Rangsit, Prince of Chainat

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HRH Rangsit Prayurasakdi, Prince of Jainad or Somdej Phra Chao Boromawongse Ther Krom Phraya Jainad Narendhorn (Thai: สมเด็จพระเจ้าบรมวงศ์เธอ พระองค์เจ้ารังสิตประยูรศักดิ์ กรมพระยาชัยนาทนเรนทร)(November 12, 1885 - March 7, 1951) was the Thai Founder of the Public Health Ministry and Prince Regent.

Prince Rangsit at the time of King Vajiravudh's reign.

[edit] Early life

Prince Rangsit was born as the 52nd child of King Chulalongkorn and the second child of Chao Chom Manda Nueng (MR.Nueng Snidvongs), the 22nd wife of the King. After the early death of his mother he and his elder sister Princess Yaovabha Bhonghsanids were adopted by Queen Savang Vadhana, thus he grew up as a half-brother and childhood friend of Prince Mahidol. He started his education at the Royal School in the Grand Palace. At the age of 14, he was sent to Germany for his education, at first the Martineum gymnasium in Halberstadt where he graduated with Abitur in 1905 and later Heidelberg-University in Heidelberg. Though he was more interested in medicine, his father insisted on an education in jurisdiction, which he did at the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg. He additionally studied philosophy in 1908. It was during his study that he met his wife, Elisabeth Scharnberger, whom he married in 1912. The couple had 2 sons and 1 daughter being: (Mom Chao)HSH Piyarangsit Rangsit (1913-1990), HSH Sanidh Prayurasakdi Rangsit (1917-1995), and (Mom Chao Ying) HSH Charulaksana Kalyani (1924-present).

Prince Rangsit, his wife Mom Elisabeth Rangsit and their nephew King Bhumibol (1950) at Vidyu Palace, on the occasion of the King's marriage to Mom Rajawongse Sirikit Kitiyakara.

[edit] Life In Siam

After returning to Siam during the reign of his elder brother King Vajiravhud in 1913 he worked on improving Siam’s Health Care System. Todate, the statue of Prince Rangsit is situated in front of Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health, of which he is the founding father. He also worked on improving the nation's university system, which made him the first director of the university department of the Ministry of Education[1].

Following the Siamese coup d'état of 1932, Prince Rangsit did not involve himself in politics, but was nevertheless seen as a threat by the Pro-Fascist military government 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 and in the writing of a journal which recounts his memories and experiences of traveling to Europe for the first time in 1899. On 28th 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). Along with the release of Phibun's other political prisoners, Prince Rangsit's titles was permanently restored to him by the Khuang-Pridi government which came to power following Phibun's forced resignation in May 1944.

Prince Rangsit with Lord and Lady Louis Mountbatten and their daughter at Vidyu Palace (1946), following the end of the Pacific War.

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 of (his younger half-brother) King Rama VII to the Coronation of his two nephews King Ananda Mahidol and King Bhumibol Adulyadej. After King Ananda Mahidols mysterious death in the Grand Palace, Prince Bhumipol, 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 as Regent on June 16 1946, as well as chairman of the Supreme Council of State since 1947.

[edit] Death

He died of a heart attack while in bed, at Vidyu palace on Wireless road, Bangkok in March 1951. At his death, he was the last surviving son of King Chulalongkorn, having lived 65 years and four months. He is also known to be a great collector of Thai antiques and art works.

The Rangsit canal and the outskirts of Bangkok known as Rangsit 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, HRH Princess Vibhavadi Rangsit.

[edit] References

HRH, Prince Rangsit Prayursak:First-Trip Abroad-1899 (2005), edited by M.R.Priyananda Rangsit, Bangkok

Royal Family of Thailand[2]

[edit] Further Reading

Prince Rangsit of Chainad[3]

The Coronation of the longest reigning Monarch[4]