Prince Bhanurangsi Savangwongse, The Prince Bhanubandhu Vongsevoradej or His Royal Highness Prince Bhanurangsi Savangwongse, Prince Uncle (11 January 1859 – 13 June 1928) was a son of King Mongkut of Siam and Queen Debsirindra. Although the Prince held a number of posts in the government of his elder brother, King Chulalongkorn, including the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Siamese Army, he is best remembered as the founder of the Thai postal service and the first Field marshal in Royal Siamese Army during King Vajiravudh. His most famous son is the Formula One racer, Prince Birabongse Bhanudej Bhanubandh, better known as Prince Bira.

Early life and education

His Royal Highness Prince Bhanurangsi Savangwongse born on 11 January 1860 at the Grand Palace, Bangkok. He has 3 brothers and sisters, including King Chulalongkorn, Princess Chandrmondol and Prince Chaturonrasmi. After 2 years, his mother died. Later, his father died when he was 10 years old. He was the scatterer of rice in the procession of the royal funeral of King Mongkut. When he was 12 years old King Chulalongkorn appointed him as Prince Brother, with a royal ceremony at the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall. When he was 13 years old he was ordained as a novice at Wat Phra Kaew with Supreme Patriarch Pavares Variyalongkorn as a preceptor then went out to Wat Bowonniwet Vihara. He began his studies in the school of female teachers and began to study by himself. After that, he studied the books of Khmer and Pali at the Bureau of Phraya Priyatthi Dhammada when he is ordained. After that, he studied military education at the Bureau of the King's Guard since 1872 and learning the Thai language from Phraya Srisoonthorn Waham (Noi Ajarayangkul) including studying civil service traditions and royal traditions from Prince Mahamala, the Prince Bamrapporapak.

Careers

He carried out military service in a special officer rank, with a first lieutenant's uniform in Bureau of the King's Guard When King Chulalongkorn travelled to Singapore (2nd time) and Burma, parts of England throughout India including the rising districts of Siam along the western coast of Malaya. He held positions including Minister of the Council and Privy Council of King Chulalongkorn, Chancellor of the Ministry of Defense, The Privy Council of King Rama VI and the President and Privy Councilor in King Rama VII, Inspector General, Commander of the Navy Department and Director-General of the Post and Telegraph Department.

Death

Prince Bhanurangsi Savangwongse died on 13 June 1928 aged 68 at Buraphaphirom Palace.

Issue

He had 16 children, 9 sons and 7 daughters:

Honours

National honours

Foreign honours

Ancestry