Thai royal and noble titles are the royal and noble styles signifying relationship to the King introduced by King Trailokanat, who reigned 1448 to 1488. The system is rooted in the Thai language equivalent of feudalism, Sakdina (ศักดินา: literally, power over fields). It is somewhat similar to that of peerage, but is complicated and usually not well understood even by most Thais. A particular title of honor may not be confined to just the beginning or the end of the name, but may be split across the name as will be demonstrated. Those who possessed titles ceased to be designated by personal names and were never spoken of except by the awarded or other similar titles. Another point about the titles is that the King has the power to bestow any title on anybody, regardless of the rule. However, such promotion is personal and the children of the person will not normally benefit from it (see, for example, Phra Worawong Ther Phra Ong Chao).
Read more about Thai Royal And Noble Titles: The King (Sovereign), Sovereign's Consorts, Descendants of A Sovereign, Royal Princes and Princesses, The 'titled Commoners', Krom, Feudal Lifetime Titles, Feudal Lifetime Titles For Male Commoners (all Obsolete), Lifetime Conferred Titles For Female Commoners (still in Use), Khun (courtesy Title)
Famous quotes containing the words royal, noble and/or titles:
“Farewell the neighing steed and the shrill trump,
The spirit-stirring drum, th’ ear-piercing fife,
The royal banner and all quality,
Pride, pomp, and circumstance of glorious war!”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“Listen, my friend, there are two races of beings. The masses teeming and happy—common clay, if you like—eating, breeding, working, counting their pennies; people who just live; ordinary people; people you can’t imagine dead. And then there are the others—the noble ones, the heroes. The ones you can quite well imagine lying shot, pale and tragic; one minute triumphant with a guard of honor, and the next being marched away between two gendarmes.”
—Jean Anouilh (1910–1987)
“We have to be despised by somebody whom we regard as above us, or we are not happy; we have to have somebody to worship and envy, or we cannot be content. In America we manifest this in all the ancient and customary ways. In public we scoff at titles and hereditary privilege, but privately we hanker after them, and when we get a chance we buy them for cash and a daughter.”
—Mark Twain [Samuel Langhorne Clemens] (1835–1910)