Abhayavongsa (; ) is a Thai noble surname used by a Thai family that formerly governed parts of Cambodia which was then ruled by Siam. Despite its long presence in Cambodia, it was never considered part of the Khmer nobility. The Abhayavongsa family governed Phra Tabong Province,

Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...

(modern

Battambang Province Battambang (, , ) is a province of Cambodia in the far northwest of the country. Bordering provinces are Banteay Meanchey to the north, Pursat to the east and south, Siem Reap to the northeast, and Pailin to the west. The northern and south ...

, Cambodia) for six generations from the late 18th century, when Siam annexed the Khmer territories, until 1907, when the area was ceded to

French Indochina French Indochina (previously spelled as French Indo-China), officially known as the Indochinese Union and after 1941 as the Indochinese Federation, was a group of French dependent territories in Southeast Asia from 1887 to 1954. It was initial ...

effectively reuniting it with Cambodia. The title bestowed by the Thai King to the governor of Phra Tabong which was used by each successive governor was

Aphaiphubet Aphaiphubet () is a Thai noble title granted to some governors of Battambang, who acted as rulers of Inner Cambodia during the period of Siamese rule from 1794 to 1907. Past titleholders all came from what is now the Abhayavongsa family. Holde ...

. In later years, the Abhayavongsa family played important roles in the anti-French struggle for Cambodian independence and one descendant became Prime Minister of Thailand. During World War II, Thailand regained control of the western Khmer provinces through Japanese mediation. Khuang Abhayavongsa was elected Prime Minister of Thailand, an office which he held three separate times between August 1944 and April 1948. Through family business ties, Khuang maintained close ties with the western Cambodian provinces during his time in office and fought, to no avail, to keep them under Thai rule in the wake of the Japanese loss and resurgence of the French in Indochina. His brother Chaowalit Aphaiwong worked until 1946 in a "Special Commission" in Battambang and was considered the "Nominal Head of the

Khmer Issarak The Khmer Issarak (, or 'Independent Khmer') was a "loosely structured" anti- French and anti-colonial independence movement. The movement has been labelled as “amorphous”. The Issarak was formed around 1945 and composed of se ...

movement" fighting French rule of Cambodia. The official head of the Khmer Issarak movement was Phiset Phanit (Pokhun), Khuang's brother-in-law. A French report of the era went so far as to claim " e Khmer Issarak movement is both a political and commercial affair of the Aphaiwong family". Thus, in the late 1940's, the Khmer nationalist Bun Chanmol married a princess of the House of Abhaiwongse.

Family members

Members of the Abhayavongsa family include: *

Chaophraya Aphaiphubet (Baen) Chaophraya Aphaiphubet (Baen) (, , ?–November 1809), also known as Chauvea Tolaha Ben () or Chaofa Talaha (Baen) () or Chau Hua Pen (), was the Regent of Cambodia during the minority of the Cambodian king Ang Eng under Siam's influences and ...

: first governor of Phra Tabong (r.1794-1810) and originator of the family surname. * Phraya Aphaiphubet (Baen): second governor of Phra Tabong (r.1810-1814) * : third governor of Phra Tabong (r.1814-1827) * Phraya Aphaiphubet (Ched): fourth governor of Phra Tabong (r.1827-1835) * Phraya Aphaiphubet (Som): sixth governor of Phra Tabong (r.1839-1840 or 1848?) * Phraya Aphaiphubet (Nong): seventh governor of Phra Tabong (r.1848-1860) * : eighth governor of Phra Tabong (r.1860-1892) * : ninth governor of Phra Tabong (r.1892-1907) * * Princess Suvadhana, princess consort of

King Vajiravudh Vajiravudh (1 January 188126 November 1925) was the sixth king of Siam from the Chakri dynasty, titled Rama VI. He reigned from 1910 until his death in 1925. King Vajiravudh is best known for his efforts to create and promote Siamese nationa ...

(Rama VI) of Siam. She was a cousin of King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia. * Khuang Abhayavongsa, three-time prime minister of Thailand in the 1940s. Born in Phra Tabong, his father was the last of the Siamese governors of Phra Tabong. *

Pita Limjaroenrat Pita Limjaroenrat (, ; born 5 September 1980), nicknamed Tim (, ), is a Thai businessman and former politician. A former member of the House of Representatives (Thailand), House of Representatives, he previously served as leader of the Move For ...

, former leader of the

Future Forward Party The Future Forward Party (FFP; , ; otherwise known as 'New Future Party') was a social democratic and progressive List of political parties in Thailand, Thai political party from March 2018 to February 2020. The party was founded on 14 March 20 ...

, descends from the noble family matrilineally but does not claim descent.

References

{{reflist Thai people of Khmer descent