Krom Phra Rajawang Bovorn Sathan Mongkol (Thai: กรมพระราชวังบวรสถานมงคล (Pronunciation)) or the Front Palace was a royal title granted by the Siamese monarchy until the nineteenth century. The holder of the title of Front Palace was considered the heir to the throne and second only to the King. The title originated in the Ayutthaya period and later gained significant powers during the Rattanakosin period. The Front Palaces were usually the son or brothers of the monarchs. The title existed until 1885 with the death of Prince Vichaichan, the last Front Palace. King Chulalongkorn then abolished the title and introduced the Western style of "Crown Prince of Siam" for the heir apparent.[1]
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The Uparaja or Vice-King concept was of an Indian origin. In 1448, Trailokanat the king of Sukhothai was crowned as the king of Ayutthaya uniting the two kingdoms. During the 15th century, the Kingdom of Sukhothai, which centered on Pitsanulok, served as the seat of most of Uparajas as the Uparajas were also the king of Sukhothai with few exceptions. After the first fall of Ayutthaya in 1569, Maha Thammaracha crowned his son Naresuan as the Uparaja and the king of Sukhothai/Pitsanulok, Naresuan then built a palace in front of the Royal Palace to be his place of residence when he visited Ayutthaya - therefore the name "Front Palace" was created. However, in 1583, Naresuan annexed the Sukhothai kingdom to Ayutthaya, thus Pitsanulok ceased to be the seat of Uparaja. Naresuan, after his coronation, appointed his brother Ekathotsarot to be the Uparaja with equal status to the King staying in the Front Palace.
Phetracha in 1688 appointed his son Luang Sorasak (later Sanpet VIII) as the Uparaja living at the Front Palace. For the first time the term "Krom Phrarajawang Bovorn Sathan Mongkol" (Thai: กรมพระราชวังบวรสถานมงคล) (lit. The Great Auspicious Place) was used. The Uparaja was usually the brother of the king, and was the heir to the throne upon the death of the king. When the vice-king died before the king, the title often remained vacant for several years, until the new King decides to appoint his own Uparaja.
With the foundation of the Chakri dynasty in 1782, Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke made his younger brother Bunma the Front Palace (as Maha Sura Singhanat). Maha Sura Singhanat supervised the construction of Front Palace in Bangkok. Later Front Palaces continued the expansion of the palace. Prince Isarasundhorn was the only Front Palace who did not reside in the Front Palace but instead lived at the Thonburi Palace. Ironically, with the exception of Prince Isarasundhorn (who succeeded to the throne as Buddha Loetla Nabhalai), none of the Rattanakosin Front Palaces were actually crowned as they were mostly the monarch's siblings. During this time the Vice-King resided in the Front Palace (วังหน้า: Wang Na) north of the Grand Palace, which is now the main building of the National Museum.
The Front Palaces during the Rattanakosin period had wielded large amounts of power, with their own private army and even a navy. In 1851, King Mongkut made his brother Pinklao the Front Palace and then crowned him as a King equaled to himself, like the case of Naresuan and Ekatotsarot. Pinklao also received all the styles and titles usually reserved only for the monarch, to Europeans he refers to himself as the Second King. This greatly expanded the power of the Front Palace. In 1868, after the coronation of young Chulalongkorn, Sri Suriyawongse his regent arranged the grant of the Front Palace title to Pinklao's son, Prince Yingyot as Front Palace Bovorn Vichaichan.
Somdej Pramahitathibej Adulyadejvikrom Prabarommarajajanok hold his rank equivalent to Front Palace of Chakri Dynasty[2]
The conflicts between the reformist King Chulalongkorn and conservative Vice King came to a head in the so-called Front Palace Crisis in 1874 - a fire in the Grand Palace was attributed to the Vice-King Bovorn Vichaicharn, who sought protection in the British consulate. The crisis started due to the fast-paced reforms started by the young King Chulalongkorn. As a result the reforms were stalled for several years, and when the Vice-King died in 1885 the whole Uparath system was abolished by the King. Instead he named his son as heir and Crown Prince.
See also: Crown Prince of Thailand
| Front Palace | Appointed by | Relation to the monarch | Reign | Ascension or Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luang Sorasak | Petracha | Son | 1688 - 1703 | as Sanpet VIII |
| Chao Fa Petch | Sanpet VIII | Son | 1703 - 1708 | as Sanphet IX |
| Chao Fa Porn | Sanphet IX | Brother | 1708 - 1732 | as Boromakot |
| Krom Khun Sena Pithak | Boromakot | Son | 1732 - 1746 | Executed |
| Krom Khun Pornpinit | Boromakot | Son | 1757 - 1758 | as Uthumporn |
| Front Palace | Appointed by | Relation to the monarch | Reign | Ascension or Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Krom Khun Intarapitak | Taksin | Son | 1767 - 1782 | Executed |
| Front Palace | Appointed by | Relation to the monarch | Reign | Ascension or Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maha Sura Singhanat | Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke | Brother | 1782 - 1803 | Died |
| Isarasundhorn | Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke | Son | 1806 - 1809 | as Buddha Loetla Nabhalai |
| Maha Senanurak | Buddha Loetla Nabhalai | Brother | 1809 - 1817 | Died |
| Maha Sakdi Polsep | Jessadabodindra | Uncle | 1824 - 1832 | Died |
| Pinklao | Mongkut | Brother | 1851 - 1865 | Crowned as co-ruler with Mongkut |
| Vichaichan | Chulalongkorn | Cousin | 1868 - 1885 | Died, Title abolished |
With the death of Vichaichan, Chulalongkorn did not appoint any new Front Palaces. In 1886, Chulalongkorn made his son Prince Maha Vajirunhis, "Crown Prince of Siam", therefore abolishing the title of Front Palace altogether.
Around the time of Luang Sorasak's appointment King Phetracha also appointed a Krom Phrarajawang Bovorn Sathan Phimuk (Thai: กรมพระราชวังบวรสถานพิมุข) or the Rear Palace (Wang Lang). Nai Chobkojprasit, a commoner was appointed to the position, however sometime during King Phetracha's reign he fell out of favour and was executed. Around 1703 King Sanpet VIII decided to appoint his first son Prince Petch the Front Palace and his younger son Prince Porn the Rear Palace. However because of the inauspicious end of the first Rear Palace the King decided to change the title of the Front and Rear Palaces to Phra Bantoon Yai (พระบัณฑูรใหญ่) and Phra Bantoon Noi (พระบัณฑูรน้อย) respectively. The word Bantoon meant command and the title translates as the great command and the minor command, afterwards the titles were merged.
Only one Rear Palace was appointed during the Rattanakosin period, in 1785 Prince Anurak Devesh a nephew of King Rama I was appointed to the office. After his death in 1806 the office went vacant. The site of the Rear Palace (วังหลัง: Wang Lang) in Bangkok is now Siriraj Hospital.
| Rear Palace | Appointed by | Reign |
|---|---|---|
| Nai Chobkojprasit | Phetracha | circa 1688 - ? |
| Chaofa Porn | Sanpet VIII | circa 1703 - 1708 |
| Rear Palace | Appointed by | Reign |
|---|---|---|
| Anurak Devesh | Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke (Rama I) | circa 1782 – 1806 |
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