Sineenat

Niramon Ounprom (Thai: นิรมล อุ่นพรม, RTGS: Niramon Unphrom; nicknamed Koi; Thai: ก้อย,^[2] born 26 January 1985^[3][4]) is an army officer, member of the Thai royal court, and a former Thai nurse.^[5] She was named concubine and a long-time mistress of Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn of Thailand, who granted her several military ranks and positions, including the noble name of Sineenat Wongvajirapakdi (Thai: สินีนาฏ วงศ์วชิราภักดิ์; RTGS: Sininat Wongwachiraphak). After Prince Vajiralongkorn ascended the throne as King Rama X, he appointed her as his Royal Noble Consort, giving her the noble title of Chao Khun Phra (เจ้าคุณพระ, "royal noble consort") Sineenat Bilaskalayani (Thai: สินีนาฏ พิลาสกัลยาณี; RTGS: Sininat Philatkanlayani) in July 2019.^[6] She is the first woman to hold the title of a royal concubine of the King of Thailand in almost a century as the previous monarch was monogamous.^[7]

Sineenat สินีนาฏ
Chao Khun Phra
Royal Noble Consort Sineenat in 2017
Royal noble consort of the Thai monarch
Tenure	28 July 2019 – present
Born	Niramon Ounprom (1985-01-26) 26 January 1985 (age 39) Tha Wang Pha, Thailand
Spouse	Vajiralongkorn (Rama X) ​ ​ (m. 2019)​ [1]
Names Sineenat Wongvajirapakdi (2014–2019) Sineenat Bilaskalayani (since 2019)
House	Mahidol (by marriage) (Chakri dynasty)
Father	Wirat Ounprom
Mother	Pranee Ounprom
Military career
Allegiance	Kingdom of Thailand
Branch	Royal Thai Army Royal Security Command
Years of service	2008–2019 2020–present
Rank	Major general
Commands	Royal Guards, Crown Prince's Division King's Guard, Special Operations Unit

Early life and education

Sineenat was born on 26 January 1985,^[3][4] to the Ounprom family, Wirat (father) and Pranee (mother).^[4] Her place of birth is described as being in the Tha Wang Pha district of Nan province, Thailand.^[4][3] Her primary and secondary schools were also in the same district, at Rajapiyorasa Yupparachanusorn School, and at Tha Wang Pha Pittayakhom (Witthayakhom) School.^[3][4] She went on to earn a bachelor's degree in nursing at the Royal Thai Army Nursing College in Bangkok in 2008 as a member of Class 41;^[3][4] Ounprom presented a published conference paper on smoking cessation efforts among enlisted soldiers while affiliated with her college.^[8][9]

Career

According to Sineenat's official court biography and other sources, from 2008 to 2012, Sineenat—then known by her earlier name, Niramon Ounprom—worked as a nurse at Phramongkutklao Hospital, and at an army hospital, the Ananda Mahidol Hospital.^[3][1]

Ounprom is described in her official biography as having risen to the rank of colonel by 2015, and as having "enrolled in the Ratchawallop Police Retainers, the Royal King’s Guards 904".^[3] Before this, Ounprom completed military training in parachuting, royal bodyguarding, and the Thai army's "Combat Qualifying Course in Jungle Warfare".^[3] She holds a private pilot's license following training in Germany and flight school in 2018 with the Thai Air Force.^[3] As of May 2019, she held the rank of major general.^[3]

Royal consort

After Prince Vajiralongkorn ascended the throne as King Rama X, he appointed her as his Royal Noble Consort, giving her the noble title of Chao Khun Phra (เจ้าคุณพระ, "royal noble consort") Sineenat Bilaskalayani (Thai: สินีนาฏ พิลาสกัลยาณี; RTGS: Sininat Philatkanlayani) in July 2019.^[6] In August 2019, a biography with 60 photos of Chao Khun Phra Sineenat,^[10][11] posted on the website of the Bureau of the Royal Household, was so frequently accessed that it caused the website to crash.^{[7][12][13][14][15]}

On 30 August 2019, as Sineenat (Sininat or Sinina), she was appointed deputy adviser of a prison reform initiative, "Sharing Happiness And Doing Good With Heart With the Department of Corrections".^[16]

Downfall and restoration

On 21 October 2019, King Rama X issued a royal edict stripping her of all her government, military, and noble ranks, positions, and titles, as well as royal decorations, citing her conflict with and disrespectful conduct towards his wife, Queen Suthida.^[17][18] Until October 2021, her whereabouts were unknown; she was rumored to either be in prison or dead.^[2]

On 27 August 2020, the Lat Yao Central Women's Correctional Prison was reportedly closed to visitors for two days,^[19] and a Boeing 737 plane from King Rama X's private fleet was dispatched to Bangkok.^[20] According to journalist Andrew MacGregor Marshall, the prison is where she had been held and the events were part of a plan to transport her in secret to Munich where she would join his retinue in quarantine,^[21][22] in preparation for a possible future royal pardon and restoration of her titles.

On 29 August 2020, the restoration was made official with a royal edict stating that she had "never been a tarnished person" and proclaiming that all her titles, decorations and military ranks were fully restored as if they had never been revoked.^[23][24]

Titles, styles, honours, and military ranks

All of her titles, honours, and military ranks were stripped by King Vajiralongkorn on 21 October 2019^[25] and reinstated on 2 September 2020.^[26]

Titles and styles

• 26 January 1985 – December 2014: Miss Niramon Ounprom (Thai: นิรมล อุ่นพรม)
• December 2014 – 28 July 2019: Phan Ek ("Colonel") Sineenat Wongvajirapakdi (Thai: สินีนาฏ วงศ์วชิราภักดิ์)
• 30 April 2019 – 24 May 2019: Than Phu Ying ("High Lady") Phan Ek ("Colonel") Sineenat Wongvajirapakdi (Thai: ท่านผู้หญิง สินีนาฏ วงศ์วชิราภักดิ์)^[27]
• 24 May 2019 – 28 July 2019: Than Phu Ying ("High Lady") Phon Tri ("Major General") Sineenat Wongvajirapakdi (Thai: ท่านผู้หญิง สินีนาฏ วงศ์วชิราภักดิ์)^[27]
• 28 July 2019 – present: Chao Khun Phra Her Highness ("Royal Noble Consort") Sineenat Bilaskalayani (Thai: เจ้าคุณพระ สินีนาฏ พิลาสกัลยาณี)^[17]

Honours

• 17 August 2017: Dame Commander (Second Class) of The Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant (KCE)^[28]
• 3 May 2019: Dame Grand Cordon (Special Class) of The Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant (KGE)^{[1][29][30][31]}
• 30 April 2019: Dame Grand Cross (First Class) of The Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao (GCC)^[32]
• 3 May 2019: Dame Grand Cordon (Special Class) of The Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand (KGCT)^{[1][29][30][33]}
• 30 April 2019: Royal Cypher Medal of King Rama X, First Class (VPR1)^[32]

Military ranks

• 1 October 2008 – 31 October 2010: Second Lieutenant^[17][34]
• 1 November 2010 – 31 August 2015: First Lieutenant^[17][35]
• 1 September 2015 – 30 December 2016: Major^[17][36]
• 31 December 2016 – 23 May 2019: Colonel^[17][37]
• 24 May 2019 – present: Major-General^[17][38]

References

1. Thaitrakulpanich, Asaree (30 July 2019). "Rama X Names First Royal Consort in Almost a Century". Khaosod English. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
2. Loos, Tamara (Spring 2020). "The Personal is Political: Placing Thailand's Revival of Polygyny in Context". Southeast Asia Program Bulletin. Cornell University: 22–23. hdl:1813/69953.
3. "Official Biography of Royal Consort Released". The Nation (Thailand). 27 August 2019. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
4. Aunso (1 August 2019). "ประวัติและเส้นทางเกียรติยศ "เจ้าคุณพระสินีนาฏ พิลาสกัลยาณี" สตรีตำแหน่งเจ้าคุณพระ ท่านที่สองของไทย [Luxury/History and paths of honour: Fame and History—"Chao Khun Sininat Pailan Kanlayani", Lady Chao Chao Phra, The Second Person in Thailand]". Praew (แพรว). Retrieved 21 October 2019.^{[better source needed]}
5. For sources on her training and career, including positions at court, see sections following. The title subject is listed under this Anglicised Thai name in the English language portion of the program of conference proceedings, in 2007. See Ounprom, Niramon (5 December 2007), op. cit.
6. "ประกาศ เรื่อง สถาปนาเจ้าคุณพระสินีนาฏ พิลาสกัลยาณี" (PDF). Royal Gazette (in Thai). 136 (41 Khǒr): 3. 28 July 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 July 2019. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
7. Yuko, Elizabeth (29 August 2019). "Pictures of the Thai King's Consort Broke the Internet — But What's a Consort?". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
8. Ounprom, Niramon (5 December 2007). Factors Influencing the Successfulness of Smoking Cessation Behaviors Among Infantry Privates in Bangkok (PDF). The 35th Annual Scientific Meeting of Phramongkutklao Hospital and Phramongkutklao College of Medicine, Held in Conjunction with the University of Nevada School of Medicine, USA: Medical Progress for Healthy Long Life (in English and Thai). Bangkok. p. 27. Retrieved 21 October 2019. The Celebration on the Auspicious Occasion of His Majesty The King's 80th Birthday Anniversary
9. "Conference program" (PDF). Royal Thai Army Medical Journal. 60 (Supplement, 1): 27. November 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 August 2019. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
10. "Thai palace releases rare images of King Maha Vajiralongkorn's royal consort Sineenat Wongvajirapakdi". South China Morning Post. Agence France-Presse. 27 August 2019. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
11. ""ในหลวง" โปรดเกล้าฯให้จัดทำประวัติ "เจ้าคุณพระสินีนาฏ พิลาสกัลยาณี"". PostToday.com (in Thai). 26 August 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
12. "ภาพพระราชทาน'พระเจ้าอยู่หัว-เจ้าคุณพระสินีนาฏ'". Thai Post (in Thai). 26 August 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
13. "62 ภาพ ในหลวง พระราชทานภาพถ่าย-ประวัติ เจ้าคุณพระสินีนาฏ พิลาสกัลยาณี (อัลบั้มรูป)". Sanook.com (in Thai). 28 August 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
14. "ในหลวง พระราชทานภาพถ่าย-ประวัติ เจ้าคุณพระสินีนาฏ พิลาสกัลยาณี (อัลบั้มรูป)". Sanook.com (in Thai). 28 August 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
15. "ร.10 โปรดเกล้าฯ พระราชทานประวัติและภาพถ่าย "เจ้าคุณพระสินีนาฏ พิลาสกัลยาณี"" (in Thai). Thai Public Broadcasting Service. 26 August 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
16. Charuvastra, Teeranai (30 August 2019). "King's consort to help lead prison charity". Khaosod English. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
17. "พระบรมราชโองการ ประกาศ เรื่อง ให้ข้าราชการในพระองค์ฝ่ายทหารพ้นจากตำแหน่ง ถอดฐานันดรศักดิ์ และยศทหาร ตลอดจนเรียกคืนเครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์ทุกชั้นตรา [เจ้าคุณพระสินีนาฏ พิลาสกัลยาณี]" (PDF). ราชกิจจานุเบกษา (in Thai). 136 (55 B). Bangkok: สำนักเลขาธิการคณะรัฐมนตรี: 1–2. 21 October 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 October 2019. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
18. BBC Staff (21 October 2019). "Thai King Strips Consort of Titles for 'Disloyalty'". BBC News. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
19. Andrew MacGregor Marshall [@zenjournalist] (28 August 2020). "Here's the notice from the Central Women's Correctional Institution at Lat Yao banning visitors yesterday and today due to a "big cleaning day". This is to enable King Vajiralongkorn's former consort Sineenat "Koi" Wongvajirapakdi to be quietly removed from the prison" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
20. Flightradar24. "Live Flight Tracker - Real-Time Flight Tracker Map". Flightradar24. Retrieved 29 August 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
21. "Updated: Sineenat's travels". Political Prisoners in Thailand. 28 August 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
22. "Rama X. von Thailand: Er holt seine Zweitfrau aus dem Gefängnis - nachdem er sie selbst einsperren ließ". rtl.de (in German). Retrieved 29 August 2020.
23. "ประกาศ เรื่อง แต่งตั้งให้ดารงฐานันดรศักดิ์และพระราชทานเครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์ทุกชั้นตรา" (PDF). Government Gazette. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 September 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
24. "Thai king reinstates titles to royal consort ousted over 'disloyalty'". South China Morning Post. 2 September 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
25. "Thailand's king strips 'disloyal' royal consort of titles and military ranks". The Guardian. Agence France-Presse. 21 October 2019. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
26. "Thailand's king reinstates his consort after her fall from grace". BBC News. 2 September 2020.
27. "เส้นทางเกียรติยศ เจ้าคุณพระสินีนาฏ พิลาสกัลยาณี". 29 July 2019 – via www.bbc.com.
28. "ประกาศ เรื่อง ทรงพระกรุณาโปรดเกล้าโปรดกระหม่อมพระราชทานเครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์ เป็นกรณีพิเศษ" (PDF). ราชกิจจานุเบกษา (in Thai). 134 (41ข): 2. 17 August 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 August 2017. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
29. "ประกาศ เรื่อง พระราชทานเครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์ชั้นสายสะพาย" (PDF). ราชกิจจานุเบกษา (in Thai). ๑๓๖ (๑๘ ข): ๑. 9 May 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 May 2019. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
30. Proctor, Charlie (21 October 2019). "BREAKING: Thailand's King Strips His Consort of Her Titles for Disloyalty". Royal Central. London. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
31. The Khaosod English and Royal Central articles refer to this honour as "The Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant, Special Class".
32. "ประกาศ เรื่อง พระราชทานเครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์จุลจอมเกล้าและเหรียญรัตนาภรณ์" (PDF). ราชกิจจานุเบกษา (in Thai). ๑๓๖ (๑๗ ข): ๑. 9 May 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 May 2019. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
33. The Khaosod English and Royal Central articles refer to this honour as "The Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand, Special Class".
34. "ประกาศสำนักนายกรัฐมนตรี เรื่อง พระราชทานยศทหารต่ำกว่าชั้นนายพล" (PDF). ราชกิจจานุเบกษา (in Thai). 126 (10 ข): 182. 14 August 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 April 2018. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
35. "ประกาศสำนักนายกรัฐมนตรี เรื่อง พระราชทานยศทหารต่ำกว่าชั้นนายพล" (PDF). ราชกิจจานุเบกษา (in Thai). 129 (15 ข): 121. 27 April 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
36. ประกาศสำนักนายกรัฐมนตรี เรื่อง พระราชทานยศทหารต่ำกว่าชั้นนายพล (PDF). ราชกิจจานุเบกษา (in Thai). 129 (27ข). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 December 2016.
37. "ประกาศสำนักนายกรัฐมนตรี เรื่อง พระราชทานยศทหารชั้นต่ำกว่านายพล" (PDF). ราชกิจจานุเบกษา (in Thai). 134 (1 ข): 2. 6 January 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 June 2019. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
38. "พระบรมราชโองการประกาศ เรื่อง พระราชทานยศทหารชั้นนายพล และแต่งตั้งข้าราชบริพารในพระองค์ให้ดำรงตำแหน่ง" (PDF). ราชกิจจานุเบกษา (in Thai). 116 (24 ข): 1–2. 24 May 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 May 2019. Retrieved 24 May 2019.

Order of precedence
Preceded by Prince Chaloemsuek Yugala	Thai order of precedence 14th position	Succeeded by Ploypailin Jensen