page_title: Chirapravati Voradej
section_title: Education
hierarchical_section_title: Chirapravati Voradej / Education
caption_attribution_description: English: Four sons of Chulalongkorn: Prince Rabhibhatanasakdi, Prince Pravit Vadhanodom, Prince Chirapravati Voradej, and Prince Kitiyakara Voralaksana (if you know which is which, please specify). ไทย: จากซ้าย พระองค์เจ้ารพีพัฒนศักดิ์ (กรมหลวงราชบุรีดิเรกฤทธิ์) พระองค์เจ้าประวิตรวัฒโนดม (กรมหลวงปราจิณกิติบดี) พระองค์เจ้ากิติยากรวรลักษณ์ (กรมพระจันทบุรีนฤนาถ) พระองค์เจ้าจิรประวัติวรเดช (กรมหลวงนครไชยศรีสุรเดช)
context_page_description: Field Marshal Prince Chirapravati Voradej, Prince of Nakhon Chaisi was a prince of the Chakri Dynasty and influential military officer of Siam. The prince was a son of King Chulalongkorn and Chao Chom Manda Thapthim Rochanatisha. He was the king's 17th child.
  The prince was part of the first group of the king's sons sent to Europe to study, spending time there from 1885 - 1896. After his return to Siam, he served as the Commander of the Department of Military Operation and Minister of Defence under his father and his brother, King Vajiravudh. Because of his important and modernising reforms of the Royal Siamese Army, he is now considered the 'Father of the Thai Army'. His descendants uses the surname Chirapravati.
context_section_description: The prince's education began in the palace's inner court. Once he was older he was educated at the royal pages school, Suankularb Wittayalai School. In 1885 the prince together with three elder brothers (the king's four eldest), Princes Kitiyakara Voralaksana, Raphi Phatthanasak, and Pravitra Vadhanodom were sent to the United Kingdom for further study. The four princes were the first of the king's many sons to be sent abroad for study. Crown Prince Maha Vajirunhis wrote in his diary on the 30 June 1885:
  "In the morning, after breakfast, His Majesty went to the Chakri Maha Prasat Throne Hall. He tied sacred strings around the four elder brothers, poured holy water on them and fingered powders on their forehead. The King then lead the princes to Prince Pavares to tie sacred strings. Pra Chaiya Watana, the Holy Monk, tied holy strings around their neck. They all then went down to the Pae Villa, by the Chao Phraya river. His Majesty gave them blessings, and wished that they leave [Siam] with happiness in their hearts, and remember his teachings. The King invited the female members of the royal family to also be present, that the princes may say goodbye to their mothers. Only Mae Uam, mother of Prince Kitiyakara wasn't there. At about 9am, the King went down to the ship, Soponpakavadi, to see the princes off. He hugged and kissed all of his four eldest sons. He stood there until the ship was out of sight, and then came back up to the palace. There were many elder royals who went on the ship with the four princes to the UK. There were also many royals and aristocrats who came to the Pae Villa to see them off, including Mother and Aunt."
  A military study focus was selected for the prince and in 1891 he went to Denmark to study at the Royal Danish Military Academy. He was commissioned as a cadet and then promoted to the rank of second lieutenant. He graduated from thelis academy in 1894. After further study in the artillery corps he was able to served in the Royal Danish Army from 1896.
caption: Four princes (left to right): Raphi Phatthanasak, Pravitra Vadhanodom, Kitiyakara Voralaksana and Chirapravati Voradej.
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