Dhani Nivat

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Dhani Nivat
ธานีนิวัต
Prince Bidyalabh Bridhyakon
Phraya Manopakorn Nititada
PredecessorThammasakmontri
SuccessorThammasakmontri
Born(1885-11-07)7 November 1885
Bangkok, Siam
Died8 September 1974(1974-09-08) (aged 88)
Bangkok, Thailand
SpousePrayoon Sonakul na Ayutthaya (née Sukhum)
Issue
3 children
  • Nivatvas Na Pombejra
    Phanditya Sonakul
    Supphicha Na Pombejra
HouseChakri dynasty
FatherBidyalabh Pruethidhada
MotherAm Sonakul Na Ayutthaya
Signature

Dhani Nivat, the Prince Bidyalabh Bridhyakon (Thai: พระวรวงศ์เธอ พระองค์เจ้าธานีนิวัต กรมหมื่นพิทยลาภพฤฒิยากร; 7 November 1885 – 8 September 1974) was a member of the Chakri dynasty and Thai courtier. Previously known as Prince Dhaninivat Sonakul (หม่อมเจ้าธานีนิวัต โสณกุล), he received princely rank in 1922. Prince Dhani served many Thai monarchs as Minister of Education and as President of the Privy Council; in the latter capacity he acted as regent for King Bhumibol Adulyadej on three separate occasions. The prince was also known for his academic writings on Thai history and culture. He served as president of the Siam Society for over 20 years.

Biography

Early life

Prince Dhaninivat Sonakul was born on 7 November 1885, the eldest son of Prince Sonabandhit, the Prince Bidyalabh Pruethidhada and Am Sonakul Na Ayutthaya (née Kuntholchinda). Prince Sonabandhit was the 62nd son of King Mongkut and Consort Vad. His father was the first Siamese military attaché in London. As Prince Dhaninivat was born right after the end of his father's posting abroad his name meant "Returning to the City" (of Bangkok).[1]

The prince was raised in the Inner Court of the

Wat Bowonniwet.[2]

His father insisted he continued his studies abroad. After leaving the monkhood he went to England and under King Chulalongkorn's sponsorship studied at Rugby School. He then went on to study Oriental Languages at Merton College, Oxford (namely Pali and Sanskrit) and graduated with second-class honours.[1]

Government service

The prince returned to Siam and began working at the

Circle of Ayutthaya. During the reign of King Vajiravudh he was appointed Private Secretary to Queen Saovabha Phongsri, the mother of the king. After the queen mother's death in 1919, he became the king's secretary of foreign correspondence, as well as clerk of the Cabinet Council and Secretary of the Privy Council.[1] In 1922 he was elevated to the higher princely rank of Phra Ong Chao; thus becoming Phra Worawongse Ther Phra Ong Chao Dhani Nivat (พระวรวงศ์เธอ พระองค์เจ้าธานีนิวัต).[3]

In the reign of King

Khana Ratsadon (the People's party). Chaophraya Thammasakmontri took over the Ministry of Education once more under the constitutional government. Prince Dhani then retired from government service.[1]

Courtier

On 25 March 1950 he became a privy councillor to King Bhumibol Adulyadej.[6] When the king decided to return to Switzerland for further education, he appointed Prince Rangsit Prayurasakdi, the Prince of Chainat the Regent of Thailand, and asked Prince Dhani Nivat to become President of the Privy Council of Thailand in his stead, he was appointed on 4 June 1950.[7] On 8 May 1950, the king in commemoration of his own coronation ceremony, in which Prince Dhani played a major part, granted to the prince a further honour of "Krom" rank retitling him: Phra Worawongse Ther Krom Muen Bidyalabh Bridhyakon (พระวรวงศ์เธอ กรมหมื่นพิทยลาภพฤฒิยากร).[8] On 7 March 1951 Prince Rangsit died. The king again asked Prince Dhani Nivat to succeed him, this time as the regent. He was appointed on 12 March 1951.[9] After the king's permanent return to Thailand in 1952, the prince continued to serve as president of the Privy Council.[10]

The prince served as regent twice more, both in 1963. Firstly from 27 May to 6 June, when the king made a state visit to Japan and the Republic of China.[11] And from 9 to 14 July during his visit to the Philippines.[12]

Prince Dhani Nivat died on 8 September 1974 at the age of 88. He was married to Prayoon Sonakul na Ayutthaya (née Sukhum), daughter of Phraya Yommarat (

Pun Sukhum
). They have three children.

Selected works

  • "The Old Siamese Conception of the Monarchy" (PDF).
    ISSN 0304-226X
    .
  • "The Shadow-Play as a Possible Origin of the Masked-Play" (PDF).
    ISSN 0304-226X
    .
  • "King Mongkut's Autograph Letter To Pius IX" (PDF).
    ISSN 0304-226X
    .
  • "Traditional Dresses in the Classic Dance of Siam" (PDF).
    ISSN 0304-226X
    .
  • "The Date and Authorship of the Romance of Phra Lô" (PDF).
    ISSN 0304-226X
    .
  • "The Reconstruction of Rāma I of the Chakri Dynasty" (PDF).
    ISSN 0304-226X
    .

Co-author

Honours

Standard of the Regent of Thailand.

Foreign

See also

References

Citations
  1. ^
    ISSN 0304-226X
    .
  2. Royal Gazette (in Thai). 26 (ง): 919–924. 1 April 1909. Archived from the original
    (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
  3. Royal Gazette (in Thai). 39 (ก): 317–320. 9 May 1950. Archived from the original
    (PDF) on 20 November 2011. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
  4. Royal Gazette (in Thai). 43 (ก): 269–270. 4 April 1926. Archived from the original
    (PDF) on 17 May 2022. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
  5. Royal Gazette (in Thai). 43 (ก): 722–723. 20 March 1926. Archived from the original
    (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
  6. Royal Gazette (in Thai). 67 (18 ก): 400. 28 March 1950. Archived from the original
    (PDF) on 24 August 2017. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
  7. Royal Gazette (in Thai). 67 (32 ก): 646–647. 6 June 1950. Archived from the original
    (PDF) on 24 August 2017. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
  8. Royal Gazette (in Thai). 39 (ก): 317–320. 9 May 1950. Archived from the original
    (PDF) on 20 November 2011. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
  9. Royal Gazette (in Thai). 68: 204. 20 March 1951. Archived from the original
    (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
  10. Royal Gazette (in Thai). 69 (27 ก): 640–641. 29 April 1952. Archived from the original
    (PDF) on 24 August 2017. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
  11. Royal Gazette (in Thai). 80 (52): 25. 24 May 1963. Archived from the original
    (PDF) on 14 August 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
  12. Royal Gazette (in Thai). 80 (5): 8. 8 July 1963. Archived from the original
    (PDF) on 14 August 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
  13. ^ "Senarai Penuh Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat Persekutuan Tahun 1964" (PDF).
Bibliography
  • "Dhani Nivas Bidyalabh Bridhyakorn, H.R.H. Prince" in Gerald W. Fry, Gayla S. Nieminen, Harold E. Smith, Historical Dictionary of Thailand, 3a ed. (Scarecrow Press, 2013) p. 136 Selected pages at Google Books
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