1924 Palace Law of Succession

The 1924 Palace Law of Succession ( _th. กฏมณเฑียรบาลว่าด้วยการสืบราชสันตติวงศ์ พ.ศ. 2467) governs succession over the Throne of the Kingdom of Thailand. Established during the reign of King Vajiravudh, it attempted to systematically resolve previous succession controversies. The 1997 Constitution of Thailand relied on the law with regards to succession, but the 2006 Interim Constitution made no mention of succession, leaving it to "constitutional practice."

Key features

The law based on the principle of primogeniture, with first in line being the eldest son of the previous monarch and second in line being the next-oldest son, and so on. The law expressly ruled against women ascending the throne (this clause was abrogated in later constitutions).

The 1924 law specifically established the primacy of descendants of each of King Chulalongkorn's Queens: Queen Saowabha, followed by Queen Savang Vadhana, followed by Queen Sukumala.

Possible Line of Succession (January 1, 2008)

1. HRH Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn (son of Rama IX, current King)
2. HSH Prince Juthavachara (#3-#6 by former Mom Sujarinee Vivacharawongse
3. HSH Prince Vasharaesorn
4. HSH Prince Chakriwat
5. HSH Prince Vatchrawee
6. HRH Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti (Son #1 by Princess Srirasmi)
7. Mom Chao Nawaphan Yukol (great-grandson of Rama V through a royal non-queen wife)
8. Mom Chao Mongkol Chalerm Yukol (great-grandson of Rama V, first cousin of #7)
9. Mom Chao Chalermsak Yukol (full brother of #8)
10. Mom Chao Tikumporn Yukol (full brother of #8)
11. Mom Chao Chatrichalerm Yukol (great-grandson of Rama V, first cousin of #7 and #8)
12. Maj Gen Mom Chao Chulacherm Yukol (full brother of #11)

see "The Law Today" for details

The law in practice

King Chulalongkorn and his three Queens produced seven sons with the princely rank of Chao Fa (Thai: เจ้าฟ้า; "sky lord"): five by Queen Saowabha, including Prince Vajiravudh; one by Queen Savang Vadhana, and one by Queen Sukumala.

None of King Vajiravudh's four princely brothers by Queen Saowabha produced a royal-blooded male heir (one son produced an heir with a maid (a reference to Prince Worananthawat who has been disquilified by King Vajiravudh), another produced an heir with a foreign wife (Mom Katya); children of foreign wives were barred from the succession in section 11 of the Palace Law).

Furthermore, three of the brothers died, leaving only Prince Prajadhipok. Vajiravudh had only a daughter, and Prajadhipok was childless.

Queen Savang Vadhana had only one surviving son, Prince Mahidol, who in turn produced a son, Prince Ananda Mahidol on 20 September 1925 by a commoner, Sangwalya. Prince Mahidol produced another son on 5 December 1927, Prince Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Queen Sukumala produced only one son, Prince Paripatra. Prince Paripatra had one son, Chumbhotpong Paripatra. Chumbhotpong Paripatra produced a daughter by a royal wife and a son, Prince Sukhumbhinanda, by a commoner wife. Prince Sukhumbhinanda produced 2 sons by a commoner wife: Mom Ratchawong Sukhumbhand born in 1953 and Mom Ratchawong Vararos born in 1959. Mom Ratchawong Sukhumbhand Paripatra produced two sons via commoner wives: Mom Luang Phinitphan and Mom Luang Waraphinan.

According to the Palace Law, Prince Prajadhipok (2nd eldest surviving son of the previous monarch, King Chulalongkorn, via the bloodline of Saovabha, the most senior queen) became 1st in line to the succession. Prince Mahidol became second in line (although older than Prajadhipok, he was son of Savang Vadhana, a more junior queen). Third and fourth in line would be Mahidol's sons: first Ananda Mahidol, then Bhumibol Adulyadej. Last in line would have been Prince Paripatra, although this is unlikely given he was in exile since 1932.

This line of succession was followed, with Prince Prajadhipok succeeding King Vajiravudh after he passed away on 26 November 1925. The absolute monarchy was overthrown on 24 June 1932, but the new constitution continued to rely on the palace law regarding matters of succession. Thus, Prince Ananda Mahidol succeeded the sonless King Prajadhipok after he abdicated on 2 March 1935. Prince Bhumibol Adulyadej succeeded the unmarried young King Ananda Mahidol after he was assasined on 9 June 1946.

The law today

The 1997 constitution of Thailand, like most preceding constitutions, continued to rely on the Palace Law with regards to succession. However, the 2006 Interim Constitution does not contain any articles regarding succession, and instead, left it to "constitutional practice."

The heir apparent to the Thai throne is Prince Vajiralongkorn, eldest and only son of King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Prince Vajiralongkorn has many sons The Thai constitution was amended in 1974 to allow the Privy Council to appoint a princess as successor to the throne. However this would only occur in the absence of an heir apparent. This amendment is retained in Section 23 of the 1997 "People's Constitution." This effectively signaled Princess Sirindhorn as second in line to the throne, but did not affect Prince Vajiralongkorn's status as heir apparent.

Recent constitutions of Thailand have made the amendment of the Palace Law of Succession the sole prerogative of the reigning King. According to Gothom Arya, noted public intellectual, this allows the reigning King, if he so chooses, to appoint his son or any of his daughters to the Throne.

The number of possible remaining male heirs is very small. Succession through female lines was explicitly prohibited under the 1924 Palace Law of Succession and the amendment only allows female succession through personal order of the King or recommendation from the Privy Council. Thus, only male lines are considered. Going upwards following the 1924 Palace Law of Succession, we see that there are no more male heirs from the line of Queen Savang Vadhana (mother of Prince Mahidol, father of current King and of Rama VIII). We then move to Queen Saowabha, the most senior queen under the 1924 Law and the mother of Rama VI and Rama VII. Neither of these kings produced male descendants. Prince Chakrabongse produced a son with Katya of Russia. Even if this were legitimate, the male line of Katya has run out, ending most recently with MR Narisa Chakrapongse (female), who had no male siblings. Another full sibling in this line was Prince Chadadhuj Dharadilok, who was a very senior prince at the time and a favorite of his father Rama V. However, Daradilok failed to produce a male heir from his formal marriage, instead siring Prince Waranonthawat through a commoner wife. Waranonthawat then married a foreigner in Pamela Smee and gave issue to MR Dilok Nicholas Chadadhuj, who himself married Jane Bishop and sired ML of the same name (shown below in #7-#8). This line is unlikely to ascend the throne due to the illegitimacy of the marriages and the foreign blood-line. Their positions only reflect biological closeness to the current ruling family. Positions 9-14 reflect the line from the third and most junior queen of Rama V, Sukumala. Queen Sukumala produced a single son in Prince Paripatra, who in turn produced 2 adult sons, one in legitimate marriage: Prince Chumbotpong Paripatra (who had no male descendants) and one through marriage with a commoner: Prince Sukhumbhinanda. Prince Sukhumbhinanda fathered MR Sukhumbhand Paripatra (#9), a leading member of the Democrat Party of Thailand right now. The only problem with this line seems to be the illegitimate marriages, but at least all marriages were with Thai commoners.

1. HRH Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn (son of Rama IX, current King)
2. HRH Prince Dipangkorn Rasamijoti (son of #1 by Princess Srirasmi)
3. HSH Prince Juthavachara (#3-#6 son of #1 by former Mom Sujarinee Vivacharawongse
4. HSH Prince Vasharaesorn
5. HSH Prince Chakriwat
6. HSH Prince Vatchrawee

Thus, if only the male descendants of the three queens of Rama V are taken into account (and also disregarding disqualification through foreign marriage and illegitimate marriage), there are only 14 male possible successors remaining in the Thai Royal Family.

Next in line would be the Yukol family, descendants of Chao Fah Yukol, Prince of Lopburi, the only son of Rama V from a non-queen but official royal-wife line (through Rama V wife Suthasineenat). The Prince of Lopburi sired his first son, Phra Ong Chao Phanuphan Yukol, who did not have any heir-producing sons with his first wife. His second wife did not produce any heirs either. However, through his third wife he sired the young Mom Chao Nawaphan Yukol, who is now only in his thirties. The Prince of Lopburi also had a second son, Phra Ong Chao Chalermpon Tikumporn, who sired Mom Chao Mongkol Chalerm Yukol, Mom Chao Chalermsak Yukol, and Mom Chao Tikumporn Yukol, all males but all without heirs. The last son of the Prince of Lopburi was Phra Ong Chao Anusorn Mongkolkarn, who himself produced two sons, both of whom are still alive. The elder son is Mom Chao Chatrichalerm Yukol, who is currently a film director and directed the famous “Suriyothai.” He has two sons, MR Mongkolchai Yukol and MR Chalermchatri Yukol. Both are also involved in film. Phra Ong Chao Anusorn’s second son is Major General Mom Chao Chulacherm Yukol, who is childless. Thus ends the male lines of the Yukols, male numbers presently total to 8 heirs.

7. Mom Chao Nawaphan Yukol (great-grandson of Rama V through a royal non-queen wife)
8. Mom Chao Mongkol Chalerm Yukol (great-grandson of Rama V, first cousin of #7)
9. Mom Chao Chalermsak Yukol (full brother of #8)
10. Mom Chao Tikumporn Yukol (full brother of #8)
11. Mom Chao Chatrichalerm Yukol (great-grandson of Rama V, first cousin of #9 and #10)
12. Maj Gen Mom Chao Chulacherm Yukol (full brother of #11)

If this line is exhausted, it is possible to take into consideration other male lines of Rama V not from the three queens designated in the 1924 Palace Law of Succession and not from a legitimate “wife”. These later lines consisted of sons of consorts of Rama V, called Chao Chom Manda, with the next lower wife level of Chao Chom. First up would be the line of HRH Prince Kitiyakara Voralaksana Prince of Chandaburi, the third biological son of Rama V through Chao Chom Manda Ouam. His two older brothers died before the age of three, making him the first son of Rama V to make it to adulthood. Descendants of HRH Prince Kitiyakara Voralaksana use the last name Kitiyakara. Surprisingly, Prince Kitiyakara's eldest son was Colonel Mom Chao Nakathra Kitiyakara, who in turn sired MR Sirikit Kitiyakara, who is now Queen Sirikit, Her Majesty the Queen of Thailand. HM the Queen had two older brothers and one younger sister. HM's eldest brother would be first in line to the throne in the non-queen line of Rama V, but he is deceased. He (MR Kalayanakit Kitiyakara) gave issue to ML Blaijumbol Kitiyakara, who in turn married a Thai commoner and had issue. HM the Queen's second elder brother was MR Adulyakit Kitiyakara, who only had two daughters, one of which is surprisingly HRH Princess Soamsavali, the divorced wife and from this analysis hence also the first cousin of the current Crown Prince HRH Maha Vajiralongkorn. HRH Soamsavali and HRH Crown Prince have one daughter. HRH Prince Kitiyakara Voralaksana also sired another son who made it to adulthood, Mom Chao Kachornjob Kitikun Kitiyakara. Mom Chao Kachornjob in turn had two sons, MR Surutdikul and MR Kiatdikul, both are now still alive but in their elderly years. Interestingly, MR Kiatdikul married, and later divorced, Apasara Hongsakula, former Miss Thailand and Miss Universe. They had a son, ML Rungkun (or Joe). These are all the living male descendants of HRH Kitiyakara Voralaksana through his legitimate wife Mom Chao Ying Apsornsamarn Devakula. However, HRH Kitiyakara also had four more illegitimate wives, with whom he sired a total of eight sons. Many made it to adulthood and had issue, although documentation of their descendants is more difficult to attain.

23. ML Blaijumbol Kitiyakara (a great-great-grandson of Rama V)
24. MR Surutdikul Kitiyakara (a great-grandson of Rama V)
25. MR Kiatdikul Kitiyakara (full brother of #16)
26. ML Rungkun Kitiyakara (son of #17)

Down the line would be (in order of age), the lines of other non-queen/non-royal-wife sons born to Rama V. This should be sufficient to find an heir since all of these families have numerous descendants. Again, the numerous illegitimate lines of HRH Kitiyakara may also be investigated in the process before moving to the other families.

References

* Aryan, Gothan (September 15-September 16 2004), [http://www.idea.int/news/upload/Nepal%20-%20Thai%20monarchy%20paper%20-%20Gothom%20Aryan.pdf Thai Monarchy] , International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, Retrieved on 05 July 2006, presented in Kathmandu, Nepal
* Paul M. Handley, "The King Never Smiles" Yale University Press: 2006, ISBN 0-300-10682-3
* Paul Handley, [http://www.asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=249&Itemid=31 What the Thai coup was really about] , 6 November 2006
* The Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand (1997), [http://www.parliament.go.th/files/library/law2e-b.htm Section 20]

ee also

* Constitution of Thailand
* Bhumibol Adulyadej
* Ananda Mahidol
* Prajadhipok