"Sansoen Phra Barami" (; ; ) is the current royal anthem of Thailand. It was a de facto national anthem of Siam before 1932.
History
The first song to be used as royal anthem and de facto national anthem of Thailand appeared in the reign of King Mongkut of Rattanakosin Kingdom. In 1851, two former British military officers named Captain Impey and Lieutenant Thomas George Knox served with the Siamese Army. They trained the troops of King Mongkut and the Second King Pinklao with British military tradition. So, they adopted the anthem "God Save the King" as honor music for the king of Siam. Phraya Srisunthonwohan (Noi Āchāryānkura) wrote Thai lyrics for this anthem later and named it as "Chom Rat Chong Charoen", which means "long live the great king".
In 1871, King Chulalongkorn visited Singapore and Batavia (now Jakarta) in the Dutch East Indies; it appeared that Siam used the same anthem with Great Britain, who ruled over Singapore at that time. It was necessary that Siam must have a new unique tune for using as the royal anthem and de facto national anthem. A group of Siamese traditional musicians had selected a Thai song named "Bulan Loi Luean" which was the royal composition of King Rama II for use as the new anthem. King Chulalongkorn later ordered Christopher Hewetson, a Dutch bandmaster who served in the Royal Siamese Army, to arrange the song in western style for performing by the military band. According to a research of Sugree Charoensuk, an associate professor from Mahidol University, the melody of this anthem may be the same tune with another anthem named "Sansoen Sua Pa" which had been used as the anthem of the Wild Tiger Corps since 1911.
History about the royal anthem of Siam after 1871 are ambiguous, and evidence is rare to find. An evidence of music composition of the royal anthem of Siam appeared again in 1888 when a sheet music of the Siamese national anthem, arranged by the Russian composer Pyotr Schurovsky, was printed in Russia. The main melody of the song in that sheet music is the same tune of "Sansoen Phra Barami" in present time. According to a research of Sugree Charoensook, Pyotr Shchurovsky was the composer of the music of "Sansoen Phra Barami", to serve as Siam's national anthem. Prince Narisara Nuvadtivong later composed various lyrics of "Sansoen Phra Barami" for using in the Royal Siamese Army, in all Siamese schools and in Siamese traditional music bands. Prince Abhakara Kiartivongse also composed a version of lyrics for used in the Royal Siamese Navy. In 1914, King Vajiravudh decided to relinquish all lyrics of "Sansoen Phra Barami" that mentioned before and revised it to current version only.
"Sansoen Phra Barami" was the de facto national anthem of Siam from 1888 until 1932, when it was replaced by "Phleng Chat Siam". It is still used as the royal anthem of Thailand today.
The sound recording of "Sansoen Phra Barami" was recorded for the first time ever on the Edison wax cylinder by Carl Stumpf, an ethnomusicologist from the University of Berlin. In that recording, the anthem was performed by Boosra Mahin Theater Group, a Siamese theater group visiting Berlin in 1900.
Short versions
The current melody of Sansoen Phra Barami was originally used in two ways: a full version played to honor His Majesty the King, and a half version played to honor the Prince of the Front Palace (Krom Phra Ratchawang Bowon Sathan Mongkhon). This tradition ceased after the death of Prince Wichaichan, the last Prince of the Front Palace, in 1885. This is documented in a letter from His Royal Highness Prince Narisara Nuwattiwong, dated May 6, 1935, to Luang Wichitwathakan, the Director-General of the Fine Arts Department at the time, in response to a consultation regarding the abbreviation of the Royal Anthem.
"Furthermore, I should inform you of the past history. Previously, the Royal Anthem "Sansoen Phra Barami" was divided into half and full versions. The half version, from the beginning down to "Yen Sira Phro Phra Boriban," was played to welcome Krom Phra Ratchawang Bowon Sathan Mongkhon, while the full version was played to welcome His Majesty the King. After [the last] Krom Phra Ratchawang Bowon Sathan Mongkhon passed away, the half-version of the Royal Anthem was no longer used and simply disappeared."
Following the Siamese Revolution of 1932, a new Siamese National Anthem was composed (now the Thai National Anthem), so "Sansoen Phra Barami" was no longer used as the national anthem but continued to be used as an honorific song for the King. The melodies of the Royal Anthem and the Siamese national anthem were shortened in 1935 for use in ceremonial honors in the style of Western countries. The occasions for using the elaborate version of the Royal Anthem (full version) and the abridged version were also specified according to the regulations for performing the Royal Anthem and national anthem dated February 4, 1935.ราชกิจจานุเบกษา. ประกาศระเบียบการบรรเลงเพลงสรรเสริญพระบารมีและเพลงชาติ. เล่ม 52 ตอน 0 ง. หน้า 3219. 9 กุมภาพันธ์ พ.ศ. 2478. The Fine Arts Department later issued a further clarification stating that when singing the Royal Anthem, it should be sung using only the lyrics of the elaborate version of the Royal Anthem and not the abridged version.กรมศิลปากร, “คำชี้แจงเรื่องการใช้เพลงเกียรติยศและเกร็ดความรู้เรื่องดนตรีไทยของกรมศิลปากร,” D-Library | National Library of Thailand, accessed September 29, 2025, http://digital.nlt.go.th/dlib/items/show/6595.กรมศิลปากร, “คำชี้แจงของกรมศิลปากร เรื่องการใช้เพลงเกียรติยศ.” พิมพ์ครั้งที่ 3. 2516. กรุงเทพมหานคร: ผดุงวิทยาการพิมพ์.
In 1940, the Thai government under the administration of Prime Minister Plaek Phibunsongkhram issued the 8th Thai cultural mandate, concerning the lyrics of "Sansoen Phra Barami", which were shortened and the word "Siam" replaced with "Thai" (see below). The shorten lyrics version is used as the full version of the royal anthem, while the 1935 abridged instrumental version was still remain the same. After the end of World War II, these short versions were quietly abandoned due its unpopularity, and reverted to the version that revised by King Vajiravudh in 1914.
Usage of the anthem
The royal anthem is performed during state occasions, as well as when a high-ranking member of the royal family is present for a function. In addition, the royal anthem is still played before the beginning of each film in movie theatres, as well as before the commencement of the first act in plays, musicals, concerts, and most other live performances of music or theatre in Thailand. The anthem is also played at the sign-on and closedown of television and radio programming; for example, in 2008, 7HD aired a with pictures of King Bhumibol Adulyadej from his birth to his 80th birthday in 2007. Radio Thailand (or NBT) also broadcast the sign-off with the anthem at 24:00 every night.
In 2019, the Royal Thai Government Gazette has published the Royal Office Regulation on Performing Honors Music of B.E. 2562. This regulation is detailed about using the royal anthem and other honors music for the king and members of the Thai royal family in several occasions. According to this regulation, The royal anthem "Sansoen Phra Barami" should be performed for the following:
The King of Thailand
The Queen of Thailand Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, the Princess Royal Heirs-apparent to the throne Royal remains Some Thai Royal Standards when hoisted or shown: Royal Standard of Thailand
Standard of the Queen of Thailand Standard for Senior members of the Royal Family (Standard of the Princess Mother) Standard of Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, the Princess Royal Standard of the Crown Prince of Thailand
Lyrics
Official lyrics The following are the current lyrics of "Sansoen Phra Barami", which was written by Prince Narisara Nuwattiwong in 1886 and revised by King Vajiravudh in 1914. Used for the first time by the Wild Tiger Corps and Siamese scout in 1914, January 22, at Ban Bo Suphan (in Song Phi Nong district, Suphan Buri Province) during a long journey from Nakhon Pathom Province to the ancient pagoda at Don Chedi in Suphan Buri Province, for paying homage to the pagoda which is believed to have been built as a memorial to the elephant duel of King Naresuan the Great.อมรดรุณารักษ์ (แจ่ม สุนทรเวช), จมื่น. พระราชกรณียกิจสำคัญในพระบาทสมเด็จพระมงกุฎเกล้าเจ้าอยู่หัว เรื่อง อนุสรณ์ดอนเจดีย์พระนเรศวร. พิมพ์ครั้งที่ 1. กรุงเทพ: โรงพิมพ์คุรุสภาลาดพร้าว, 2520. Officially adopted in school nationwide by the Ministry of Education in March 1 of the same year. Thai originalTransliteration (RTGS)IPA transcriptionEnglish translationWe, servants of His great Majesty, prostrate our heart and heads, to pay respect to the ruler, whose merits are boundless, our glorious sovereign, the greatest of Siam, with great and lasting honor. Secure and peaceful we are because of thy royal rule. The result of royal protection are people in happiness and peace. May it be that whatever you will, be done according to the hopes of thy great heart. Victory to thee, hurrah!
Abridged lyrics during World War II
Revised from 1914 official lyrics by Thai Fine Arts Department with shortened the lyrics and replaced the word "Siam" with the word "Thai". Adopted by the 8th Thai cultural mandate, issued 26 April 1940.The Royal Gazette, Vol. 57, Page 78. 30 April B.E. 2483 (1940). Retrieved 4 June 2010.
Thai originalThai romanization (RTGS)IPA transcriptionEnglish translationWe, servants of His great Majesty, prostrate our heart and heads, to pay respect to the ruler, the great King of Thailand. May it be that whatever you will, be done according to the hopes of thy great heart. Victory to thee, hurrah!
Ancient drama lyrics
ThaiEnglish translationAh! May our King be blessed with glory and prosperity. May Buddhism remain steadfast forever. Long live the Kingdom (of Siam) and long live the Royal Dynasty. (May the King) be merciful to protect all people, uphold the royal dharma and make some benefit (to the country), whether big or small. May it be that whatever you will, be done according to the hopes of thy great heart. Victory to thee, as we said.
School lyrics
These three lyrics of "Sansoen Phra Barami" was written by Prince Narisara Nuwattiwong and officially adopted in school nationwide by the Ministry of Education of Siam in 1902. Co-ed school ThaiEnglish translationWe, servants of His great Majesty, all boys and girls, prostrate our hand to pay respect to the ruler, wish for prosperity to our sovereign with great and lasting honor. Secure and peaceful we are because of thy royal rule. The result of royal protection are people in happiness and peace. May it be that whatever you will, be done according to the hopes of thy great heart. Victory to thee, as we said.
Boys' school ThaiEnglish translationWe, servants of His great Majesty, all young male students, prostrate our head to pay respect to the ruler, wish for prosperity to our sovereign with great and lasting honor. Secure and peaceful we are because of thy royal rule. The result of royal protection are people in happiness and peace. May it be that whatever you will, be done according to the hopes of thy great heart. Victory to thee, as we said.
Girls' school ThaiEnglish translationWe, servants of His great Majesty, all young female students, prostrate our head to pay respect to the ruler, wish for prosperity to our sovereign with great and lasting honor. Secure and peaceful we are because of thy royal rule. The result of royal protection are people in happiness and peace. May it be that whatever you will, be done according to the hopes of thy great heart. Victory to thee, as we said.
Military lyrics Royal Thai Army version This lyrics was written by Prince Narisara Nuwattiwong in 1888. ThaiEnglish translationWe, servants of His great Majesty, all men of the Royal Army. In this occasion of happiness We have assembled