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60-736: Ranong is on the Kra Isthmus , a narrow strip of land, only 44 kilometres (27 mi) wide, that connects Thailand with the Malay Peninsula , on the west of the Phuket mountain range . It has a long coast on the Andaman Sea . The province, together with Trat province , is known for being one of the wettest places in Thailand, the rainy season lasting for about eight months. Ranong is the least populated province. The total forest area

120-925: A commission in the Royal Horse Artillery in the British Army based in Aldershot . In 1910 Chulalongkorn died and was succeeded by Prajadhipok's older brother (also a son of Queen Saovabha), Crown Prince Vajiravudh , who became King Rama VI. Prince Prajadhipok was by then commissioned in both the British Army and the Royal Siamese Army. With the outbreak of the First World War and the declaration of Siamese neutrality, King Vajiravudh ordered his younger brother to resign his British commission and return to Siam immediately,

180-598: A constitutional government to the kingdom. Their efforts culminated in an almost bloodless "revolution" on the morning of 24 June 1932 by the self-proclaimed Khana Ratsadon ( People's Party ; คณะราษฎร). While Prajadhipok was away at Klai Kangwon Palace in Hua Hin , the plotters took control of the Ananda Samakhom Throne Hall in Bangkok and arrested key officials (mainly princes and relatives of

240-743: A continuation of the Tenasserim Hills , extending further northwards for over 400 km (250 mi) beyond the Three Pagodas Pass . The Kra Isthmus is in the Tenasserim-South Thailand semi-evergreen rain forests ecoregion . Dipterocarps are the dominant trees in the ecoregion. On 8 December 1941 local time, the Imperial Japanese army landed in Songkhla , invading Thailand . Because of

300-651: A great embarrassment to the prince, who wanted to serve with his men on the Western front. Once home, Prajadhipok became a high-ranking military official in Siam. In 1917 he was ordained temporarily as a monk, as was customary for most Buddhist Siamese men. In August 1918 Prince Prajadhipok married his childhood friend and cousin Rambai Barni , a descendant of King Mongkut (Prajadhipok's grandfather) and his Royal Consort Piam . They were married at Sukhothai Palace which

360-495: A measure of decentralisation of power in municipalities had become, in Prajadhipok's mind, fundamental to future policy-making. However, Yasukichi Yatabe, Japanese minister to Siam, criticized the king's way and that it would not be accomplished in a hundred years' time. In September 1931 Britain abandoned the gold standard and devalued sterling by 30 percent. This created a crisis for Siam since most of its foreign exchange

420-574: A more pleasant name, he called it "Glen Pammant", an anagram of an old Thai phrase tam pleng nam . They remained there for two years. They moved again to Vane Court, the oldest house in the village of Biddenden in Kent. He led a peaceful life there, gardening in the morning and writing his autobiography in the afternoon. In 1938 the royal couple moved to Compton House, in the village of Wentworth in Virginia Water , Surrey. Due to bombing by

480-466: A status that it still holds today. Being located on the Kra Isthmus , the narrowest part (44 kilometres) of the Malay Peninsula , a proposal of a canal through the area has been long suggested, particularly by the French. If successful, traveling from Europe to China would be faster through this route instead of circumnavigating the Malay Peninsula . This was seen as a threat to the financial growth of

540-463: A total area of approximately 417,500 rai (668 km) it was declared a national park on 3 June 1999. Ko Chang (Ranong) (เกาะช้าง) island in tambon Ko Phayam. With an area of 18 square kilometres and 80 homes on the entire island. Cashew and para rubber plantations as well as coastal fisheries are the main industries. Laem Son National Park (อุทยานแห่งชาติแหลมสน) It covers a total area of 196,875 rai (31.5 hectares). It also includes islands in

600-434: A wish to restore a Chulalongkorn-type government. Unlike his predecessor, the king read virtually all state papers that came his way, from ministerial submissions to petitions by citizens. The king was painstaking and conscientious; he would elicit comments and suggestions from a range of experts and study them, noting the good points in each submission, but when various options were available he would seldom be able to select

660-490: Is 1,726 km (666 sq mi) or 53.5 percent of provincial area, and 67 percent is mountainous. In former years the major industry was tin mining, but most mines are now exhausted. White clay mining (for the production of porcelain) and fishing are now the main industries, along with rubber and cashew nuts . The Ngao Mangrove Forest Research Centre, also known as the Ranong Biosphere Reserve, in

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720-538: Is listen to the opinions of others and choose the best...If I have made a mistake, I believe I really deserve to be excused by the people of Siam". No previous monarch had ever spoken so honestly. The speech was widely reported and many interpreted his words not as a frank appeal for understanding and cooperation, but as a sign of weakness and proof that the system of rule of fallible autocrats should be abolished. A small group of soldiers and civil servants began secretly plotting to overthrow absolute monarchy and bring

780-543: Is now a landmark in Ranong. King Prajadhipok (Rama VII) visited in 1928, and King Bhumibol (Rama IX) and Queen Sirikit visited in 1959. Most of Thailand receives from 1,200 to 1,600 mm of precipitation per year. Two provinces, Ranong and Trat , receive more than 4,500 mm a year making them the wettest places in the country. The provincial seal shows a castle on top of a hill, as an aide memoire that King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) once visited Ranong and stayed at

840-444: Is the orchid Dendrobium formosum . The endemic terrestrial crab Phricotelphusa sirindhorn is the provincial aquatic life. Ranong is divided into five districts ( amphoe ). These are further divided into 30 subdistricts ( tambon ) and 167 villages ( muban ). As of 26 November 2019 there are: one Ranong Provincial Administration Organisation ( ongkan borihan suan changwat ) and 12 municipal ( thesaban ) areas in

900-645: The International Date Line , this actually occurred hours before the 7 December ( Hawaii time ) attack on Pearl Harbor , making it the first major action of the Pacific War . Japanese forces then moved south towards Perlis and Penang as part of the Malayan campaign , which culminated in the capture of Singapore . The Thai Canal is a long-standing proposal to join the Gulf of Thailand with

960-586: The Memorial Bridge to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Chakri dynasty. These proposals met strong opposition from Prince Damrong and other royal members of the Supreme Council and despite his own misgivings that to not proceed would result in a coup against his government, the king ultimately did not make the planned announcement. On 20 January 1932, with the country deep in depression,

1020-470: The "father of Thai democracy", who already intended to usher in democracy before the Khana Ratsadon prematurely carried out their revolution. Prajadhipok's abdication statement is often cited in support of this view. Later historians have challenged it as a myth, citing evidence that Prajadhipok's political maneuvers leading up to his abdication had more to do with preserving the power and status of

1080-778: The Andaman Sea. Various routes were proposed to shortcut voyages from India to China, and avoiding the Strait of Malacca . The northernmost route was championed by Edward O'Riley (1821-1856), a government official in Burma, and Henry Wise , in England, when it was the subject of a report to the British Parliament in 1859 by Consul Robert Schomburk from Bangkok. A later crossing is related by Loftus. Prajadhipok Prajadhipok (8 November 1893 – 30 May 1941)

1140-492: The Andaman Sea; namely, Ko Khangkhao and Mu Ko Kam. Places of interest within the national park include: 9°58′01″N 98°38′08″E  /  9.96694°N 98.63556°E  / 9.96694; 98.63556 Kra Isthmus The Kra Isthmus ( Thai : คอคอดกระ , pronounced [kʰɔ̄ː kʰɔ̂ːt kràʔ] ; Malay : Segenting Kra ) in Thailand is the narrowest part of the Malay Peninsula . The western part of

1200-651: The German Luftwaffe in 1940, the couple again moved, first to a small house in Devon , and then to Lake Vyrnwy Hotel in Powys , Wales, where the former king had a heart attack. The couple returned to Compton House, as he expressed his preference to die there. King Prajadhipok died from heart failure on 30 May 1941. His cremation was held at the Golders Green Crematorium in north London. It

1260-539: The King and the royalists seemed to be able to compromise with Khana Ratsadon. The constitutional bill which was drafted by Pridi Banomyong and intended to be a permanent one was made temporary. The new constitution restored some of the monarch's lost power and status. Among them were introduction of unelected half of the House of Representatives and royal veto power. The country's first prime minister Phraya Manopakorn Nititada

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1320-575: The Minister of Foreign Affairs to prepare a constitution. The task of drafting this document was given to the American Raymond B. Stevens and Phaya Sri Wisarn Waja. In March the following year they submitted an "Outline of Changes in the Form of Government" together with their comments. Prajadhipok originally planned to announce the new constitution to the nation of 6 April at the opening of

1380-542: The Privy Council, which had over 200 members at that time, as a quasi-legislative body. This large of an assembly proved too cumbersome, and in 1927 Prajadhipok created the Committee of the Privy Council consisting of 40 members selected from the royal family or nobility. The committee was received positively by the press and was envisaged as a forerunner of a parliament or National Assembly. In practice however

1440-708: The Ranong Port, which is Thailand's principal Indian Ocean port. In 2008, the Ranong human-smuggling incident resulted in 54 deaths. Since 2003, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Thailand has tracked progress on human development at sub-national level using the Human achievement index (HAI), a composite index covering all the eight key areas of human development. National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) has taken over this task since 2017. Namtok Ngao National Park (อุทยานแห่งชาติน้ำตกหงาว) Covering

1500-608: The Ratana Rangsan Castle on top of the Niveskiri Hill. The number five refers to King Rama V; the castle is Ratana Rangsan Palace; the mountain is Niveshkiri; the royal tray refers to the people of Ranong. The provincial slogan is, "Kra Isthmus, mountain grass, cashew nut, mineral water stream, and real pearl of Ranong." The provincial tree is the Banaba ( Lagerstroemia speciosa ), and the provincial flower

1560-427: The best one and abandon others. He would often rely upon the Supreme Council to prod him in a particular direction. From the beginning of his reign King Prajadhipok was acutely aware that political change was necessary if the monarchy was to be preserved. He viewed his newly established Supreme Council as an institutional check upon the powers of an absolute monarch. During 1926, Prajadhipok experimented with using

1620-446: The canal have continued to be suggested and discussed, even in the present day, though Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said in 2018 that it was not a government priority. Ranong has also been historically significant as a residence for royal tours of the southern provinces, with many kings of Thailand visiting Ranong in the past. The first was King Chulalongkorn, who stayed at Rattana Ransan palace for three nights in 1890. The palace

1680-462: The committee remained relatively unimportant and sadly did not develop into a more powerful or representative body. In 1926 Prajadhipok wrote a lengthy memorandum to his American adviser Francis B. Sayre titled "Problems of Siam" in which he set forth nine questions he felt were the most serious facing the nation. The third question asked whether Siam should have a parliamentary system, which Prajadhipok doubted. The fourth question asked whether Siam

1740-479: The coup plotters in a royal audience. As they entered the room, Prajadhipok greeted them, saying "I rise in honour of the Khana Ratsadorn." It was a significant gesture because, according to previous royal rituals, monarchs were to remain seated while their subjects made obeisance, this showed that Prajadhipok was acknowledging the changed circumstances. In the early stages of the constitutional monarchy,

1800-439: The entire cabinet of ministry heads had been replaced with newly appointed Princes or nobles, with only three former members being re-appointed. While the family appointments brought back men of talent and experience, they also signalled a return to royal oligarchy. The king clearly wished to demonstrate a clear break with the discredited sixth reign, and his choice of men to fill the top positions appeared to be guided largely by

1860-569: The government and restored its power. He played an active role in an anti-revolutionary network, which also aimed to assassinate Khana Ratsadon's leaders. In October 1933, the maverick Prince Boworadej , a former minister of defence, led an armed revolt against the government. In the Boworadet Rebellion , he mobilised several provincial garrisons and marched on Bangkok, occupying the Don Muang aerodrome. Prince Boworadej accused

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1920-445: The government did not comply, on 14 October Prajadhipok announced his intention to abdicate unless his requests were met. The People's Party rejected the ultimatum, and on 2 March 1935, Prajadhipok abdicated, to be replaced by Ananda Mahidol . Prajadhipok issued a brief statement criticising the regime that included the following phrases, since often quoted by critics of Thailand's slow political development. I am willing to surrender

1980-413: The government of being disrespectful to the monarch and of promoting communism, and demanded that government leaders resign. However, the rebellion ultimately failed. The king did not directly support the rebellion, but there was a cheque from the treasury to Boworadej. The insurrection diminished the king's prestige. When the revolt began, Prajadhipok immediately informed the government that he regretted

2040-406: The harbors of Singapore and Penang , which at the time were owned by Britain, who therefore forced the suspension of the project. At the end of World War II , Thailand signed a British-imposed treaty called "The Termination of The State of War Between Siam and Allies", which forbade Thailand from digging such a canal without British permission. This treaty was revoked in 1954. Since then, plans for

2100-628: The isthmus belongs to Ranong Province and the eastern part to Chumphon Province , both in Southern Thailand . The isthmus is bordered to the west by the Andaman Sea and to the east by the Gulf of Thailand . The Kra Isthmus marks the boundary between two sections of the mountain chain which runs from Tibet through the Malay peninsula. The southern part is the Phuket Range , which is

2160-466: The king convened a "round table" meeting to discuss the many competing arguments and to agree on how to tackle the crisis. From this meeting it was agreed to make large cuts in government spending and implement a retrenchment programme. Two weeks later on 5 February the king addressed a group of military officers and spoke at length about the economic situation. In this speech he remarked "I myself know nothing at all about managing finances, and all I can do

2220-529: The king's wish, and another House member criticized the king for being unbearable. Prajadhipok, whose relations with the Khana Ratsadon had been deteriorating for some time, went on a tour of Europe before visiting England for medical treatment. He continued to correspond with the government regarding the conditions under which he would continue to serve. He tried to retain some of the royal powers, such as power to veto law with no possible override. Other disagreements were on royal assets and royal benefits. After

2280-462: The king). The People's Party demanded Prajadhipok become a constitutional monarch and grant Thai people a constitution. In the event of a negative response, they reserved the right to declare Siam a republic. The king immediately accepted the People's Party's request and the first "permanent" constitution of Siam was promulgated on 10 December. Prajadhipok returned to Bangkok on 26 June and received

2340-490: The north of Kapoe District , covering 189,431 rai (303.09 km), was declared in 1997. It is the fourth biosphere reserve of Thailand, and the only one on the seacoast protecting mangrove forests. There are four national parks, along with seven other national parks, make up region 4 (Surat Thani) of Thailand's protected areas. Ranong province once was a deputy town of Chumphon in the Ayutthaya era (1350–1767). It

2400-416: The powers I formerly exercised to the people as a whole, but I am not willing to turn them over to any individual or any group to use in an autocratic manner without heeding the voice of the people. The former king had good grounds for complaint. Reaction to the abdication was muted. Stowe wrote that the absolutism of the monarchy had been replaced by that of the People's Party, with the military looming in

2460-434: The province. Ranong and Bang Rin have town ( thesaban mueang ) status. Further 10 subdistrict municipalities ( thesaban tambon ). The non-municipal areas are administered by 18 Subdistrict Administrative Organisations - SAO ( ongkan borihan suan tambon ). Phet Kasem Road (Thailand Route 4) runs through the city. Ranong Airport is about 24 kilometres (15 mi) south of town. The Port Authority of Thailand operates

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2520-473: The royal family, although to emphasise the break with the previous reign the selected five had all fallen out of favour with the previous monarch. The council thus comprised three of the king's uncles, Prince Bhanurangsi, Prince Naris and Prince Damrong Rajanubhab and two of his half-brothers, Prince Kitiyakon (Prince Chantaburi) and Prince Boriphat. Many of the Princes of the Supreme Council felt that it

2580-432: The separation between personal and royal assets as he did not want to pay tax, and protested an amendment to diminish the king's consideration of death sentence over the courts. After many losses to Khana Ratsadon, the king seemed to change his stance and expressed support for democracy and blamed Khana Ratsadon for being anti-democratic. However, Phibul later discussed in the House that unelected parliamentary members were

2640-647: The start of the Rattanakosin era (1781–present), a wealthy Chinese merchant, Kho Su Jiang bought a majority share of the tin business in Ranong and was appointed tax collector of the region, with the title Luang Rattana Setti ( Thai : หลวงรัตนเศรษฐี ), by King Nangklao (Rama III). In 1854, the Luang Ranong died. King Mongkut (Rama IV) then promoted Kho Su Jiang to the position, promoting him to Phra Rattana Setti ( Thai : พระรัตนเศรษฐี ). By then, Ranong's wealth had increased greatly and through taxation

2700-461: The strife and civil disturbances. The royal couple then took refuge at Songkhla , in the far south. The king's withdrawal from the scene was interpreted by the Khana Ratsadorn as a failure to do his duty. By not throwing his full support behind government forces, he had undermined their trust in him. In 1934 the Assembly voted to amend civil and military penal codes. The king vetoed the changes to

2760-500: The throne, as his brothers all died within a relatively short period. In 1925, King Vajiravudh himself died at the age of 44. Prajadhipok became absolute monarch at only thirty-two. He was crowned King of Siam on 25 February 1926. Relatively unprepared for his new responsibilities, Prajadhipok was nevertheless intelligent, diplomatic in his dealings with others, modest, and eager to learn. However, he had inherited serious political and economic problems from his predecessor. The budget

2820-595: The wings as the ultimate arbiter of power. Prajadhipok spent the rest of his life with Queen Rambhai Barni in England. At the time of abdication, the couple lived at Knowle House, in Surrey , just outside London. However, this house was not suitable considering his health, so they moved to a smaller house in Virginia Water (still in Surrey), but with more space. The house was named "Hangmoor", but wishing to give it

2880-492: Was a conservative and royalist nobleman. The compromise broke down quickly. He did not contest when his interpretation of Pridi's economic plan, which also aim on land reform and seizure of royal land, was released with his signature. The king played a role in the coup d'état of April 1933 , where the House was ordered to close by the prime minister. He signed an order to execute Khana Ratsadon leaders. But Khana Ratsadon's military wing leader Phraya Phahon Phonphayuhasena ousted

2940-681: Was a significant source of income for the capital, thus in 1877 King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) elevated Ranong to provincial status, answering directly to Bangkok as opposed to Chumphon, with Phra Rattana Setti becoming its first governor. After the First Anglo-Burmese War , when the British assumed control of Tenasserim and the Kraburi River became the demarcation line between Siam and British-controlled Burma, Ranong became an important border city where goods were exchanged,

3000-415: Was a simple affair attended by just Queen Ramphai and a handful of close relatives. Queen Ramphaiphanni stayed at Compton House for a further eight years before she returned to Thailand in 1949, bringing the king's ashes back with her. Historian David K. Wyatt writes that Prajadhipok was "a hard-working, effective executor" who was "intellectually equal to the demands of his office", and whose main failing

3060-424: Was a small, mountainous town that protected Chumphon from Burma. The population was very low until the discovery of tin, when people from many cities and foreigners started to visit Ranong to do tin business there. This also gave rise to the name Ranong, which was a distorted form of rae nong (แร่นอง), meaning "full of minerals". The ruler of Ranong was known after the town as Luang Ranong ( Thai : หลวงระนอง ) At

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3120-737: Was a wedding gift to the couple from Queen Saovabha . After the war in Europe ended, he attended the École Superieure de Guerre in France, returning to Siam to the Siamese military. During this time, he was granted the additional title Krom Luang Sukhothai (Prince of Sukhothai ). Prajadhipok lived a generally quiet life with his wife at their residence, Sukhothai Palace , next to the Chao Phraya River . The couple had no children. Prajadhipok soon found himself rising rapidly in succession to

3180-606: Was heavily in deficit, and the royal financial accounts were in serious disorder. The entire world was in the throes of the Great Depression . In an institutional innovation intended to restore confidence in the monarchy and government, Prajadhipok, in what was virtually his first act as king, announced the creation of the Supreme Council of the State of Siam . This council was made up of five experienced members of

3240-491: Was held in sterling. The Minister of Finance kept Siam on the gold standard by linking the currency to the US dollar, but debate about this policy raged within the government into 1932. One impact of this policy was that Siam's rice exports became more expensive than competitor exporters, negatively impacting revenue. In mid-October 1931 the king returned from a trip to Canada and the US and ordered Prince Devawongse Varoprakar ,

3300-402: Was obtained regarding local self-government in surrounding countries, and proposals to allow certain municipalities to raise local taxes and manage their own budgets were drawn up. The fact that the public was not sufficiently educated to make the scheme work militated against the success of this administrative venture. Nevertheless, the idea of teaching the Siamese the concept of democracy through

3360-444: Was ready for representative government, to which Prajadhipok answered "my personal opinion is an emphatic NO". However, the king did see a possibility to introduce reform at the local level as the "next step in our educational move towards democracy". In 1926 he began moves to develop the concept of prachaphiban , or "municipality", which had emerged late in the fifth reign as a law regarding public health and sanitation. Information

3420-590: Was the seventh king of Siam from the Chakri dynasty , titled Rama VII . His reign was a turbulent time for Siam due to political and social changes during the 1932 Siamese revolution . He is to date the only Siamese monarch of the Chakri dynasty to abdicate. Somdet Chaofa Prajadhipok Sakdidej ( Thai : สมเด็จเจ้าฟ้าประชาธิปกศักดิเดชน์ ) was born on 8 November 1893 in Bangkok , Siam (now Thailand) to King Chulalongkorn and Queen Saovabha Phongsri . Prince Prajadhipok

3480-523: Was the youngest of nine children born to the couple. Overall he was the king's second-youngest child (of a total of 77), and the 33rd and youngest of Chulalongkorn's sons. Unlikely to succeed to the throne, Prince Prajadhipok chose to pursue a military career. Like many of the king's children, he was sent abroad to study, going to Eton College in 1906, then to the Woolwich Military Academy from which he graduated in 1913. He received

3540-476: Was their duty to make amends for the mistakes of the previous reign, but their acts were not generally appreciated, for the government failed to communicate to the public the purpose of the policies they pursued to rectify Vajiravudh's extreme financial extravagances. Gradually these princes arrogated power to themselves, monopolising all the main ministerial positions and appointing their sons and brothers to both administrative and military posts. By April 1926 almost

3600-460: Was to underestimate the Bangkok elite's growing nationalism, and that "[a]s late as his death in exile, many would have agreed with his judgement that a move towards democracy in 1932 was premature." The idea that the 1932 revolution was premature is echoed in a common royalist sentiment that proliferated as the Thai monarchy regained status over ensuing decades. In this view, Prajadhipok is credited as

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