Vibhavadi Rangsit
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Princess Vibhavadi Rangsit (Template:Langx; Template:RTGS; 20 November 1920 – 16 February 1977), née Princess Vibhavadi Rajani (Template:Langx; Template:RTGS) was a Thai writer and a member of the Thai royal family well known for her fiction writing and her developmental work in rural Thailand.
Princess Vibavadi was killed by the communist insurgent whilst helping the Border Patrol Police in Wiang Sa District, Surat Thani. In her honour, Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, which runs from the border between Phaya Thai and Din Daeng districts in Bangkok to Lam Luk Ka District in Pathum Thani Province was named after her.
Early life
Her royal highness Princess Vibhavadi Rangsit was born on 20 November 1920. her birth name is Her serene highness Princess Vibhavadi Rajini. She was the eldest daughter of Prince Rajani Chamcharas, Prince Bidyalongkorn and Princess Barabimalabanna Voravan (née Princess Phimonphan Voravan). She had a sibling, Prince Bhisadej Rajani.
The princess was educated at the Mater Dei School, Bangkok. After completing her secondary education, she worked as a secretary for her father, who at the time was one of the most respected poets of the Rattanakosin era and wrote under the pseudonym No. Mo. So. (NMS; Script error: No such module "Lang".). Princess Vibhavadi inherited her father's gift for writing and displayed her ability as early as age of fourteen, when she began writing children's novels. She was well known by her pen-name V. na Pramuanmarg (Script error: No such module "Lang". Wo Na Pramuanmak). Her famous first novel, Prisana (Script error: No such module "Lang". Pritsana), was written when she was eighteen and was followed by two sequels and many other novels, some of them historical.
Marriage
HRH Princess Vibhavadi Rangsit married HSH Prince Piyarangsit Rangsit (Script error: No such module "Lang".), eldest son of Rangsit Prayurasakdi, Prince of Chainat and Elisabeth Scharnberger, on 6 May 1946. They were the only couple married by King Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII). She had two daughters:
- Mom Rajawongse Vibhananda Rangsit (Script error: No such module "Lang". Wiphanan Rangsit)
- Mom Rajawongse Priyanandana Rangsit (Script error: No such module "Lang". Priyananthana Rangsit)
Work
In addition to a full writing career, the princess worked for her third cousin, King Bhumibol Adulyadej and his consort, Queen Sirikit of Thailand. In 1957, she began accompanying them when they toured the country and was appointed a lady-in-waiting to the queen when they went on their first state visit abroad in 1960. Princess Vibhavadi accompanied them on seven occasions, visiting twenty-five countries.[1]
The last ten years of her life were dedicated to rural development in southern Thailand under the direction and sponsorship of the king. Her involvement began when the monarch asked her to go to a remote area called Phrasaeng in Surat Thani Province. From that initial visit in 1967, she was committed to the development of neglected areas and the improvement of the villagers' living standards. Sponsored by the king, she led a medical team on many missions to distribute medical supplies, schooling equipment, blankets, and other necessities to villagers in remote and almost inaccessible parts of the South.[2]
Death
Princess Vibavadi often visited soldiers and Border Patrol Police stationed in areas where there was communist insurgency. On the morning of 16 February 1977, she set off on what should have been a routine visit to villages and to boost the morale of troops at Wiang Sa District, Surat Thani. While flying to her destination in an army helicopter, she heard a radio message saying two Border Patrol Policemen had been wounded by a landmine. She immediately ordered the flight diverted to pick up the wounded men and rush them to a hospital. As they flew at low altitude over Ban Nua Khlong, the helicopter was attacked from the ground by communist insurgents. A burst of heavy machine gun fire crippled the helicopter and seriously wounded the princess. She died one hour later.[3][4]
Prior to her royally sponsored cremation at Ratchabophit Temple, on 4 April 1977, "in recognition of her services to the country and the people", the king elevated her to the higher royal rank of Phra Chao Worawongse Ther Phra Ong Chao (Her Royal Highness) and awarded her the highest level of the most Illustrious Order of the House of Chakri.[5]
Legacy
February 16 is now known in Surat Thani as Vibhavadi Day, and civil and religious ceremonies are held in her honour.
Her husband, Prince Piya Rangsit, founded the Vibhavadi Rangsit Foundation to ensure the continuity of her charitable work in the southern provinces.
Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, which runs from the boarder between Phaya Thai and Din Daeng districts in Bangkok to Lam Luk Ka District in Pathum Thani Province was also named in her honour.
Honours
Paramilitary rank
- 14 March 1977 : Volunteer Defense Corps Colonel (posthumous promoted)
Decorations
Vibhavadi received the following royal decorations in the Honours System of Thailand :
- 1977 - File:Order of the Royal House of Chakri (Thailand) ribbon.svg Knight of the Most Illustrious Order of the Royal House of Chakri (posthumous awarded)[6]
- 1968 - File:Order of Chula Chom Klao - 2nd Class upper (Thailand) ribbon.svg Dame Grand Commander of the Order of Chula Chom Klao
- 1977 - File:Order of the White Elephant - 1st Class (Thailand) ribbon.svg Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the White Elephant
- 1953 - File:King Rama IX Royal Cypher Medal (Thailand) ribbon.svg King Rama IX Royal Cypher Medal, Third Class
- 1960 - File:King Rama IX Rajaruchi Medal (Thailand) ribbon.svg King Rama IX Rajaruchi Medal
Foreign Honours
- Template:Country data Belgium :
- File:BEL Order of Leopold II - Grand Cross BAR.png Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold II
- Template:Country data Netherlands :
- File:Order of Orange-Nassau ribbon - Knight Grand Cross.svg Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau
- Template:Country data Portugal :
- File:PRT Order of Prince Henry - Grand Officer BAR.svg Grand Officer of the Order of Prince Henry
- Template:Country data Japan :
- File:JPN Kyokujitsu-sho 2Class BAR.svg Gold and Silver Star of the Order of the Rising Sun
- Template:Country data Italian Republic :
- File:Grande ufficiale OMRI BAR.svg Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
- Template:Country data Kingdom of Greece :
- File:GRE Order of Honour Grand Commander BAR.svg Grand Commander of the Order of Honour
- Template:Country data Spain :
- File:ESP Isabella Catholic Order COM.svg Commander of the Order of Isabella the Catholic
- Template:Country data UK :
- File:UK Royal Victorian Order honorary member ribbon.svg Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO)
- Template:Country data Denmark :
- File:Order of the Dannebrog K1.svg Commander 1st Class of the Order of the Dannebrog
- Template:Country data West Germany :
- File:GER Bundesverdienstkreuz 5 GrVK Stern.svg Knight Commander of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
- Template:Country data Sweden :
- File:Royal Order of the Polar Star (1748-1975) - Commander.svg Knight 1st Class of the Order of the Polar Star
- Template:Country data Luxembourg :
Ancestors
References
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- ↑ ราชกิจจานุเบกษา, แจ้งความสำนักนายกรัฐมนตรี เรื่อง พระราชทานเครื่องขัตติยราชอิสริยาภรณ์มหาจักรีบรมราชวงศ์, เล่ม ๙๔, ตอน ๓๐ ง, ๕ เมษายน พ.ศ. ๒๕๒๐, หน้า ๑๕๓๗
- Pages with script errors
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- 1920 births
- 1977 deaths
- Thai female Phra Ong Chao
- Rangsit family
- Rajani family
- Murdered royalty
- Assassinated Thai people
- Deaths by firearm in Thailand
- Ladies-in-waiting
- Dames Grand Commander of the Order of Chula Chom Klao
- Knights Commander of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
- Thai women novelists
- 20th-century Thai women writers
- 20th-century Thai novelists
- 20th-century Chakri dynasty
- Vorawan family
- Thai female Mom Chao
- Thai princesses consort