Rear Palace (วังหลังwang lang) was a royal residence that belonged to the deputy Uparaja of Siam, who held the title Krom Phraratchawang Bowon Sathan Phimuk (Thai: กรมพระราชวังบวรสถานพิมุข).[1]
Around the time of Luang Sorasak's appointment, King Phetracha also appointed a Third King, Krom Phraratchawang Bowon Sathan Phimuk or Rear Palace. NaiChopkhotchaprasit, a commoner, was appointed to the position. He, however, fell out of favour at some time during the king's reign and was executed. Around 1703, King Sanpet VIII appointed Prince Petch, his first-born son, as the Front Palace and younger son Prince Porn as Rear Palace. Because of the inauspicious end of the first Rear Palace, the King decided to change the title of the Front and Rear Palaces to Phra Banthun Yai (พระบัณฑูรใหญ่) and Phra Banthun Noi (พระบัณฑูรน้อย) respectively. The literal translation is "Big" and "Little Royal Command," thus analogous to the naval ranks of Commander and Lieutenant Commander. The titles were later merged.
Prince Anurak Devesh, a nephew of King Rama I, was the only Rear Palace appointed during the Rattanakosin period, in 1785. After his death in 1806, the office went vacant. Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok is now on the site of the former Rear Palace.
