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The International Journal of the Royal Society of Thailand

Volume XVI-2024 (Special Issue)

The Privy Councillors in the reigns of Kings Rama IX and X come from diverse ethnic

backgrounds. Among them were individuals such as H.E. Dr. Chaovana na Silavanta, who is also
a friend of the King. He is a descendant of Sinhala in Sri Lanka. H.E. Santi Thakral, the former

President of the Supreme Court, is of a Thai Sikh heritage. H.E. Air Chief Marshal Siddhi Savetsila
is a descendant of Henry Alabaster, who was the British consul in Siam during the reign of

King Rama IV and subsequently served as an advisor to King Rama V. Alabaster means “white rock”
so King Rama VI granted a family name “Savetsila,” which carries the same meaning. Lastly,

H.E. Professor Dr. Kasem Wattanachai, the Privy Councillor of His Majesty King Rama X,
is of Hainanese descent. Thainess is therefore a blend of various ethnicities and nationalities,

living together peacefully, and working together for the benefit of the country. This unity can be
observed in the Chakri Dynasty, where diverse backgrounds have come together as one cohesive

entity.
Chakri Dynasty is not purely Thai, but rather a blend of different ethnicities. Its ancestry

can be traced back to Mon ethnicity related to Kosa Lek and Kosa Pan in the reign of King Narai
the Great. Some can be traced back to Phraya Kiat and Phraya Ram who brought several tens of

thousands of Mon to Ayutthaya. The Father of King Rama I (Thongdi, later Somdet Phra Pathom
Borom Maha Chanok) was Thai-Mon but the Mother (Daorueang, later Phra Akkhara Chaya) was

Thai-Chinese. On the other hand, the Mother of King Rama III (Chao Chom Manda Riam, later
Sri Sulalai) came from a Muslim noble family from the south and her ancestry could be traced

back to Sultan Sulaiman of Songkla, therefore a mixture of Persian and possibly Java and Malay.
Chinese ancestry can also be traced to the 3 sister queens of King Rama V (Queen Sunanda

Kumariratana, Queen Savang Vadhana, and Queen Saovabha Bongsi) who came from Sucharitkul
family whose ancestor was Chinese. One may find even more mixed ethnic groups in some

concubines and members of Chakri Dynasty. While the details outlined above are based on
scientific facts, some may feel it is inappropriate to delve too deeply into the mixed heritage

within the Chakri Dynasty. Despite this, the lecturer emphasizes that the blending of diverse
backgrounds is a key aspect of Thainess.

Many people associate King Naresuan the Great, who ruled Ayutthaya 430 years ago,
primarily with his famous duel against the Viceroy of Burma on elephants. However,

King Naresuan had a deep interest in firearms and even established a royal guard of snipers,
many of whom were foreigners. In addition, he maintained correspondence with the Chinese

emperor during the Ming dynasty. Chinese records reveal that King Naresuan offered to send
1,000 elephants to help China in battle against Japan, led by Shogun Hideyoshi Toyomi during

the Korean conflict. His decision to assist China was based on the long-standing friendship and

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