KING PRAJADHIPOK (RAMA VII) 1925 -1935
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He born in Bangkok on November 8,1893.
King Prajadhipok succeeded to the throne on the death of his elder
brother, King Vajiravudh. He had not
expected to become King--indeed until nine months before the death
of King Vajiravudh the heir presumptive to the throne had been
Prince Asdang Dejavudh, Prince of Nakorn Rajasima,
and with his death in February 1925, Prince Prajadhipok
became heir presumptive. However, King Vajiravudh's
consort, Phra Nang Chao Suvadhana, was expecting a child,
and had she given birth to a son he would have succeeded his father
as Rama VII. The birth of a daughter took place two days before
King Vajiravudh's death, and so it was that Prince Prajadhipok
became king. His reign coincided with the worldwide economic
depression which followed the Wall Street Crash of 1929 and its
effects were not unfelt in Siam. On April 6, 1932 the country
celebrated the sesquicentenary of the Chakri
Dynasty--two months later a coup d'etat was staged with the
eventual transferral of power to a Legislative Assembly. Thus the
150-year absolute rule of the Chakri Kings came to an end and the Constitutional Monarchy of the present
day was born. On December 10, 1932 King Prajadhipok granted a
constitution to the Thai people and just over two years later, on
March 2, 1935, having gone to live in England in order to receive
medical treatment, he abdicated the throne. Kingi Prajadhipok died
in England on May 30,1941, during World War II, and his ashes were
brought back to Bangkok by his widow,
Queen Rambhai Barni, in 1949.
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