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The Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant ( th, เครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์อันเป็นที่เชิดชูยิ่งช้างเผือก; ) is an
order
Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to:
* Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood
* Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of ...
of
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...
. It was established in 1861 by King
Rama IV of the
Kingdom of Siam. Along with the
Order of the Crown of Thailand, it is regularly awarded to any government official for services rendered to Thailand for five years, making it Thailand's most-commonly awarded order.
Classes
The order consists of eight classes:
Gallery
Old designs
File:Woodcraving of the Order of the White Elephant,1st Class (Maha Varabhorn), Wat Ratchabophit.jpg, A woodcarving of "Maha Varabhorn", the Knight Grand Cross (First Class) of the Order of the White Elephant, version that used from 1869 to 1909, at gates of Phra Vihara of Wat Ratchabophit Sathit Maha Simaram, Bangkok.
File:Mother-of-pearl inlay of the Order of the White Elephant,1st Class (Maha Varabhorn), Wat Ratchabophit.jpg, Knight Grand Cross (1st Class) of Order of the White Elephant, design before 1909 (mother of pearl gates of Phra Uposatha of Wat Ratchabophit Sathit Maha Simaram, Bangkok.)
File:TH Knight's badge of the Order of the White Elephant.jpg, Badge of the Companion (4th Class) of Order of the White Elephant, design before 1909
Current designs
File:Order of the White Elephant - Special Class (Knight Grand Cordon) - badge.jpg, Badge of the Knight Grand Cordon (Special Class) of Order of the White Elephant
File:Knight Grand Cross (First Class) of the Order of the White Elephant.jpg, Knight Grand Cross (1st Class) of Order of the White Elephant
File:Order of the White Elephant - 1st Class (Knight Grand Cross) - badge (1).jpg, Badge of the Knight Grand Cross (1st Class) of Order of the White Elephant
File:Order of the White Elephant - 1st Class (Knight Grand Cross) - star.jpg, Star of the Knight Grand Cross (1st Class) and the Kinght Commander (2nd Class) of Order of the White Elephant
File:Knight Commander of the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant.jpg, Knight Commander (2nd Class) of Order of the White Elephant
File:Order of the White Elephant - 3rd Class (Commander) - badge.jpg, Badge of the Knight Commander (2nd Class) and the Cammander (3rd Class) of Order of the White Elephant
File:Order of the White Elephant - 5th Class (Member) - male.jpg, Badge of the Member (5th Class) of Order of the White Elephant
File:Order of the White Elephant - 5th Class (Member) - female.jpg, Badge of the Member (5th Class) of Order of the White Elephant, female version
File:Order of the White Elephant - 6th Class (Gold Medal) - female.jpg, Gold Medal (6th Class) of Order of the White Elephant, female version
File:Order of the White Elephant - 7th Class (Silver Medal) - male.jpg, Silver Medal (7th Class) of Order of the White Elephant
Selected recipients
* Emperor
Napoleon III
Napoleon III (Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte; 20 April 18089 January 1873) was the first President of France (as Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte) from 1848 to 1852 and the last monarch of France as Emperor of the French from 1852 to 1870. A neph ...
- Knight Grand Cross (1851, Custom Design)
*
Be Biauw Tjoan, Majoor-titulair der Chinezen – Knight (1895)
*
Plaek Phibunsongkhram
Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram ( th, แปลก พิบูลสงคราม ; alternatively transcribed as ''Pibulsongkram'' or ''Pibulsonggram''; 14 July 1897 – 11 June 1964), locally known as Marshal P. ( th, จอมพล ...
- Knight Grand Cordon
*
Sultan Ibrahim of Johor - Knight Grand Cordon
*
Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah of Kedah - Knight Grand Cordon
*
Chavalit Yongchaiyudh
Chavalit Yongchaiyudh ( th, ชวลิต ยงใจยุทธ, , ; born 15 May 1932), also known as "Big Jiew" (, , ), is a Thai politician and retired army officer. From 1986 to 1990 he was the List of Commanders of the Royal Thai Army, ...
- Knight Grand Cordon
*
Sarit Thanarat - Knight Grand Cordon
*
Thanom Kittikachorn - Knight Grand Cordon
*
Praphas Charusathien - Knight Grand Cordon
*
Phin Choonhavan - Knight Grand Cordon
*
Prem Tinsulanonda - Knight Grand Cordon
*
Chatichai Choonhavan
Chatichai Choonhavan ( th, ชาติชาย ชุณหะวัณ, , ; 5 April 1920 – 6 May 1998) was a Thai army officer, diplomat and politician. From 1986 to 1991, he was the chairman of the Thai Nation Party and served as the Prim ...
- Knight Grand Cordon
*
Prayut Chan-o-cha
Prayut Chan-o-cha (sometimes spelled Prayuth Chan-ocha; th, ประยุทธ์ จันทร์โอชา, ; born 21 March 1954) is a Thai politician and retired army officer who has served as the Prime Minister of Thailand since he ...
- Knight Grand Cordon
*
Surayud Chulanont
Surayud Chulanont ( th, สุรยุทธ์ จุลานนท์, , ; born 28 August 1943) is a Thai politician. He was the Prime Minister of Thailand and head of Thailand's interim government between 2006 and 2008. He is a former sup ...
- Knight Grand Cordon
*
Arthit Kamlang-ek - Knight Grand Cordon
*
Fuen Ronnaphagrad Ritthakhanee - Knight Grand Cordon
*
Phao Siyanon - Knight Grand Cordon
*
Chakthip Chaijinda
Chakthip Chaijinda (; born 19 October 1959) is a former Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police from 2015 to 2020.
Educations
Chakthip graduated from Vajiravudh College, and then he graduated from Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School ...
- Knight Grand Cordon
*
Somyot Poompanmoung - Knight Grand Cordon
*
Thanasak Patimaprakorn
Thanasak Patimaprakorn ( th, ธนะศักดิ์ ปฏิมาประกร; born 9 November 1953) is a Thai military officer who formerly served as its deputy prime minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs. He was appointed by prim ...
- Knight Grand Cordon
*
Pongsapat Pongcharoen - Knight Grand Cordon
*
Apirat Kongsompong
Apirat Kongsompong ( th, อภิรัชต์ คงสมพงษ์; ; born 23 March 1960) was the Commander in Chief of the Royal Thai Army from 1 October 2018 to 30 September 2020. He currently serves as the Vice-Chamberlain of the Roy ...
- Knight Grand Cross
*
Pornpipat Benyasri - Knight Grand Cordon
*
Chatchai Sriworakan
Chatchai Sriworakan ( th, ชาติชาย ศรีวรขาน, born 13 August 1961) is a Thai naval officer. From 1 October 2020 to 30 September 2021, he served as commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Navy. Somprasong Nilsamai was ap ...
- Knight Grand Cordon
*
Chalermpol Srisawat - Knight Grand Cross
*
Udomdej Sitabutr
Udomdej Sitabutr ( th, อุดมเดช สีตบุตร, born 15 August 1955) is a Thai military officer. He served as Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army from 2014 to 2015.
Education
Udomdej studied at Saint Gabriel's College ...
- Knight Grand Cordon
*
Luechai Rutdit
Luechai Rutdit ( th, ลือชัย รุดดิษฐ์; born 26 May 1960) is a former Thai naval officer. He served as commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Navy from 1 October 2018 to 30 September 2020. Chatchai Sriworakan
Chatchai S ...
- Knight Grand Cordon
*
Naris Pratumsuwan - Knight Grand Cordon
*
Airbull Suttiwan
Airbull Suttiwan ( th, แอร์บูล สุทธิวรรณ, born 6 March 1961) is a Thai air force officer. From 1 October 2020 to 30 September 2021, he served as commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Air Force
"Royal Thai Air F ...
- Knight Grand Cross
*
Manat Wongwat
Manat Wongwat ( th, มานัต วงษ์วาทย์, born 15 July 1960) is a former Thai air force officer. He served as commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Air Force
"Royal Thai Air Force March"
, mascot ...
- Knight Grand Cross
* Prince
Paribatra Sukhumbandhu - Knight Grand Cordon
* Prince
Bhanurangsi Savangwongse
Bhanurangsi Savangwongse, the Prince Bhanubandhu Vongsevoradej (11 January 1859 – 13 June 1928) ( th, สมเด็จพระราชปิตุลาบรมพงศาภิมุข เจ้าฟ้าภาณุรังษ ...
- Knight Grand Cordon
* Prince
Narisara Nuwattiwong
Prince Chitcharoen, the Prince Narisara Nuwattiwong ( th, นริศรานุวัดติวงศ์ ; 28 April 1863 – 10 March 1947), Prince Naris for short, né Chitcharoen (), was a member of the royal family of Siam (now Thailand), ...
- Knight Grand Cordon
* Prince
Damrong Rajanubhab - Knight Grand Cordon
* Prince
Chula Chakrabongse - Knight Grand Cordon
* Prince
Chakrabongse Bhuvanath
Field Marshal Chakrabongse Bhuvanath, the Prince of Bishnulok ( th, จักรพงษ์ภูวนาถ; ; 3 March 1883 – 13 June 1920), was the 40th child of King Chulalongkorn and the fourth child of Queen Sri Bajarindra.
Biography ...
- Knight Grand Cordon
* Prince
Suphayok Kasem - Knight Grand Cordon (Special Class)
*
Na Arreenich - Knight Grand Cordon
*
Alexander I of Yugoslavia
Alexander I ( sr-Cyrl, Александар I Карађорђевић, Aleksandar I Karađorđević, ) ( – 9 October 1934), also known as Alexander the Unifier, was the prince regent of the Kingdom of Serbia from 1914 and later the King of Yu ...
- Knight Grand Cordon
*
Bob Hawke
Robert James Lee Hawke (9 December 1929 – 16 May 2019) was an Australian politician and union organiser who served as the 23rd prime minister of Australia from 1983 to 1991, holding office as the leader of the Australian Labor Party (A ...
- Knight Grand Cordon
*
Albert du Roy de Blicquy
*
Norodom of Cambodia
Norodom ( km, នរោត្តម, ; born Ang Voddey ( km, អង្គវតី, ); 3 February 1834 – 24 April 1904) was King of Cambodia from 19 October 1860 to his death on 24 April 1904. He was the eldest son of King Ang Duong and w ...
- Knight Grand Cross
*
John T. Cole
John Tupper Cole (July 23, 1895 – April 24, 1975) was a highly decorated officer in the United States Army with the rank of Brigadier General. A graduate of the United States Military Academy and veteran of both World Wars, he is most noted f ...
- Knight Commander
*
Pakubuwono X - Knight Grand Cross (1929)
*
Try Sutrisno - Knight Grand Cross
*
Widodo Adi Sutjipto - Knight Grand Cross
*
Feisal Tanjung - Knight Grand Cross
*
Maraden Panggabean
General (Ret.) Maraden Saur Halomoan Panggabean (June 29, 1922 – May 28, 2000) or more commonly known as Maraden Panggabean was a prominent Indonesian general during the early years of General Suharto's New Order regime.
Early life
Panggabea ...
- Knight Grand Cross
*
Abdul Haris Nasution
General of the Army Abdul Haris Nasution ( Old Spelling: Abdoel Haris Nasution; 3 December 1918 – 6 September 2000), was a high-ranking Indonesian general and politician. He served in the military during the Indonesian National Revolution a ...
- Knight Grand Cross (1960)
*
R.E. Martadinata - Knight Grand Cross
*
Hamengkubuwono IX
Hamengkubuwono IX or HB IX (12 April 1912 – 2 October 1988) was an Indonesian statesman and royal who was the second vice president of Indonesia, the ninth sultan of Yogyakarta, and the first governor of the Special Region of Yogyakarta. Hamen ...
- Knight Grand Cross
*
Endriartono Sutarto
Endriartono Sutarto (born April 29, 1947) is a retired army general. He was the commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces between 2002 and 2006.
Before assuming the highest helm at the military, Endriartono has served some key positions ...
- Knight Grand Cross
*
L. B. Moerdani
General (Ret.) Leonardus Benjamin Moerdani (also publicly known as LB Moerdani or Benny Moerdani and in foreign media as Murdani; 2 October 1932 – 29 August 2004) was the ABRI Commander from 1983 to 1988 and also served as Indonesia's Mi ...
- Knight Grand Cross
*
Sumitro Djojohadikusumo - Knight Grand Cross
*
Mohamed Bolkiah
Mohamed Bolkiah ibni Omar Ali Saifuddien III (born 27 August 1947) is a member of the royal family of Brunei. He is the second son of Omar Ali Saifuddien III, the 28th Sultan of Brunei, and Raja Isteri (Queen) Pengiran Anak Damit. He is the ...
- Knight Grand Cross
*
Jefri Bolkiah
Jefri Bolkiah ibni Omar Ali Saifuddien III (born 6 November 1954), is a member of the Brunei Royal Family. His elder brother is the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah. Prince Jefri was the finance minister of his oil-rich country from 1986 ...
- Knight Grand Cordon
*
Mahathir Mohamad
Mahathir bin Mohamad ( ms, محاضير بن محمد, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset; ; born 10 July 1925) is a Malaysian politician, author, and physician who served as the 4th and 7th Prime Minister of Malaysia. He held the office ...
- Knight Grand Cordon (1981)
*
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Tun Abdullah bin Ahmad Badawi ( Jawi: عبد الله بن احمد بدوي; born 26 November 1939) is a Malaysian politician who served as the 5th Prime Minister of Malaysia from October 2003 to April 2009. He was also the sixth president of ...
- Knight Grand Cross (1994)
*
Miklós Horthy - Knight Grand Cross
*
The Earl Mountbatten of Burma
Earl Mountbatten of Burma is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 28 October 1947 for Rear Admiral Louis Mountbatten, 1st Viscount Mountbatten of Burma. The letters patent creating the title specified the following ...
- Knight Grand Cross
*
Foster C. LaHue
*
Ramon Magsaysay, 1955.
* Sir
Samuel Robinson Samuel Robinson may refer to:
*Samuel Robinson (1666–1729), member of Parliament for Cricklade, England
*Samuel Robinson (politician) (1738–1813), Vermont political and military leader
*Samuel Robinson (industrialist) (1794–1884), English indu ...
, 1923.
[ "Capt. Samuel Robinson, Who Won Fame For Rescue Work in Jap Quake, Dies,"](_blank)
''New York Times.'' September 7, 1958.
*
Graves B. Erskine - Knight Grand Cross
*
Arne Skaug.
*
Pierra Vejjabul
*
Joseph J. Cappucci - Knight Commander (Second Class)
*David John Collins Awarded by King Rama V in 1897 (Fourth Class)
*
Frederick William Verney - Commander
*
Queen Victoria
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previ ...
*General
William Westmoreland - Knight Grand Cross
*Vice Admiral
Józef Unrug
*Major General
Richard Secord
*
Jiri Sitler - Knight Grand Cross (2006)
* Lieutenant Commander
Saman Kunan
In June and July 2018, a junior association football team and their assistant coach were rescued from the Tham Luang Nang Non cave in Chiang Rai Province in northern Thailand. Twelve members of the team, aged 11 to 16, and their 25-year-old as ...
- Knight Grand Cross (2018)
* Kirill Mikhailovich Barsky - Knight Grand Cross (2019)
See also
*
References
External links
The Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant Secretariat to the
Cabinet of Thailand
{{DEFAULTSORT:Order Of The White Elephant
White Elephant, Order Of The
White Elephant, Order Of The
White Elephant, Order Of The
1861 establishments in Siam