Suddha Dibyaratana, Princess of Rattanakosin (; ; 14 September 1877 – 2 January 1922), was the Princess of Siam (later

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 ...

). She was a member of the Siamese royal family. She was given the highest rank of any daughter of Chulalongkorn, King Rama V of Siam. Her mother was Queen Sukhumala Marasri, fourth Queen Consort and half-sister of King Chulalongkorn. She had a younger brother,

Paribatra Sukhumbandhu Marshal-Admiral Paribatra Sukhumbandhu, Prince of Nakhon Sawan (; Thai: สมเด็จพระเจ้าบรมวงศ์เธอ เจ้าฟ้าบริพัตรสุขุมพันธุ์ กรมพระนค ...

, the Prince of Nakhon Sawan. Her full given name was ''Suddha Dibyaratana Sukhumkhattiya Galyavadi'' (. She was, if not, one of the most beautiful princesses out of all the King's daughters. On 9 August 1906, she was given the royal title of ''The Princess of Rattanakosin'', translated in Thai as ''Krommaluang Si Rattanakosin'' (). She was the only daughter given the rank of ''Krommaluang'', the 3rd level of the ''Krom'' ranks.

Royal duties

She was one of the executive vice-presidents of the Red Unalom Society, the major

humanitarian Humanitarianism is an ideology centered on the value of human life, whereby humans practice benevolent treatment and provide assistance to other humans to reduce suffering and improve the conditions of humanity for moral, altruistic, and emotiona ...

organization (later

Thai Red Cross Society The Thai Red Cross Society (; ) is a major humanitarian organisation in Thailand, providing services as part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The society was founded in 1893 and is headquartered in Bangkok. It is governe ...

), founded by Queen Savang Vadhana as a maternal patron. Queen Saovabha Phongsri was appointed the first president, and ''Than Pu Ying'' Plien Phasakoravongs acted as the society secretary. Suddha Dibyaratana worked as the executive vice president with the other princesses; * Queen Sukhumala Marasri * Princess Yaovamalaya Narumala, the Princess of Sawankalok * Princess Chandra Saradavara, the Princess of Phichit * Princess Srivilailaksana, the Princess of Suphanburi * Princess Ubolratana Narinaka, the Princess Akaravorarajgalya * Princess Saisavalibhirom, the Princess Suddhasininat Piyamaharaj Padivaradda * ''Chao Chom Manda'' (Noble Consort) Kesorn of King Chulalongkorn When she turned 40 years old in 1917, Suddha Dibyaratana gave 200,000 bahts to the

, to build

Chulalongkorn Hospital King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital (KCMH, ; ) is a public general and tertiary referral hospital in Bangkok, Thailand. It is operated by the Thai Red Cross Society, and serves as the teaching hospital for the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn ...

, to honor her father. When the hospital was completed, she named the building ''Suddhathip 2463''. At present, the Chulalongkorn Hospital uses this building as the Nursing College.

Later life

After her father's death in 1910, she moved from her own residence in the

Grand Palace The Grand Palace (, Royal Institute of Thailand. (2011). ''How to read and how to write.'' (20th Edition). Bangkok: Royal Institute of Thailand. . ) is a complex of buildings at the heart of Bangkok, Thailand. The palace has been the officia ...

to live with her mother, Queen Sukhumala Marasri and her younger brother,

, the Prince of Nakhon Sawan. In later life, Princess Suddha Dibyaratana suffered from many ailments, including asthma. She died of pulmonary tuberculosis on 2 January 1922 at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital in Bangkok.

Royal decorations

* Dame of The Ancient and Auspicious

Order of the Nine Gems The Ancient and Auspicious Order of the Nine Gems (; ) was established in 1861 by King Mongkut (Rama IV) of the Thailand, Kingdom of Siam (now Thailand). The order is bestowed upon the members of the Chakri Dynasty, Thai royal family and disting ...

: received 9 August 1906 * Dame of The Most Illustrious

Order of the Royal House of Chakri The Most Illustrious Order of the Royal House of Chakri (; ) was founded in 1882 by King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) of the Kingdom of Siam (now Thailand) to commemorate the Bangkok Centennial. The order is awarded to members of the House of Chakri ...

: received 6 January 1887 * Dame Cross of the Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao (First class): received 26 November 1893 *

King Rama IV Mongkut (18 October 18041 October 1868) was the fourth king of Siam from the Chakri dynasty, titled Rama IV. He reigned from 1851 until his death in 1868. The reign of Mongkut was marked by significant modernization initiatives and diplomati ...

Royal Cypher Medal, Second Class *

King Rama V Chulalongkorn (20 September 1853 – 23 October 1910), posthumously honoured as King Chulalongkorn the Great, was the fifth king of Siam from the Chakri dynasty, titled Rama V. Chulalongkorn's reign from 1868 until his death in 1910 was cha ...

Royal Cypher Medal, First Class *

King Rama VI 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 national ...

Royal Cypher Medal, First Class

Ancestry

References

Royal Command giving title HRH Princess Suddha Dibyaratana, the Princess of Ratanakosin

Death of HRH Princess of Rattanakosin

{{DEFAULTSORT:Suddha Dibyaratana 1877 births 1922 deaths 19th-century Thai women 19th-century Chakri dynasty 20th-century Thai women 20th-century Chakri dynasty Thai female Chao Fa Dames Grand Cross of the Order of Chula Chom Klao 20th-century deaths from tuberculosis Children of Chulalongkorn Tuberculosis deaths in Thailand Daughters of kings