| King Rama I, King Phra Buddha Yodfa Chulalok (1782-1809), was the first king of the Chakri Dynasty, and the instigator for the construction of the Grand Palace. He patterned the new city after the former capital Ayutthaya. Once enough of the palace was built for him to live in, he moved into the palace where he reigned over the country as an absolute monarch. The palace then became the administrative capital of Thailand, as well as the residence of the King and the Emerald Buddha. Until the 1920's, much of the royal family lived within the palace, which may be part of the reason for the dress code that still exists today. The royal family did not always live within the walls of the palace complex. Some of the Kings chose to construct their residences elsewhere. Nevertheless, the King was always connected to the grand palace. As each ruler ascended to the throne, changes were made on the palace to mark the ruler and the times. King Rama III is one of the rulers who renovated the palace. He proposed numerous inscriptions and mural paintings as a way to preserve the traditional culture of Thailand. |
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In 1932, a coup 'd etat ended the absolute monarchy and a constitutional monarchy began in Thailand. Since 1946, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Rama IX, has been the ruling monarch. Under the new constitutional monarchy, the prime minister makes most of the governmental decisions; however, the King does reserve the power of approving and appointing officials. The King is also active in foreign relations as well as religious ceremonies. Even though the King is not the primary decision maker for the country, he is still revered as the ceremonial head of state. Furthermore, the king is considered by many to be the embodiment of Thai religion, culture, and history. Like the kings before him, he has continued the tradition of restoring and preserving the spirit of the Grand Palace. |