King Rama VII and Queen Rambhai Barni—Chonburi, Thailand. - Statues of Historic Figures on Waymarking.com

These statues depict the Thai King Rama VII (1893-1941) and his wife Queen Rambhai Barni (1904–1984). They are located in the grounds of an important Buddhist temple in south east Thailand, one under Royal patronage, Wat Yansangwararam, found ~15kms south of the resort city of Pattaya. The statues are prominently displayed near the main entrance.

Of note is that this King was the only Thai King to abdicate. He did so as a consequence of the successful 'democratic' revolt in Siam (as Thailand was then known) in 1932. The ongoing difficulties inherent in this revolt led the King to give up the throne in 1935. He spent the remainder of his life in England, where he had studied as a youth.

Rama VII came unexpectedly to high office. He was the son (1 of 77) of the prominent King Chulalongkorn (King Rama V), but with the death of his older brother King Rama VI in 1925 he was selected as his successor. Generally regarded as talented and capable, nevertheless his style of government generated a great deal of resentment amongst the elite. The Great Depression added an extra circumstance of difficulty. These combined factors led to a military/aristocrat coup, which proclaimed a democratic government (but with a very limited franchise).


Queen Rambhai Barni was born into the Siamese royal family. She received a standard education in the royal court, being tutored, as was the custom, by the then Queen of Siam. At the age of 14 she married her cousin, the future King Rama VII. The couple found themselves thrust into power a decade later. Following the abdication of 1935 she remained in English with her husband. In 1949 she returned to Siam, bringing his ashes with her. For the remainder of her life she was active in public affairs in co-operation with King Rama IX, the current King of Thailand.


The statues are on a dais, with an arch behind, approached via a path from the Wat main road. The King stands, with his wife sitting next to him. They are both in formal, western, evening dress, looking as if they are ready for a night on the town. The sign leading to the statues states that they were emplaced in the Buddhist year 2542, which translates to 2000 of the Common Era. They seem, to me at least, more animated than is normally seen in Thai public statues. I would assume that they are made from bronze.

Statues of this King are not common in Thailand, nor, for that matter is this depiction. Normally Thai regal statues involve military or traditional Thai dress. I can only assume that the King of Thailand wished his predecessors and relatives to be displayed in a more casual manner.

URL of the statue: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
You must have visited the site in person, not online.

Recent Visits/Logs:

There are no logs for this waymark yet.