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ปีีที่่� ๔๖ ฉบัับัที่่� ๑ มกราคม-เมษายน ๒๕๖๔
นายกฤษฎา บุุณยสมิิต 25

Abstract: The consideration of merit and ennoblement system in Siam
Mr. Krisda Punyasmita
Associate Fellow of the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences,
The Royal Society of Thailand
The study of the consideration of merit and ennoblement system in
Siam aims to elaborate the royal criteria of granting honorable titles and
promoting nobles including bureaucrats for his virtues. In ancient history of
Thai sovereign, since the establishment of The Kingdom of Ayutthaya in 1983 BE
through the Rattanakosin Kingdom of King RAMA V reign, before the extensive
modern administrative reformation and the initiative of ministerial system in
bureaucratic organization, Siam had officially classified both nobles and
high-rank officers under two divisions; Military and Civil affairs. The consideration
of merit and ennoblement of those in Military and Civil affairs is considered as a
significant royal duty for every Siamese ruler as these entitled individuals
would perform official duties on behalf of his king. The moral principle
“Ratchaniti” and principle of laws in Three Seals Code had been the key
factors of the king’s discretion in the process of granting and promoting
honorable titles. The discretion divides in two criteria; granting noble titles
and promoting double higher official ranks by virtue of his courage in the
battlefields during the time of war and the merit-based promotion for his
virtues in performing official duties during peaceful time. For designating higher
ranks of royal peerage, the law of Ayutthaya Kingdom, the 50 old decree,
th
constituted two significant qualifications of those who ought to be considered
as entitled for noble titles and higher noble ranks which are called Wutthi 4;
Chattiwutthi (ancestry background), Waiyawutthi (maturity level), Khunnawutthi
(competence) and Panyawutthi (intellectual) and Athibodi 4; Chanthathibodi
(will), Wiriyathibodi (perseverance), Chittathibodi (dedication) and
Wimangsathibodi (discreet).These mentioned various criteria in the consideration
of merit and ennoblement process are worth exploring owing to their timeless
meaning and modernity which are qualified benchmarks for applying as a
factor in developing criteria for appointing any individuals an official title in
modern administrative organizations.
Keywords: consideration of merit, ennoblement, Ratchaniti, Military affairs,
Civil affairs, Wutthi 4, Athibodi 4