Saovabha Phongsri
Saovabha Phongsri ( Thai: เสาวภา ผ่อง ศรี, RTGS: Saowapha Phongsi, pronunciation: [ ʰ a ː sǎwwáʔp p ʰ ɔ ː ŋsǐ ː ]; born January 1, 1864 in Bangkok, † October 20, 1919 ibid ). She was a half-sister of King Chulalongkorn ( Rama V, reg. 1868-1910 ) of Siam and since 1878 also his wife.
Life
Saovabha was the daughter of King Mongkut (Rama IV, reg. 1851-1868 ) and his wife Piyamavadi ( PIAM Sucharitakul ). She was the youngest sister of the later queens Sunandha Kumariratana and Savang Vadhana. In 1878 she was wife of her stepbrother Chulalongkorn, with whom she had nine children, four of which died in infancy. She gave birth to the later kings of Siam Vajiravudh (reigned 1910-1925 ) and Prajadhipok (reigned 1925-1935 ), the last absolute monarch of the empire. According to the tradition of the Thai royal family King Vajiravudh gave his mother the title of Queen Mother Sri Bajrindra ( Thai: ศรี พัช ริน ท รา, RTGS: Si Phatcharinthra ).
During the grand tour of Europe by King Chulalongkorn in 1897 Saovabha served as the first female regent in the history of Thailand. After his return, King Chulalongkorn gave his wife the title Somdet Phra Nang Chao Saovabha Bongsi Praborommarachininat ( Thai: สมเด็จ พระนางเจ้า เสาวภา ผ่อง ศรี พระบรม ราชินีนาถ ), which roughly corresponds to a regent. 1904 saw Saovabha for the establishment of the first school for girls of Siam, the Rajini School in Bangkok.
At the age of 57 years Queen Mother Saovabha died in 1919 in the Grand Palace of Bangkok.
Effect
The Institute of antisera of the Thai Red Cross, which is known for its venomous snake farm, bears the name in honor of Queen Saovabha Institute.