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Galyani Vadhana

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File:HRH Galyani at Siriraj hospital 1stJanuary2008.jpg
A picture of HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana at Siriraj Hospital, Thailand.

Galyani Vadhana, Princess of Narathiwat (Thai: สมเด็จพระเจ้าพี่นางเธอ เจ้าฟ้ากัลยาณิวัฒนา กรมหลวงนราธิวาสราชนครินทร์) (6 May 1923 – 2 January 2008) was a Princess of Thailand and the elder sister of King Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII) and King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX). She was also a direct granddaughter of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V).

Biography

Early life

Princess Galyani Vadhana was born on 6 May 1923 in London, England, the only daughter of Prince Mahidol Adulyadej of Songkla, the sixty-ninth son of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) and seventh son by Queen Savang Vadhana, and Miss Sangwal Talabhat (later known as Princess Srinagarindra, The Princess Mother). She was firstly named "May" on her birth certificate and was later named Mom Chao Galyani Vadhana Mahidol by King Vajiravudh (Rama VI). The word "Vadhana" in her name came from the one of her paternal grandmother, Savang Vadhana. In 1927, she was subsequently promoted to the royal rank, a Princess of Thailand (Phra Vorawongse Ther Phra Ong Chao) by King Prajadhipok (Rama VII).

Marriage

In 1944, Princess Galyani Vadhana renounced her royal order of precedence in order to marry Colonel Aram Rattanakul Serireongrit (24 August 1920 - 3 February 1982), the son of General Luang Serireongrit (Charoon Ratanakul Serireongrit), a former Army commander-in-chief around the time of World War II. They are the parents of the only daughter, Thanpuying Dasna Valaya Ratanakul Serireungriddhi (later Sorasongkram) (born in 1945 in Switzerland). This marriage ended in divorce. In 1950, when the current King ascended to the throne, he reinstated her royal order of precedence.

In 1969, The Princess then married HH Prince Varananda Dhavaj (19 August 1922 - 15 September 1990), son of Prince Chudadhuj Dharadilok, Prince of Bejraburna and Mom Ravi Kayananda. They had no children.

Only female "Krom" of the King Rama IX

On the occasion of the sixth circle (72nd) birthday anniversary of Princess Galyani Vadhana on 6 May 1995, her brother, King Bhumibol gave her the noble title "Krom Luang Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra" (loosely translated "Princess of Narathiwat"), making her the only female member of the Chakri Royal Family in the reign of King Rama IX to have been bestowed this title[1]. In announcing the honored title, The King said the Princess was his only elder sister who had been with him through good and bad times, since they were young. She was the only one who had won his respect and the one who always supported him with the hope of making him happy. She had represented The King to carry out various royal works and had always taken good care of their mother, which was a great relief to him.

Royal projects

Under the princess' royal patronage, projects included the traditional Thai arts, education, sports, social welfare, etc. She was president and honorary president of various organisations and foundations, including the Cardiac Children’s Foundation, the Princess Mother’s Charity Fund, the Autistic Foundation of Thailand. She created her own foundation for funding the studies of gifted young musicians.

She was a patron of various classical music foundations. With her trips, she always gathered important and useful information which was shown in the Royal news, giving knowledge to people. She also wrote books, poetry, and spoke French. She traveled widely within Thailand and abroad to represent the royal family and her country on missions.

Health issues

The princess was admitted Siriraj Hospital in June 2007, suffering from abdominal pains. Doctors found she had cancer, and she remained in the hospital for treatment. In October 2007, doctors reported the princess had suffered an infarction on the left side of her brain as a result of occlusion of a cerebral artery.[2]

At the same time in October, her brother, King Bhumibol Adulyadej was treated at Siriraj after he experienced weakness on his right side; doctors later found out through scans that he had a blood shortage to his brain.[3] He was admitted on October 13 and discharged on November 7.[4] After leaving Siriraj, the monarch has visited his sister at the hospital on an almost daily basis.

On December 14, the Royal Household Bureau released its 25th statement about the princess' health, saying she was feeling increasingly tired and was becoming less responsive.[5]

Interests

Books and writing

Princess Galyani Vadhana liked reading and writing books since she was young. During studying in Prathom 1 ‘til Prathom 3, she had read Thai-language book as many as can be found. But that time children’s books were rare, so she often read newspaper. However she had remembered that she had ever read a children’s story, which then she found again in French-language during studying in Switzerland, its name is ‘Sans Famille’.

During secondary study, especially at Geneva, Switzerland, she had read many literatures. She found that reading can develop her French language skill. Then when she was a French language teacher at Thammasat University, she had read many books about linguistics. In addition, she also read and studied in the subject of art, culture, archaeology, and history for a long time. Before she visited foreign countries, for each time she would read books and documents about those countries thoroughly.

In writing subject, when she was nine, with her friends in Srapathum Palace, she tried on publishing the journal named ‘Ruaen Rom’, which her articles were wrote on. Her mother supported her in reading and writing English-language. On 10 September 1932, she distributed the tale story she wrote. In addition, she wrote 11 poetries about the royal family, 3 translated books, 10 tourism non-fiction books, and an academic article.

Photography

Princess Galyani Vadhana was interested in photography, which she had learned to take not only for recalling, but also for art and academic purposes.

When she visited important places either in-house or abroad, she always took photographs of those she found interesting. Those photographs were useful for her travel writings.

Music

Princess Galyani Vadhana learned about many fields of western art. She was interested in all types of music and drama, especially classical music from master composers. She listened to these music since she studied at Switzerland. She'd ever learned piano at home with her younger brothers, but she'd just learned for not long time because she had very little time to practise. While she did homework, she liked to listen to songs from a radio, made she knew classical music and like it for all the time.

In 2004, there is a problem that both government and private sector in Thailand isn't interested in classical music comfortably. So she found "Fund for Classical Music Promotion" which she ascended the president and the patron for supporting classical music and related activities, and funding to Thai musician for studying, contest, and consert both in domestic and international. She also supported Bangkok Symphony Orchestra and Chulalongkorn University Symphony Orchestra, and was the patron of the Bangkok Opera.

Education

Princess Galyani Vadhana was interested in education not only for university education. She realized that the primary education is very important for population quality development.

From her experience in teaching French language for a long time, she realized problem of uncontinuous French language subject for Mattayom and university education. In 1977 She found L'Association Thailandaise des Professeurs de Francais (The Association of Thai Professors Teaching French Language) to be the center for meeting in exchanging experience and improvement teaching French language in Mattayom and university classes. She took a position of the president of the association between 1977 and 1981, then she was the honorary president along her life. Her assistance to the association was in many ways, included assistance in publishing journals to distribute the modern knowledge, writing her own articles in journals, and supporting teachers to meeting in seminar, research abroad and study in higher education.

With her working, teaching and research of French language in Thailand had been developed continuously. She was conferred honorary degree of doctor in many branches, and also conferred honor from many foreign governments and international organizations, included UNESCO.

Foreign Affairs

Princess Galyani Vadhana had visited abroad many times on formal and private visits. In addition to strengthening friendly relations with those countries, her visits helped spread knowledge of Thai culture and customs. Before any such visit she would carry out careful research.

After most of these visits, she collected her record notes and the information about those countries to publish books or produce in digital media for distribution.

Duties

Medical Services and Public Health

The Cardiac Children Foundation of Thailand

This foundation was begun on 1981, then was patronized by Princess Galyani Vadhana since 15 June 1984. With her personal property and advices, in addition to fund of her mother, the activities of the foundation was developed continuously. It can help many cardiac sick children, especially from poor families, to cure and treat by cardiac professional doctors, with mechanical heart valve replacement, heart pacemaker, balloon catheter, and surgery without prosthesis. Furthermore, this foundation disseminates the knowledge about cardiac diseases to doctors, nurses, and people. It also funded to pediatrician to study about cardiac diseases in children either in-house or abroad.

The Breast Foundation

The foundation was found in December 1994, with fund from Charity Funds of the Princess Mother. Princess Galyani Vadhana chaired the president, while her mother was the patron and the honorary president. Its objective is to promote the knowledge and understanding about the breast cancer screening. The Breast Center was established in Siriraj Hospital to provide the complete breast diseases examination and diagnosis. With the modern instruments in the center, which is the first in Thailand, the breast radiography can be operated to perform the biopsy for analysis accurately, correctly, and have a very little pain, also timesaving and less expense.

Foundations and Associations

As the honorary president

  • The Mother Princess Medical Volunteer Foundation
  • The Prosthesis Foundation of H.R.H. The Princess Mother
  • L'Association Thailandais des Professeurs de Francais
  • The Siam Society Under Royal Patronage

As the president

As the patron

  • The Foundation for Slum Child Care (FSCC)
  • The Cardiac Children Foundation of Thailand (CCFT)
  • The Green World Foundation (GWF)
  • Bangkok Biomaterial Center
  • Joe Louis Puppet Theatre
  • Bangkok Opera Foundation (from 2001-2006)

Honors

Awards

Honorary Degrees

Death

On January 2, 2008, the Royal Household Bureau made an announcement that after the Princess' condition worsened on the night of Tuesday, January 1, 2008, she died at 2:54AM on Wednesday, January 2, 2008, at Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand, aged 84.[6][7][8][9] There was to be a mourning period of 100 days, starting from the day of her death. The Prime Minister announced that all government officials and agencies would wear black for 15 days while the cabinet would wear black for the full 100 days[10].

Titles

References

  1. ^ "The only female "Krom" of the King Rama IX Reign". The Nation. Retrieved 2008-01-03.
  2. ^ "Doctors monitor Princess". The Nation (Thailand). Retrieved 2007-12-19.
  3. ^ "Thailand's king taken to hospital". BBC News. Retrieved 2007-11-24.
  4. ^ "Homeward-bound King Bhumibol, in pink, snaps pics of happy, weeping subjects". MCOT English News, Thai News Agency. Retrieved 2007-11-24.
  5. ^ "Princess less responsive". Bangkok Post (via Citebite). Retrieved 2007-12-19.
  6. ^ "HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana passes away". The Nation. Retrieved 2008-01-02.
  7. ^ "พระเจ้าพี่นางฯสิ้นพระชนม์ เมื่อเวลา02.54น.วันที่2ม.ค." Thai Rath. Retrieved 2008-01-02.
  8. ^ "Thais mourn revered king's sister". BBC News. Retrieved 2008-01-02.
  9. ^ "Sister of Thai king dies at 84 after long illness". CNN News. Retrieved 2008-01-02.
  10. ^ "King, Queen preside over bathing rites for Princess Galyani". MCOT English News. Retrieved 2008-01-02.
  11. ^ Jeffrey Finestone, The Royal Family of Thailand: The Descendants of King Chulalongkorn, Phitsanulok Publishing Co.,Ltd., Bangkok, 1989.

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