![King Vajiravudh in barrister-at-law gown](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fc/King_Vajiravudh_in_barrister-at-law_gown.jpg)
The ''khrui'' ( th, ครุย, ) is a light outer garment worn as a gown or
robe
A robe is a loose-fitting outer garment. Unlike garments described as capes or cloaks, robes usually have sleeves. The English word ''robe'' derives from Middle English ''robe'' ("garment"), borrowed from Old French ''robe'' ("booty, spoils" ...
in certain ceremonial settings in
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 bo ...
. It is long-sleeved and open at the front, and is made of a sheer or mesh fabric, lined with a band of satin, felt or other material, and may be exquisitely embroidered. Dating from at least the 17th century, it was originally worn only in the royal court, but nowadays is most recognisable as the form of
academic dress
Academic dress is a traditional form of clothing for academic settings, mainly tertiary (and sometimes secondary) education, worn mainly by those who have obtained a university degree (or similar), or hold a status that entitles them to assum ...
employed by many universities, especially
Chulalongkorn University
Chulalongkorn University (CU, th, จุฬาลงกรณ์มหาวิทยาลัย, ), nicknamed Chula ( th, จุฬาฯ), is a public and autonomous research university in Bangkok, Thailand. The university was originally fo ...
.
History
The exact origins of the ''khrui'' are not known, although it has been postulated that it was likely of Persian and/or Indian import. The earliest documentation of its use are from illustrations of the French embassy to King
Narai
King Narai the Great ( th, สมเด็จพระนารายณ์มหาราช, , ) or Ramathibodi III ( th, รามาธิบดีที่ ๓ ) was the 27th monarch of Ayutthaya Kingdom, the 4th and last monarch of the Pr ...
in 1685 and
that of Siam to France in 1686, showing the Siamese king and ambassadors wearing such garments. Use of the ''khrui'' continued into the
Rattanakosin period, as evidenced by mention in the 1804
Law of Three Seals
The ''Three Seals Law'' or ''Three Seals Code'' ( th, กฎหมายตราสามดวง; ) is a collection of law texts compiled in 1805 on the orders of King Rama I of Siam. Most of the texts were laws from the Ayutthaya era which h ...
prohibiting its use by junior government officials.
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 ...
(Rama VI) further codified the ''khruis use by royal ordinance in 1912, specifying the different types and ranks to be worn by entitled royals and government officials.
He later also granted permission for it to be used as the
academic dress
Academic dress is a traditional form of clothing for academic settings, mainly tertiary (and sometimes secondary) education, worn mainly by those who have obtained a university degree (or similar), or hold a status that entitles them to assum ...
of the Royal Pages School (
Vajiravudh College
Vajiravudh College is a private all-boys boarding school located at 197 Rajvithi Road, Dusit, Bangkok 10300 Thailand. The school was established by Phra Mongkut Klao Chaoyuhua - King Rama VI who is also known as King Vajiravudh. It was originall ...
) in 1913 and Siam's
Bar Association
A bar association is a professional association of lawyers as generally organized in countries following the Anglo-American types of jurisprudence. The word bar is derived from the old English/European custom of using a physical railing to separ ...
in 1915. It was adopted as the academic dress for graduates of
Chulalongkorn University
Chulalongkorn University (CU, th, จุฬาลงกรณ์มหาวิทยาลัย, ), nicknamed Chula ( th, จุฬาฯ), is a public and autonomous research university in Bangkok, Thailand. The university was originally fo ...
in 1930.
Since 1967, some other universities have also adopted the ''khrui'' as their academic regalia, and the term ''khrui'' has acquired the more general meaning of any style of academic or
court dress
Court dress comprises the style of clothes and other attire prescribed for members of courts of law. Depending on the country and jurisdiction's traditions, members of the court ( judges, magistrates, and so on) may wear formal robes, gowns, ...
.
Appearance
![CU Ph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/CU_Ph.D.%27s_academic_gown_%28Graduate_School%29.jpg)
The ''khrui'' is a tailored robe, usually knee-to-calf-length, with long sleeves and an open front. It is made of a sheer or mesh fabric, usually white in colour, giving it a translucent appearance. The entire rim and the ends of the sleeves are lined with bands of a thicker material, usually
satin
A satin weave is a type of fabric weave that produces a characteristically glossy, smooth or lustrous material, typically with a glossy top surface and a dull back. It is one of three fundamental types of textile weaves alongside plain weave ...
,
felt
Felt is a textile material that is produced by matting, condensing and pressing fibers together. Felt can be made of natural fibers such as wool or animal fur, or from synthetic fibers such as petroleum-based acrylic or acrylonitrile or wood ...
, or a substitute, with another like pair of bands encircling the sleeves above elbow level. When used as academic dress, these bands usually bear specific patterns denoting the wearer's affiliated institution and academic degree. When used in ceremonial settings by senior government officials or royalty, the gown may be embroidered with certain patterns of
goldwork depending on the rank of the wearer.
''Khrui'' used as royal attire differ further in certain details, and may be made of coloured or gold cloth.
Use
''Khrui'' traditionally denoted royal or noble status, and was worn only by men. Members of the royal family would first use it during their ''
sokan'' (
topknot-cutting) ceremony. The king would wear it on special occasions such as his coronation, royal processions or when receiving special audiences.
Its use by ''nak''—novices preparing to undergo
upasampada (Buddhist ordination)—is the only occasion where the ''khrui'' is worn regardless of a person's social rank.
According to the 1912 ordinance, persons may be entitled to wear ''khrui'' through rank, office, or further royal permission. Entitled ranks include Grand Companions and above of the
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 ...
and Knight Commanders and above of the Orders of
the White Elephant or
the Crown of Thailand. Judges may wear it during
full dress
Western dress codes are a set of dress codes detailing what clothes are worn for what occasion. Conversely, since most cultures have intuitively applied some level equivalent to the more formal Western dress code traditions, these dress codes a ...
royal ceremonies; other government officials may wear it during such ceremonies if they are performing certain addresses, or if it has been specified for the occasion.
Such occasions are nowadays rare, though the ''khrui'' is still seen in the ceremonial costumes worn during the annual
Royal Ploughing Ceremony
The Royal Ploughing Ceremony ( km, ព្រះរាជពិធីបុណ្យច្រត់ព្រះនង្គ័ល ; si, වප් මඟුල් ''Vap Magula;'' th, พระราชพิธีจรดพระนังคั ...
and occasional royal processions.
Today, the ''khrui'' is most readily identified as the academic dress of several Thai universities, Chulalongkorn University being its oldest and most prominent adopter. It is worn without a cap, over the university's dress uniform (usually a
raj pattern
''Raj pattern'' ( th, ราชปะแตน, , ) refers either to a Thai men's costume consisting of a white Nehru-style jacket with five buttons, a ''chong kraben'', knee-length socks and dress shoes, or to the specific form of the jacket it ...
jacket and white trousers for males, white blouse and navy skirt for females) for undergraduate degrees, or a suit and tie for graduate degrees. Like most of its counterparts, it use in this form is usually seen only during graduation ceremonies.
Gallery
Royal gowns
File:Prajadhipok's coronation records - 001.jpg, 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 ...
signs the Constitution of the Kingdom of Siam, Buddhist Era 2475 (1932), on 10 December 1932, wearing the Gown of the Great House of Chakri (ครุยมหาจักรีบรมราชวงศ์; ''Khrui Maha Chakkri Boromma Ratchawong'') and the Crown of Five Tops (ชฎาห้ายอด; ''Chada Chada may refer to:
*Chada, Nalgonda, a village in Andhra Pradesh, India
*Chada and mongkut, crown-like traditional Thai headdresses
*Chada, a character in the anime series NieA 7
, also known as ''NieA under 7'', is a doujinshi manga seri ...
Ha Yot'').
File:King Rama in full Regalia.jpg, 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 ...
wears the Gown of the Great House of Chakri, the Great Crown of Victory
The Great Crown of Victory ( th, พระมหาพิชัยมงกุฎ; ) is one of the regalia of Thailand. Made of gold and enamelled in red and green during the reign of King Rama I in 1782, the crown is 66 centimeters (26 inches) h ...
and the Royal Slippers; photo taken around 1851.
File:Nangklao portrait.jpg, A painting depicts King Nangklao
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 ...
wearing the Gown of the Great House of Chakri.
File:Bhumbol coronation 2.jpg, Proceeding from 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 ...
to the Temple of the Emerald Buddha
Wat Phra Kaew ( th, วัดพระแก้ว, , ), commonly known in English as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and officially as Wat Phra Si Rattana Satsadaram, is regarded as the most sacred Buddhist temple in Thailand. The complex co ...
on 5 May 1950, 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 ...
wears the Gold-Woven Gown (ครุยกรองทอง; ''Khrui Krong Thong''). Part of the Coronation of the Thai monarch
The coronation of the Thai monarch () is a ceremony in which the King of Thailand is formally consecrated by anointment and crowning. The ceremony is divided into two main events: the coronation rites and the celebration of the Assumption of t ...
.
Official gowns
"Nobleman's Gown"
File:Phra Maha Phichai Ratcharot carried Bejaratana Rajasuda's royal urn.JPG, The officers on the Chariot of Great Victory wear the Nobleman's Gowns (ครุยขุนนาง; ''Khrui Khun Nang'') together with the ancient official headgear called ''Lomphok
The ''lomphok'' ( th, ลอมพอก, ; literally, "piled up and layered-wrapped head cover") is a ceremonial headgear of Thailand, historically worn by royalty and nobility. It is a tall pointed hat, made of white cloth wrapped around a bambo ...
'' (ลอมพอก). The Chariot is carrying the urn of Princess Bejaratana Rajasuda
Princess Bejaratana Rajasuda ( th, เพชรรัตนราชสุดา; ; , 24 November 1925 – 27 July 2011) was the only child of the King Vajiravudh of Thailand. She was a first cousin of King Bhumibol Adulyadej and third cousin of ...
to the crematorium at Sanam Luang
Sanam Luang ( th, สนามหลวง, ; lit: 'royal turf') is a open field and public square in front of Wat Phra Kaew and the Grand Palace, Bangkok, Thailand. Sanam Luang is in the Phra Nakhon District, the historic center of Bangkok.
...
on 9 April 2012.
File:Procession for Bejaratana Rajasuda's relics (carried on Phra Thinang Rajendrayan) from the royal crematorium to the Grand Palace.JPG, An officer supporting the urn of Princess Bejaratana Rajasuda on the Lord's Palanquin wears the Nobleman's Gown and the ''Lomphok'', 10 April 2012.
File:Ratcharot Phra Nam in the procession of Princess Galyani Vadhana.jpg, The officers on the Minor Chariot wear the Nobleman's Gown and the ''Lomphok''. The Chariot is carrying The Most Reverend Somdet Phra Wannarat (Chun Phrommakhutto), the Abbot of Wat Bowonniwet Vihara
Wat Pavaranivesh Vihara Ratchawarawihan ( th, วัดบวรนิเวศวิหารราชวรวิหาร; , ) is a major Buddhist temple (''wat'') in Phra Nakhon district, Bangkok, Thailand. Being the residence of Nyanasamvar ...
, on 15 November 2008.
File:Almanach 1687 Kosa Pan with Louis XIV.jpg, A French drawing depicts Siamese diplomats, including Kosa Pan
Kosa Pan ( th, ปาน; 1633 – 15 November 1699) was a Siamese diplomat and minister who led the second Siamese embassy to France sent by King Narai in 1686.Rajanubhab, D., 2001, ''Our Wars With the Burmese,'' Bangkok: White Lotus Co. Ltd., ...
, wearing the Nobleman's Gown and the ''Lomphok'' while having an audience with Louis XIV
, house = Bourbon
, father = Louis XIII
, mother = Anne of Austria
, birth_date =
, birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France
, death_date =
, death_place = Palace of Vers ...
in 1687.
File:SiameseEmbassyToLouisXIV1686NicolasLarmessin.jpg, A French drawing depicts Siamese diplomats wearing the Nobleman's Gown and the ''Lomphok'' while presenting King Narai
King Narai the Great ( th, สมเด็จพระนารายณ์มหาราช, , ) or Ramathibodi III ( th, รามาธิบดีที่ ๓ ) was the 27th monarch of Ayutthaya Kingdom, the 4th and last monarch of the Pr ...
's missive to Louis XIV in 1687.
"Ministerial Gown"
File:Abhisit Vejjajiva and Pimpen Sakuntabhai.jpg, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva wears the First-Class Ministerial Gown (ครุยเสนามาตย์ชั้นเอก; ''Khrui Senamat Chan Ek''). This golden brocaded gown was part of the traditional attire of the Chief Minister of the Civil Service in ancient times and is now still in ceremonial use.
File:ChaiChidchob.jpg, Chai Chidchob
Chai Chidchob ( th, ชัย ชิดชอบ, , ; 5 April 1929 – 24 January 2020) was President of the National Assembly of Thailand and the Speaker of the House of Representatives from 15 May 2008 to 10 May 2011.
Political career
He beg ...
wears the Second-Class Ministerial Gown (ครุยเสนามาตย์ชั้นโท; ''Khrui Senamat Chan Tho''). A recipient of the first or second class of the 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 ...
is entitled to wear this gown.
Academic gowns
File:Rama_VII's_royal_academic_gown.jpg, An academic gown of Chulalongkorn University
Chulalongkorn University (CU, th, จุฬาลงกรณ์มหาวิทยาลัย, ), nicknamed Chula ( th, จุฬาฯ), is a public and autonomous research university in Bangkok, Thailand. The university was originally fo ...
, worn by King Prajadhipok.
File:Academic dress of Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University.jpg, A graduate of Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University
Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University or STOU () is the only open university in Thailand.
History
Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University was officially established by royal charter on 5 September 1978 as Thailand's eleventh state university to ...
wears the university's academic gown.
See also
*
Academic dress of Chulalongkorn University
The academic dress of Chulalongkorn University ( th, ครุยวิทยฐานะของจุฬาลงกรณ์มหาวิทยาลัย) in Thailand is a long-sleeved gown made from light mesh, faced and bordered with a sp ...
Footnotes
References
{{Academic dress
Thai clothing
Robes and cloaks
Academic dress