Devahastin family

The Devahastin family, also known in Thai and in some English transliterations as the Thephasadin or Thephatsadin family, is a Thai family of royal descent. Its recorded lineage is associated with Prince Thepharirak, a nephew of King Rama I, the founder of Thailand’s Chakri dynasty. Genealogical accounts differ in describing the precise relationship between the family’s early ancestor, Phraya Ratchaphakdi—also identified as Mom Rajawongse Chang—and Prince Thepharirak. Sources describe Chang variously as the prince’s son or grandson. The family name entered formal use during the reign of King Vajiravudh, or Rama VI, when the king introduced the systematic adoption of surnames. In 1913, the name Devahastin was granted to Phraya Phaisansinlapasat, Sanan Devahastin na Ayudhya, who later became known by the noble title Chaophraya Thammasakmontri. The name is derived from Sanskrit elements commonly interpreted as referring to a deity and an elephant. This meaning also connects with Chang, the Thai word for elephant. The suffix “na Ayudhya” identifies a family as belonging to the wider body of descendants of the royal house of Ayutthaya. Sanan Devahastin na Ayudhya was the family’s most prominent early twentieth-century figure. Better known as Chaophraya Thammasakmontri, he served as a senior government official during the 1920s and 1930s. Other members of the extended family became influential in public administration, the armed forces, education, and government. They include Phraya Thephatsadin, a military general; Phraya Anukitwithun, who served as the first commissioner of Chulalongkorn University; Naga Devahastin na Ayudhya, a permanent secretary in the Ministry of Education; and Saphrang and Banyat Devahastin na Ayudhya, both of whom served as government ministers. The family’s public presence continued across later generations. Yos Devahastin na Ayudhya became a military general and government minister, while his son Wit became a military general, a political strategist associated with the Palang Pracharath Party, and secretary-general of the National Olympic Committee of Thailand. Preeya Chimchom, born Preeya Devahastin na Ayudhya, was an architect and city planner. In popular culture, Nut Devahastin na Ayudhya became known as an actor. The family is not a commercial brand, corporation, or consumer-facing business. Its significance is genealogical and historical, deriving from royal descent and the public careers of numerous relatives. In modern public discussion, the family name was also associated with controversy following a 2010 road accident involving a young family member known by the nickname Praewa. The accident on the Don Mueang Tollway killed nine passengers in a public van and generated extensive public criticism because the driver was underage and unlicensed. The issue returned to public attention in 2019 after reports that court-ordered compensation had not yet been paid to the victims’ families. Members of the family held a press conference emphasizing the size and diversity of the extended clan and arguing that responsibility for one person’s conduct should not be generalized to every family member.

The Devahastin family is a Thai family of royal descent. Its ancestry is traced to Prince Thepharirak, a nephew of King Rama I. The family’s early genealogical line is connected with Phraya Ratchaphakdi, also known as Mom Rajawongse Chang. Historical accounts vary over whether Chang was a son or a grandson of Prince Thepharirak, so the exact intermediate relationship is not uniformly stated. The surname Devahastin was formalized in 1913 during the reign of King Vajiravudh, Rama VI. The recipient was Phraya Phaisansinlapasat, whose personal name was Sanan Devahastin na Ayudhya. He later received the title Chaophraya Thammasakmontri and became a senior government official during the 1920s and 1930s. The adoption of the surname occurred in the context of Rama VI’s introduction of surnames in Siam. Devahastin is a Sanskrit-derived form associated with the ideas of divinity and elephants, while the royal-descent suffix “na Ayudhya” indicates affiliation with descendants of the old royal house. Sanan’s generation helped establish the family’s modern public profile. Phraya Thephatsadin, identified as Phat Devahastin na Ayudhya, was a military general and Sanan’s nephew. Santhat Devahastin na Ayudhya, who held the title Phraya Anukitwithun, was Sanan’s brother and became the first commissioner of Chulalongkorn University. Other relatives, including Naga Devahastin na Ayudhya, served in senior state administration; Naga became permanent secretary of the Ministry of Education. Saphrang and Banyat Devahastin na Ayudhya later served as government ministers. The family remained represented in public institutions through the twentieth century. Preeya Chimchom, born Preeya Devahastin na Ayudhya, worked as an architect and city planner. Yos Devahastin na Ayudhya became a military general and government minister. His son Wit was also a military general and became involved in national political strategy through the Palang Pracharath Party. Wit additionally served as secretary-general of the National Olympic Committee of Thailand. The next generation included the actor Nut Devahastin na Ayudhya. The family’s historical profile is therefore defined less by a single institution than by the cumulative public careers of its members. It has appeared across Thailand’s bureaucracy, military, educational system, political life, urban planning, sports administration, and entertainment industry. The family name also became the focus of intense public debate after a 2010 traffic accident. A young member known as Praewa was involved in a collision with a public passenger van on the Don Mueang Tollway, causing the deaths of nine van passengers. The driver was reported to have been underage and unlicensed. Public criticism continued after reports in 2019 that victims’ families had not received court-ordered compensation. In response, relatives held a press conference and emphasized that the extended family comprised more than 200 individual families, arguing against treating the conduct of one person as representative of the entire clan.

• 2019

  Compensation dispute returns to public attention

  [1]Devahastin familyen.wikipedia.org

  Reports that court-ordered compensation had not reached the crash victims’ families revived scrutiny and prompted a public response from members of the extended family.

• 2010

  Don Mueang Tollway accident

  [1]Devahastin familyen.wikipedia.org

  A crash involving a young family member killed nine public-van passengers and led to widespread public criticism concerning underage and unlicensed driving.

• 1913

  Devahastin surname granted

  [1]Devahastin familyen.wikipedia.org

  King Vajiravudh granted the Devahastin surname to Phraya Phaisansinlapasat, Sanan Devahastin na Ayudhya, during the introduction of formal surnames in Siam.

• Lineage associated with Prince Thepharirak

  [1]Devahastin familyen.wikipedia.org

  The family traces its ancestry to Prince Thepharirak, a nephew of King Rama I. Accounts differ on the exact relationship between the prince and Phraya Ratchaphakdi, an early ancestor also known as Mom Rajawongse Chang.

A historical Thai royal-descended family rather than a commercial brand. Its public identity is shaped by genealogy and the civic, military, educational, political, cultural, and professional roles of its members.

• 2019

  Unresolved compensation for crash victims

  The controversy resurfaced after reports that the families of those killed had not received court-ordered financial compensation. Relatives responded by distinguishing the conduct of the individual involved from the much larger extended family.

  Source

• 2010

  Don Mueang Tollway passenger-van crash

  A young member of the extended family, identified by the nickname Praewa, was involved in a collision with a public passenger van that killed nine passengers. Reports said she was underage and driving without a licence. The case prompted substantial public outrage and later legal and compensation disputes.

  Source

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1. 1Devahastin familyen.wikipedia.org