A regent of Thailand () is a person who exercises the official functions of a monarch of Thailand when the monarch is incapable of functioning or during a period of interregnum.
Appointment Old royal customs Ancient custom dictates that the heir to the last king rule only as a regent and not as a king until he is officially consecrated. An unconsecrated king is not considered qualified to carry out the divine and priestly function of a Devarāja (or God-king). Until the coronation rites are completed the new king must exclude the prefix Phrabat (พระบาท) from his royal title, he cannot enact a royal command, nor sit under the nine-tiered umbrella (he must make do with only seven tiers). As a result, it was customary for a king to go through the coronation ceremonies as soon as he had succeeded to the throne.
Modern era According to the , there might be a regent when the monarch is unable to function and there will be a regent when the throne is vacant.
Incapacity of monarch
In accordance with the 2017 constitution, if the monarch is to leave the country or is unable to perform his duties for whatever reason, he may appoint any regent or council of regency. If he does make an appointment, the president of the National Assembly of Thailand will countersign the appointment.
If the monarch does not or cannot appoint any regent due to his minority or for any other reason and the Privy Council of Thailand finds the regency is necessary, the Privy Council will nominate a regent or council of regency to the president of the National Assembly for further appointment in the name of the monarch. The nominees are required to be those having been picked beforehand by the monarch and they must be nominated in accordance with the order of precedence designated beforehand by the monarch also.
Until a regent or council of regency is appointed, the president of the Privy Council will serve as the regent ad interim.
The constitution also requires an appointed regent to take the following oath of office amongst the National Assembly before assuming office:
Formerly, the law required regency during the incapacity of the monarch. In January 2017, King Rama X made an unprecedented move to change a draft constitution (later promulgated as the 2017 constitution) by removing the need for the monarch to appoint any regent in such an event, despite the draft having already been approved in a referendum.
Interregnum
In accordance with the 2017 constitution, when the throne becomes vacant, the president of the Privy Council of Thailand will act as the regent ad interim until a monarch is installed.
But if the vacancy takes place when there already is a regent, appointed by the previous monarch or by the president of the National Assembly due to the monarch's incapacity, that regent will continue to function until a monarch is enthroned. If the appointed regent is unable to function, the president of the Privy Council will also serve as the regent ad interim.
Flag The regent is given an official flag by the Flag Act 1979. It is a white square flag with a shield of the national flag at the centre, topped by the mythological bird garuda, which is the national emblem of Thailand.
List of regents
Fourth Reign PortraitNameDate of AppointmentCeased to be RegentNoteKing Mongkut (Rama IV)Somdet Chao Phraya BoromMaha Prayurawongse(Dit Bunnag)18511855The post established for the first time in Rattanakosin era. Appointed as a sinecure, functionally as prime minister.
Fifth Reign PortraitNameDate of AppointmentCeased to be RegentNoteKing Chulalongkorn (Rama V)Somdet Chao Phraya BoromMaha Sri Suriwongse(Chuang Bunnag)1 October 186816 November 1873Appointed regent by the Council of Ministers, until the king reached his majority at the age of 20.Queen Saovabha Phongsri7 April 1897Royal Gazette, Royal Order on the Regent, Volume 13, Chapter 51, Page 599, 21 March 115 Rattanakosin Era16 December 1897Appointed regent for the duration of the king's first visit to Europe. After the king's return, her title was elevated to Queen Regent.Crown PrinceMaha Vajiravudh27 March 190717 November 1907Appointed regent for the duration of the king's second visit to Europe.
Sixth Reign PortraitNameDate of AppointmentCeased to be RegentNoteKing Vajiravudh (Rama VI)Prince Prajadhipok Sakdidej,the Prince of Sukhothai192526 November 1925Appointed regent during the illness of the king, after the king's death on 26 November 1925, himself succeeded to the throne as King Rama VII.
Seventh Reign PortraitNameDate of AppointmentCeased to be RegentNoteKing Prajadhipok (Rama VII)Prince Paribatra Sukhumbandhu,the Prince of Nakhon Sawan9 April 19328 May 1932Appointed regent for the duration of the king's summer holiday in Hua Hin, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province.Prince Chitcharoen,the Prince Narisara Nuwattiwong12 January 1934Royal Gazette, Royal Command on the appointment of the Regent, Volume 50, Page 838, 11 January 2476 B.E.2 March 1935Appointed regent while the king visited Europe for medical treatment, regency ended with the king's abdication of the throne.
Eighth Reign PortraitNameDate of AppointmentCeased to be RegentNoteKing Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII)Cabinet of Siam acting as regency council pro tempore2 March 19357 March 1935The Cabinet of Siam filled-in as a regency council pro tempore during a brief interregnum in according to Constitution of Siam 1935 Article 10, Constitution of Siam 1935Prince Oscar Anuvatana7 March 1935Royal Gazette, Announcement of the appointment of the Regency Council, Volume 41, Page 1332, 7 March 2477 B.E.12 August 1935Appointed president of the three members regency council, during the king's minority (10 years of age at the time) and absence, as he was living in Switzerland. Died in office (committed suicide).Prince Aditya Dibabha31 July 1944Succeeded Prince Oscar as president. Later resigned from office and ceased to be regent, died in 1945.Royal Gazette, Appointment of Regent, Volume 61, Chapter 45, Page 730, 1 August 2487 B.E.Chao Phraya Yomarath(Pan Sukhum)30 December 1938Died in officeChao Phraya Bijayendra Yodhin(General Um Indrayodhin)21 August 1935Royal Gazette, Naming of a replacement to the Regency Council and the appointment of a new President, Volume 52, Page 1260, 21 August 2478 B.E.21 July 1942Appointed regent to replace Prince Oscar. Died in office.Luang Praditmanutham(Pridi Banomyong)16 December 1941Royal Gazette, Naming of a replacement to the Regency Council, Volume 58, Page 1821, 16 December 2484 B.E.20 September 1945Appointed regent to replace Chao Phraya Yomarath, previously held office as Minister of Finance. After the resignation of Prince Aditya Dibabha became the sole regent, until the return of the king in 1946. Later became the 7th prime minister of Thailand in 1946.
Ninth Reign