Thai royal and noble titles

The Thai royal and noble titles signify distance of the bearers to the King. The system is somewhat complicated and usually not well understood even by most Thai people. A particular title may not be confined to just the beginning or the end of the name, but may be split across the name as will be demonstrated. Another point of note about the titles is that the King has the power to bestow any title on anybody, regardless of the rule. However, such promotion is personal and the children of the person will not normally benefit from it (see, for example, Phra Worawong Ther Phra Ong Chao).

Title for a royal descendant

Generally speaking, a child of a holder of the following titles inherits the title which is one step below. However, the inheritance is on the male line only: a female Mom Rajawongse married to a plain commoner would produce a child with no title. (However, see Khun (courtesy title) below.) Tradition also requires that a princess asks for royal permission and surrenders her title if she wishes to marry a man of lesser title, e.g. if a female Chao Fa wishes to marry a male Mom Rajawongse. This happened in recent time to Chao Fa Ubolratana Rajakunya, who had to give up her title of Chao Fa to marry a commoner (who was also a foreigner). She still retains the style of "Tunkramom Ying", though. However, Chao Fa Chulabhonwalailak was granted a special permission by the King to keep her title when she married Sqn. Ldr. Weerayut Disayasirin, also a commoner.

Related Topics:
Mom Rajawongse - Khun (courtesy title) - Chao Fa - Chao Fa Ubolratana Rajakunya - Style - "Tunkramom Ying" - Chao Fa Chulabhonwalailak

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The rules are also slightly complicated for the first two classes Chao Fa and Phra Ong Chao.

Related Topics:
Chao Fa - Phra Ong Chao

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The 'princes'

Holders of these titles are still considered royal as they are at most two generations down from a king. Collectively, those who are children of a king are called "Loog Luang" (ลูกหลวง -- 'royal children') and those who are grand-children of a king are called "Laan Luang" (หลานหลวง -- 'royal grand-children'). In English translation, they are normally called "princes". Special forms of language are also used when one wishes to speak to them, although the language is less elaborate than when speaking to the king or the queen. A male Loog Luang who does not accede to the throne would also start a new royal surname, which normally reflects his birth name (as oppose to honorific name given later). The surname can be used by his wife if she is a commoner by birth, possibly with Na Ayudhya added if she has no noble title. It is otherwise not normally used until his children or grand-children first hold the title of Mom Chao, when the surname will first appear in their names.

Related Topics:
Loog Luang - Na Ayudhya - Mom Chao

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Chao Fa

Chao Fa (เจ้าฟ้า) is the most senior class of the royal family after the royal couple. Traditionally, their mother must be a princess. Holders of this title actually consist of two classes:

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• Chao Fa of the First Class (เจ้าฟ้าชั้นเอก -- Chao Fa Chan Aeg). These are the princes/princesses born to the queen or to a royal consort who is also a Loog Luang. They would traditionally be referred to as "Tunkramom Chai(m)/Tunkramom Ying(f)" (ทูลกระหม่อมชาย/ทูลกระหม่อมหญิง), although nowadays they are more commonly called Chao Fa.
• Chao Fa of the Second Class (เจ้าฟ้าชั้นโท -- Chao Fa Chan Tho). These are the princes/princesses born to a royal consort who is also a Laan Luang. They would traditionally be referred to as "Somdej Chai(m)/Somdej Ying(f)" (สมเด็จชาย/สมเด็จหญิง).

Phra Ong Chao

Phra Ong Chao (พระองค์เจ้า) is a lesser class of the princes than Chao Fa. They could be either:

Related Topics:
Phra Ong Chao - Chao Fa

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• Phra Chao Boromawong Ther Phra Ong Chao (พระเจ้าบรมวงศ์เธอ พระองค์เจ้า) These are the princes who are Phra Ong Chao by birthright, including:
• * Children of a king and a Chao Chom Manda (a consort who was born commoner).
• * Children of a Chao Fa and a princess (Chao Fa, Phra Ong Chao, or Mom Chao Ying).
• Phra Worawong Ther Phra Ong Chao (พระวรวงศ์เธอ พระองค์เจ้า). These are Mom Chao whom the king granted this higher title, either as a recognition to their merit, or as a special favour. Example of this includes Phra Worawong Ther Phra Ong Chao Nakkatra Mongkol Kromma Mhun Chandaburi Suranat, father of Queen Sirikit, who were born Mom Chao Nakkatra Mongkok Kitiyakorn (note that his surname is omitted now that he became a Phra Ong Chao). This title is however personal, and their children would still be treated as children of a Mom Chao (i.e. inherit the title of Mom Rajawongse rather than Mom Chao).

Mom Chao

Mom Chao(m)/Mom Chao Ying(f) (หม่อมเจ้า/หม่อมเจ้าหญิง, abbreviated in Thai as ม.จ.) is the most junior class still considered a royalty. This is normally when surnames first appear among royal lineages. They are either:

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• Children of a Chao Fa and a commoner.
• Children of a Phra Ong Chao (of the first type).

Informally, they are styled as Than Chai(m).../Than Ying(f)... (ท่านชาย.../ท่านหญิง...).

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The 'commoners'

The rest of royal progeny, starting from the children of Mom Chao, are considered commoners. They still retain their titles, indicating that their ancestry can be traced back to a king.

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Mom Rajawongse

Mom Rajawongse (หม่อมราชวงศ์, abbreviated in Thai as ม.ร.ว. and sometimes in English as M.R.) are children of Mom Chao. Informally, they may be styled as Khun Chai(m).../Khunying(f)... (คุณชาย.../คุณหญิง...). (Khunying is also a formal title given to married ladies who have been granted at least the Order of Chulachomklao, Fourth Class.) Holders of this title are occasionally called princes/princesses in English translation, especially in older documents; it is more common these days to use the word "Mom Rajawongse".

Related Topics:
Mom Rajawongse - Mom Chao - Khunying

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Mom Luang

Mom Luang (หม่อมหลวง, abbreviated in Thai as ม.ล. and sometimes in English as M.L.) are the last royal descendants still retaining a title. Colloquially, though incorrectly, they are sometimes addressed as "Mom"; the correct informal addressing is "Khun".

Related Topics:
Mom Luang - Khun

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What happens after Mom Luang?

The children and subsequent descendants of Mom Luang do not hold any title. However, they would append the word "Na Ayudhya" (ณ อยุธยา) to their surname, signifying a royal blood line.

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Miscellaneous titles of the royal descendants

Mom (royalty)

Mom (หม่อม) has a rather ill-defined status among the hierarchy of the royal titles. Holder of this title can be either:

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• a royalty of Mom Rajawongse class, who has been granted this particular title by the king in recognition to his merit. Technically, this is a feudal title, equivalent to the title Phraya granted to commoners; it is thus written without a space. The title is granted together with a honorific name, and is used without a surname, for example: Mom Anuwatworapong (หม่อมอนุวัตรวรพงษ์), who was born as Mom Rajawongse Singhanad Pramoj (หม่อมราชวงศ์ สิงหนัด ปราโมช).
• a former prince whose title has been stripped off as a punishment. He would still be known as Mom... .

Khun (courtesy title)

Khun (คุณ) is a courtesy title for children born to a noble mother who gave up her title to marry a man of lesser title. This is pronounced in lower tone, and not to be confused with Khun (ขุน), pronounced in higher tone, which is a feudal title. In modern days, this word is used informally to courteously address virtually everybody, apart from those who actually hold a title of Mom Rajawongse or higher.

Related Topics:
Khun - Mom Rajawongse

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