The Royal Coronation Ceremony is an ancient royal tradition that must be performed for a monarch to be fully recognized as such. According to the "Chronicle of the Royal Coronation Ceremony of King Rama VII, King Vajiravudh, the Crown Prince," it states:

"...According to the royal tradition in this land of Siam, it has been an ancient doctrine that a monarch who ascends the throne must undergo the royal coronation ceremony before being fully recognized as a king. If the royal coronation ceremony has not been performed, even if a crown prince is appointed upon entering the royal palace, he will only reside in one place, and his name will remain the same, merely adding the phrase 'who is governing the kingdom' at the end of his name. His commands will not be considered royal decrees until he has been anointed and received the royal regalia from the royal Brahmin who conducts the coronation ceremony. Only then will he ascend to the royal throne, fully possessing the royal dignity of a monarch from that point onward..."

  

 

The History of the Royal Coronation Ceremony

The Royal Coronation Ceremony has been a longstanding royal tradition in Thai society, influenced by Indian beliefs. However, the specific details of the original ceremony are not clearly documented. Even the names used for the ceremony have varied over different periods. For instance, during the Ayutthaya period and the early Rattanakosin period, it was referred to as:

 "The Royal Coronation Ceremony"  or  "The Coronation Ceremony"  while in modern times it is called  "The Royal Coronation Ceremony".

During the Sukhothai period, evidence can be found in the second stone inscription or the inscription at Wat Si Chum, which recounts events from around the 18th Buddhist century regarding the ascension of Phra Khun Bang Klang Hao, stating: "...Phra Khun Phra Muang then crowned Phra Khun Bang Klang Hao as the ruler of Sukhothai, giving him the name Phra Sukhothai..." In the inscription at Wat Pa Ma Muang, both Thai and Khmer languages mention the royal regalia used in the coronation of King Maha Dharmaraja I (Lithai), which included a crown, a sword, and a royal umbrella.

During the Ayutthaya period, evidence regarding the Royal Coronation Ceremony can be found in the accounts of the old capital, which describe the steps of the ceremony: "...King of Ayutthaya ordered the use of mulberry wood to make a throne for the coronation ceremony, such as the Royal Coronation Ceremony. The king would sit on the mulberry throne and perform the coronation ceremony before ascending to the Phattharabhit throne. The ministers would present the five royal regalia: a grand crown, a sword, a royal fan, a water bowl, and a pair of royal sandals..."

Later, during the Thonburi period, there is no evidence of the Royal Coronation Ceremony being conducted. It is presumed that it followed the model of the reign of King Borommakot of Ayutthaya but was done in a simplified manner due to the instability of the country, which was still in a state of war.


When it came to the Rattanakosin period, in 1825, King Rama I established the Chakri dynasty and graciously ordered the coronation ceremony to be conducted in a simplified manner, not yet fully prepared. In 1826, he appointed knowledgeable officials from the old capital, with Chao Phraya Phetphichai as the chairman, to consult with the Supreme Patriarch and senior monks to investigate the texts regarding the coronation during the reign of King Uthumphon or Khun Luang Wat Pradu.

They then compiled and arranged these texts into a manual called "The Coronation Manual from the Ayutthaya Period for the Royal Palace," which is the oldest known text regarding coronation in Thailand. Once a complete coronation plan was established and the new royal palace was completed in 1828, he graciously ordered the Royal Coronation Ceremony to be conducted according to the ancient model once again. This coronation model has since been adhered to as a standard for the full recognition of a monarch. Some kings have undergone the Royal Coronation Ceremony twice, such as King Chulalongkorn and King Vajiravudh.

King Chulalongkorn graciously ordered the first Royal Coronation Ceremony to be held on November 12, 1868, when he ascended the throne at the age of just 15. During the first five years of his reign, Chao Phraya Borommaha Suriyawong (Chuang Bunnak) served as the regent until he reached the age of 20, at which point he ordained. After leaving the monkhood, he graciously ordered the second Royal Coronation Ceremony to be held on November 16, 1873, after which he assumed royal responsibilities and had full authority in governing the kingdom.

As for King Vajiravudh, he graciously ordered the Royal Coronation Ceremony to be conducted twice: the first coronation ceremony took place on November 11, 1910, during a period of mourning for the late King Chulalongkorn, so he ordered the cancellation of the royal procession around the city and festivities. Later, after the cremation of King Chulalongkorn, he graciously ordered the grand coronation ceremony to be held on December 2, 1911, to celebrate for the nation and to allow various allied nations to participate in the event.

 
 
 
 

 

 

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