Prince Rapee Pattanasak—Phuket, Thailand.
Posted by: 
Ianatlarge
N 07° 53.430 E 098° 23.820
47N E 433531 N 872240
The father of the Thai legal system.
Waymark Code: WMAVHP
Location: Thailand
Date Posted: 02/27/2011
Published By: 3am
Views: 1
Prince Rapee Pattanasak is deemed the 'Father of the Thai Legal System'. The Prince (1874-1920), was a son of the well regarded King Chulalongkorn (Rama V). He began his career by studying law at Oxford. Upon his return to Thailand he was appointed Minister of Justice at the tender age of 22, in the year 1896. He held this position for 14 years. During this time the Prince codified the Thai legal system, established the first law school in the country, and generally instituted the understanding of the written legal system in Thailand.
The Prince passed away on the 7th August 1920. Every year in Thailand on this date Thailand observes Rapee Day, in remembrance of the Prince.
This statue of the Prince is located outside the main entrance to the Phuket town law court building (which is directly adjacent to the provincial law court). The Prince is depicted as a young man, holding a book, presumably a law text, and with his left arm outstretched. This statue appears identical to the statue of the prince outside the Korat provincial law court in northern Thailand (wm: WM9ZVF). One difference, the first I have seen in Thailand, the Prince is surrounded by four sets of scales, presumably the 'scales of justice'.
The law courts are on the western edge of Phuket city, and not too far from the provincial prison. Efficiency.
URL of the statue: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
You must have visited the site in person, not online.