Pathum Wan District.
Witthayu Road originally linke ...
in Bangkok. At his death, he was the last surviving son of 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 ...
, having lived 65 years and four months. He was also known to be a great collector of Thai antiques and art works.
The
Rangsit Canal
The Rangsit Canal ( th, คลองรังสิต; ), is a canal in the eastern part of the Chao Phraya valley, central Thailand. The name of the canal was given by King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) in honour of his son, Rangsit, Prince of Chai N ...
and the outskirts of Bangkok known as
Rangsit
Rangsit ( th, รังสิต, ) is a city and neighbourhood in Pathum Thani Province, Thailand. Rangsit is a metropolitan city that supports the expansion of Bangkok in the north. Rangsit has become a departure point for travel to provinces i ...
were named in honour of this prince during his lifetime, although the highway in Bangkok known as Vibhavadi Rangsit is named after his daughter in law, Princess
Vibhavadi Rangsit
Princess Vibhavadi Rangsit ( th, วิภาวดีรังสิต; ; 20 November 1920 – 16 February 1977), née Princess Vibhavadi Rajani ( th, วิภาวดี รัชนี; ) was a Thai writer and a member of the Thai royal f ...
.
References
*Prince Rangsit Prayursak: ''First Trip Abroad 1899'' (2005), edited by M. R. Priyananda Rangsit, Bangkok ()
Royal Family of Thailand
Further reading
Brief history of pharmacy education in Thailand Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University
Distinguished contributors to the evolution of Chulalongkorn University Postage stamps of historic Thai personalities
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rangsit Prayurasakdi
1885 births
1951 deaths
19th-century Thai people
19th-century Chakri dynasty
20th-century Chakri dynasty
Thai male Phra Ong Chao
Regents of Thailand
Rangsit family
Heidelberg University alumni
Knights Grand Cordon of the Order of Chula Chom Klao
Knights of the Ratana Varabhorn Order of Merit
Members of the Vallabhabhorn Order
Vajira Mala Order
Children of Chulalongkorn
Members of the Privy Council of Thailand