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The Supreme Patriarch of Thailand or Sangharaja () is the head of the order of Buddhist monks in Thailand. His full title is Somdet Phra Saṅgharāja Sakalamahāsaṅghapariṇāyaka ().
Ancient history
As early as the Sukhothai period (thirteenth to sixteenth centuries CE), there were city-dwelling and forest-dwelling orders, and there was more than one Supreme Patriarch appointed. In modern times, however, only one position is responsible for all fraternities and orders. From 1992 to 2016, the Supreme Patriarch was chosen from the most senior member of the Supreme Sangha Council and officially endorsed by the King. However, in 2015, it seemed the junta was not pushing for new Sangha legislation after all, after the proposals led to many organized protests and heated debate.
The former Supreme Patriarch was Somdet Phra Nyanasamvara Suvaddhana, who had served in this position since 1989. After suffering from increasingly serious health problems, died on 24 October 2013, aged a hundred years. In 2003, because of questions about the Supreme Patriarch's ability to fulfill his duties, the government of Thailand had appointed a special committee to act in his stead. In early 2004, Somdet Kiaw Upaseṇo was appointed acting Supreme Patriarch, an office that he held until his death in 2013.
After the death of Somdet Kiaw, Somdet Chuang Varapuñño of Wat Paknam Bhasicharoen became the next acting Supreme Patriarch. Despite a nomination from the Supreme Sangha Council, his official appointment as Supreme Patriarch was stalled due a refusal of the Thai secular government to forward his nomination to the King. In December 2016, the junta passed an amendment to the Sangha Act changing the rules for appointment of the Supreme Patriarch to bypass the Supreme Sangha Council and allow the King of Thailand to appoint the Supreme Patriarch directly, with the Thai Prime Minister countersigning. While proponents considered the amendment a good way for politicians to solve the problems the Sangha had not been able to solve, opponents described the amendment as "sneaky" (). Chao Khun Prasarn Candasaro, vice-rector of the Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University and assistant-abbot of Wat Mahathat Yuwaratrangsarit, stated the amendment showed a grave lack of respect for the Sangha Council's authority, because the council had not been involved in the amendment at all. He argued that the Monastic Act had always given the final decision to the King anyway, and pointed out that all conflicts about the appointment were caused by the junta's National Reform Council, not by the Sangha itself. Finally, on 7 February 2017, Somdet Amborn Ambaro was appointed by King Rama X to serve as the next Supreme Patriarch out of five names given to him by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-Cha. The appointment ceremony was held on 12 February at Wat Phra Kaew, Grand Palace.
List of Supreme Patriarchs
{|width=100% class="wikitable"
! style="background-color:#F0DC82" width=3% |No.
! style="background-color:#F0DC82" width=10%|Portrait
! style="background-color:#F0DC82" width=24%|Name
! style="background-color:#F0DC82" width=7%|Birth name
! style="background-color:#F0DC82" width=12%|Tenure from
! style="background-color:#F0DC82" width=12%|Tenure until
! style="background-color:#F0DC82" width=14%|Order
! style="background-color:#F0DC82" width=14%|Temple
|-
|align="center"|1
|align="center"|60px
|align="center"|<br/>Sangharaja
|align="center"|Sri
|align="center"|1782/83<br />2325 BE
|align="center"|1794/75<br />2337 BE
|align="center"|Maha Nikaya
|align="center"|Wat Rakhangkhositaram
|-
|align="center"|2
|align="center"|60px
|align="center"|<br/>Sangharaja
|align="center"|Suk
|align="center"|1794/75<br />2337 BE
|align="center"|1816/87<br />2359 BE
|align="center"|Maha Nikaya
|align="center"|Wat Mahathat Yuwaratrangsarit
|-
|align="center"|3
|align="center"|60px
|align="center"|<br/> Ariyavongsanana
|align="center"|Mee
|align="center"|1816/87<br />2359 BE
|align="center"|1819/20<br />2362 BE
|align="center"|Maha Nikaya
|align="center"|Wat Mahathat Yuwaratrangsarit
|-
|align="center"|4
|align="center"|100px
|align="center"|<br/> Ariyavongsanana
|align="center"|Suk
|align="center"|1820/21<br />2363 BE
|align="center"|1822/23<br />2365 BE
|align="center"|Maha Nikaya
|align="center"|Wat Mahathat Yuwaratrangsarit
|-
|align="center"|5
|align="center"|60px
|align="center"|<br/> Ariyavongsanana
|align="center"|Don
|align="center"|1822/23<br />2365 BE
|align="center"|1842/43<br />2385 BE
|align="center"|Maha Nikaya
|align="center"|Wat Mahathat Yuwaratrangsarit
|-
|align="center"|6
|align="center"|100px
|align="center"|<br/> Ariyavongsanana
|align="center"|Nag
|align="center"|1843/44<br />2386 BE
|align="center"|1849/50<br />2392 BE
|align="center"|Maha Nikaya
|align="center"|Wat Ratchaburana
|-
|align="center"|7
|align="center"|100px
|align="center"|<br /><br />Paramanuchitchinorot<br /><small>(Suvaṇṇaraṃsi Mahāthera)</small>
|align="center"|Prince Vasugri
|align="center"|1851/52<br />2394 BE
|align="center"|1853/54<br />2396 BE
|align="center"|Maha Nikaya
|align="center"|Wat Phra Chetuphon Vimolmangklararm
|-
|align="center"|8
|align="center"|146x146px
|align="center"|<br /><br />Pavares Variyalongkorn
<small>(Paññāagga Mahāthera)</small>
|align="center"|Prince Rurk
|align="center"|1853/54<br />2396 BE
|align="center"|1892/93<br />2435 BE
|align="center"|Dhammayuttika Nikaya
|align="center"|Wat Bowonniwet Vihara
|-
|align="center"|9
|align="center"|100px
|align="center"|<br/>Ariyavongsagatanana<br /><small>(Pussadeva Mahāthera)</small>
|align="center"|Sa
|align="center"|1893/94<br />2436 BE
|align="center"|1899/1900<br />2442 BE
|align="center"|Dhammayuttika Nikaya
|align="center"|Wat Ratchapradit Sathit Mahasimaram
|-
|align="center"|10
|align="center"|100px
|align="center"|<br /><br />Vajirananavarorasa<br /><small>(Manussanāga Mahāthera)</small>
|align="center"|Prince Manusyanagamanob
|align="center"|1910/11<br />2453 BE
|align="center"|1921/22<br />2464 BE
|align="center"|Dhammayuttika Nikaya
|align="center"|Wat Bowonniwet Vihara
|-
|align="center"|11
|align="center"|133x133px
|align="center"|<br /><br />Jinavorn Visuddhi Devaryavongse<br/><small>(Sirivaḍḍhana Mahāthera)</small>
|align="center"|Prince Bhujong Jombunud
|align="center"|1921/22<br />2464 BE
|align="center"|1937/38<br />2480 BE
|align="center"|Dhammayuttika Nikaya
|align="center"|Wat Ratchabophit Sathit Maha Simaram
|-
|align="center"|12
|align="center"|100px
|align="center"|<br/>Ariyavongsagatanana<br /><small>(Tissadeva Mahāthera)</small>
|align="center"|Phae Phongpala
|align="center"|1938/39<br />2481 BE
|align="center"|1944<br />2487 BE
|align="center"|Maha Nikaya
|align="center"|Wat Suthat Thepphaararam
|-
|align="center"|13
|align="center"|100px
|align="center"|<br/><br />Vajirananavongs<br /><small>(Sujitta Mahāthera)</small>
|align="center"|Mom Rajavongse Chuen Navavongs
|align="center"|1945<br />2488 BE
|align="center"|1958<br />2501 BE
|align="center"|Dhammayuttika Nikaya
|align="center"|Wat Bowonniwet Vihara
|-
|align="center"|14
|align="center"|100px
|align="center"|<br/> Ariyavongsagatanana<br /><small>(Kittisobhaṇa Mahāthera)</small>
|align="center"|Plod Ketuthat
|align="center"|1960<br />2503 BE
|align="center"|1962<br />2505 BE
|align="center"|Maha Nikaya
|align="center"|Wat Benchamabophit Dusitvanaram
|-
|align="center"|15
|align="center"|100px
|align="center"|<br/> Ariyavongsagatanana<br /><small>(Ñāṇodaya Mahāthera)</small>
|align="center"|Yoo Changsopha
|align="center"|1963<br />2506 BE
|align="center"|1965<br />2508 BE
|align="center"|Maha Nikaya
|align="center"|Wat Saket
|-
|align="center"|16
|align="center"|141x141px
|align="center"|<br/> Ariyavongsagatanana<br /><small>(Uṭṭhāyī Mahāthera)</small>
|align="center"|Chuan Sirisom
|align="center"|1965<br />2508 BE
|align="center"|1971<br />2514 BE
|align="center"|Dhammayuttika Nikaya
|align="center"|Wat Makut Kasattriyaram
|-
|align="center"|17
|align="center"|100px
|align="center"|<br/>Ariyavongsagatanana<br /><small>(Puṇṇasiri Mahāthera)</small>
|align="center"|Pun Sukcharoen
|align="center"|1972<br />2515 BE
|align="center"|1973<br />2516 BE
|align="center"|Maha Nikaya
|align="center"|Wat Phra Chetuphon Vimolmangklararm
|-
|align="center"|18
|align="center"|100px
|align="center"|<br/><br />Jinavaralongkorn<br /><small>(Vāsana Mahāthera)</small>
|align="center"|Vasana Nilprapha
|align="center"|1973<br />2516 BE
|align="center"|1988<br />2531 BE
|align="center"|Dhammayuttika Nikaya
|align="center"|Wat Ratchabophit Sathit Maha Simaram
|-
|align="center"|19
|align="center"| 133x133px
|align="center"|<br/><br />Vajirañāṇasaṃvara<br /><small>(Suvaḍḍhana Mahāthera)</small>
|align="center"|Charoen Khachawat
|align="center"|1989<br />2532 BE
|align="center"|2013<br />2556 BE
|align="center"|Dhammayuttika Nikaya
|align="center"|Wat Bowonniwet Vihara
|-
|align="center"|20
|align="center"|100px
|align="center"|<br/> Ariyavongsagatanana<br /><small>(Ambara Mahāthera)</small>
|align="center"|Amborn Prasatthaphong
|align="center"|2017<br />2560 BE
|align="center"|Present
|align="center"|Dhammayuttika Nikaya
|align="center"|Wat Ratchabophit Sathit Maha Simaram
|}
See also
- Buddhism in Thailand
- Mahanayaka
- Sangharaja
- Sangha Supreme Council
- State Saṅgha Mahā Nāyaka Committee
- Supreme Patriarch of Cambodia
- Thathanabaing of Burma
References
External links
- English website of the Supreme Patriarch
- A website with information about each Supreme Patriarch
- Entry on the current Supreme Patriarch at Everything2
- Buddhism in contemporary Thailand, information from Mahachulalongkornrajvidyalaya University
- Buddhism in Thailand, information from Dhammathai.org
- A Review of Reform Movements in Thai Buddhism by Dr. Tavivat Puntarigvivat