Wan Waithayakon
Wan Waithayakon วรรณไวทยากร | |
---|---|
Prince Naradhip Bongsprabandh | |
President of the United Nations General Assembly | |
Reign | 1956 – 1957 |
Predecessor | |
Successor | Leslie Munro |
Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
Reign | 28 March 1952 – 20 October 1958 |
Predecessor | |
Successor | Thanat Khoman |
Prime Minister | Plaek Phibunsongkhram Pote Sarasin Thanom Kittikachorn |
Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand | |
Reign | 1 January 1958 - 20 October 1958 |
Predecessor | Prayoon Yuthasastrkosol |
Successor | Praphas Charusathien |
Prime Minister | Thanom Kittikachorn |
Reign | 9 February 1959 - 8 December 1963 |
Predecessor | Sukich Nimmanheminda |
Successor | Praphas Charusathien |
Prime Minister | Sarit Thanarat |
Reign | 9 December 1963 - 9 December 1969 |
Predecessor | Thanom Kittikachorn |
Successor | Praphas Charusathien |
Prime Minister | Thanom Kittikachorn |
Rector of Thammasat University | |
Reign | 19 December 1963 - 31 March 1971 |
Predecessor | Thanom Kittikachorn |
Successor | Sanya Dharmasakti |
Prime Minister | Thanom Kittikachorn |
Born | Bangkok, Siam | 25 August 1891
Died | 5 September 1976 Bangkok, Thailand | (aged 85)
Spouse | Princess Bibulaya Benchang Kitiyakara |
Issue | 1 son and 1 daughter |
House | Vorawan family (Chakri Dynasty) |
Father | Prince Voravanakara, Prince of Naradhip Prapanpongse |
Mother | Tuansri Voravan Na Ayudhya |
Wan Waithayakon (full title: His Royal Highness Prince Vanna Vaidhayakara, the Prince Naradhip Bongsprabandh), known in the West as Wan Waithayakon (1891–1976), was a Thai royal prince and diplomat. He was President of the Eleventh Session of the United Nations General Assembly (1956–1957), while serving as Thailand's Permanent Representative to the United Nations.[1] He was a grandson of King Mongkut (Rama IV).[2]
Early life and education[]
Prince Wan was born on 25 August 1891 in Bangkok. He began his education at Suan Kularb School and Rajvidyalai (King's College) before continuing his education in England where he earned a degree with honours in history from Oxford's Balliol College.[1] Wan also attended the Ecole Libre des Sciences Politiques (better known as Sciences Po) in Paris.[3]
Career[]
Prince Wan began his career as a foreign service officer in 1917. He was appointed advisor to his cousin, King Vajiravudh, in 1922. In 1924, he was promoted to the rank of under-secretary for foreign affairs, and was responsible for negotiating several important amendments to political and commercial treaties with Western powers.
He was sent to Europe again in 1926 as minister accredited to the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Belgium. During that period, he also served as head of the Thai delegation to the League of Nations, where he was active in a number of important commissions as member, vice-president, and president. Prince Wan returned to Thailand in 1930, to accept a professorial chair at the Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University.
For the next 30 years, Prince Wan continued to serve his country in a number of important diplomatic missions, some of the notable milestones being negotiations with Japan in 1943 during World War II, representing Thailand at the Greater East Asia Conference, participation in the SEATO Council and the Bandung Conference, where he was elected rapporteur, and negotiations leading to Thailand's admission to the United Nations.
In 1947, Prince Wan was appointed ambassador to the United States and served concurrently as ambassador to the United Nations. In 1956, he was the president of the Eleventh Session of the United Nations' General Assembly.[3] He also served as Thailand's foreign minister from 1952 to 1957 and again in 1958.[4]
Language[]
Prince Wan's expertise in languages ranged from English and Pali to Sanskrit. He coined Thai words from English which are in use today. They include prachathipatai (democracy), ratthathammanoon (constitution), thanakarn (bank), and songkram (war). His proficiency in languages led to his being made president of the Royal Society of Thailand, the national arbiter of the Thai language.[1] Prince Wan won many academic honours and is regarded as one of the founding fathers of philological textual criticism in Thailand.[3]
Death[]
Prince Wan died on 5 September 1976, aged 85.[1]
Honours[]
Foreign honours[]
- Malaysia : Honorary Grand Commander of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (1964)[5]:1
- Nazi Germany: Grand Cross of the Order of the German Eagle
- Peru: Grand Cross of the Order of the Sun of Peru
- Japan: Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun
- Philippines: Grand Cross of the Order of Sikatuna
- Norway: Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav
- Netherlands: Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau
- Austria: Grand Star of the Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria
- India: Padma Bhushan
Academic rank[]
- Professor of Chulalongkorn University[6]
References[]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wan Waithayakon. |
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d Kamjan, Chananthorn (3 September 2016). "The Prince of diplomacy". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
- ^ "A Rotarian in the News". The Rotarian. February 1957. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "Prince Wan Waithayakon (Thailand) Elected President of the 11th Session of the General Assembly". United Nations (UN). Retrieved 3 September 2016.
- ^ List of foreign ministers of Thailand Archived 2007-10-12 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Senarai Penuh Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat Persekutuan Tahun 1964" (PDF).
- ^ http://cwweb2.tu.ac.th/emc/ShelfTU/@tubookshelf3/pdf/5_wanwitayakorn.pdf
- Thai male Phra Ong Chao
- Chakri dynasty
- Vorawan family
- Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Thailand
- Deputy Prime Ministers of Thailand
- Presidents of the United Nations General Assembly
- Permanent Representatives of Thailand to the United Nations
- Permanent Representatives of Thailand to the League of Nations
- Ambassadors of Thailand to the United States
- Academics of Chulalongkorn University
- Fellows of the Royal Society of Thailand
- Knights Grand Cross of the Order of Chula Chom Klao
- Recipients of the Dushdi Mala Medal, Pin of Arts and Science
- Sciences Po alumni
- 1891 births
- 1976 deaths
- Thai diplomats
- Thai male Mom Chao