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The Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant (; ) is an order of Thailand. It was established in 1861 by King Rama IV of the Kingdom of Siam. Along with the Order of the Crown of Thailand, it is regularly awarded to any government official for services rendered to Thailand for five years, making it Thailand's most-commonly awarded order.Regulation of the Office of the Prime Minister regarding nominations for the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant and the Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand, B.E. 2536. Royal Thai Government Gazette. 1993. the order features the three-headed Airavata, the mount of Sakra, or a white elephant.
Classes The order consists of eight classes: Ribbon Star Class Name Postnominals Old nameราชกิจจานุเบกษา, พระราชบัญญัติเครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์ช้างเผือก รัตนโกสินทร์ ศก๑๒๘, เล่ม ๒๖, ตอน ๐ ก, ๒๘ พฤศจิกายน พ.ศ. ๒๔๕๒, หน้า ๗๐ Date Order of precedenceราชกิจจานุเบกษา, ประกาศสำนักนายกรัฐมนตรี เรื่อง ลำดับเกียรติเครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์ไทย, เล่ม ๑๑๐, ตอน ๒๙ง ฉบับพิเศษ, ๑๒ มีนาคม พ.ศ. ๒๕๓๖, หน้า ๑ Knight Grand Cordon(Special Class) มหาปรมาภรณ์ช้างเผือก(Maha Paramabhorn Chang Phueak) - MPCh (GCE) 16 November 1909 8 Knight Grand Cross(First Class) ประถมาภรณ์ช้างเผือก(Prathamabhorn Chang Phueak) มหาวราภรณ์ Maha Varabhorn PCh (KCE) 1869 10 Knight Commander(Second Class) ทวีติยาภรณ์ช้างเผือก(Dvitiyabhorn Chang Phueak) จุลวราภรณ์ Chula Varabhorn DCh (KCE) 1869 15 Commander(Third Class) ตริตาภรณ์ช้างเผือก(Tritabhorn Chang Phueak) นิภาภรณ์ Nibhabhorn TCh (CE) 1869 23 Companion(Fourth Class) จัตุรถาภรณ์ช้างเผือก(Chattruthabhorn Chang Phueak) ภูษนาภรณ์ Bhusanabhorn ChCh (OE) 1869 28 Member(Fifth Class) เบญจมาภรณ์ช้างเผือก(ฺBenchamabhorn Chang Phueak) ทิพยาภรณ์ Dibyabhorn BCh (ME) 1873 33 Gold Medal(Sixth Class) เหรียญทองช้างเผือก(Rian Thong Chang Phueak) - RThCh (G.M.E.) 20 July 1902 52 Silver Medal(Seventh Class) เหรียญเงินช้างเผือก(Rian Ngoen Chang Phueak) - RNgCh (S.M.E.) 20 July 1902 55
Gallery Old designs
Current designs
Selected recipients
Emperor Napoleon III - Knight Grand Cross (1851, Custom Design) Be Biauw Tjoan, Majoor-titulair der Chinezen – Knight (1895) Friedrich von Beck-Rzikowsky - Knight Grand Cross Plaek Phibunsongkhram - Knight Grand Cordon Sultan Ibrahim of Johor - Knight Grand Cordon Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah of Kedah - Knight Grand Cordon Chavalit Yongchaiyudh - Knight Grand Cordon Sarit Thanarat - Knight Grand Cordon Thanom Kittikachorn - Knight Grand Cordon Praphas Charusathien - Knight Grand Cordon Phin Choonhavan - Knight Grand Cordon Prem Tinsulanonda - Knight Grand Cordon Chatichai Choonhavan - Knight Grand Cordon Prayut Chan-o-cha - Knight Grand Cordon Surayud Chulanont - Knight Grand Cordon Arthit Kamlang-ek - Knight Grand Cordon Fuen Ronnaphagrad Ritthakhanee - Knight Grand Cordon Phao Siyanon - Knight Grand Cordon Chakthip Chaijinda - Knight Grand Cordon Somyot Poompanmoung - Knight Grand Cordon Thanasak Patimaprakorn - Knight Grand Cordon Pongsapat Pongcharoen - Knight Grand Cordon Apirat Kongsompong - Knight Grand Cross Pornpipat Benyasri - Knight Grand Cordon Chatchai Sriworakan - Knight Grand Cordon Chalermpol Srisawat - Knight Grand Cross Udomdej Sitabutr - Knight Grand Cordon Luechai Rutdit - Knight Grand Cordon Naris Pratumsuwan - Knight Grand Cordon Airbull Suttiwan - Knight Grand Cross Manat Wongwat - Knight Grand Cross Prince Paribatra Sukhumbandhu - Knight Grand Cordon Prince Bhanurangsi Savangwongse - Knight Grand Cordon Prince Narisara Nuwattiwong - Knight Grand Cordon Prince Damrong Rajanubhab - Knight Grand Cordon Prince Chula Chakrabongse - Knight Grand Cordon Prince Chakrabongse Bhuvanath - Knight Grand Cordon Prince Suphayok Kasem - Knight Grand Cordon (Special Class) Na Arreenich - Knight Grand Cordon Alexander I of Yugoslavia - Knight Grand Cordon Bob Hawke - Knight Grand Cordon Albert du Roy de Blicquy Norodom of Cambodia - Knight Grand Cross John T. Cole - Knight Commander Pakubuwono X - Knight Grand Cross (1929) Try Sutrisno - Knight Grand Cross (1991) Widodo Adi Sutjipto - Knight Grand Cross Feisal Tanjung - Knight Grand Cross Maraden Panggabean - Knight Grand Cross Abdul Haris Nasution - Knight Grand Cross (1960) Eric JoS. Heffelmire - Knight Grand Cordon R.E. Martadinata - Knight Grand Cross Hamengkubuwono IX - Knight Grand Cross Endriartono Sutarto - Knight Grand Cross L. B. Moerdani - Knight Grand Cross Sumitro Djojohadikusumo - Knight Grand Cross Kharis Suhud - Knight Grand Cross Ali Alatas - Knight Grand Cross (1988) & Knight Grand Cordon (2000) Mohamed Bolkiah - Knight Grand Cross Jefri Bolkiah - Knight Grand Cordon Mahathir Mohamad - Knight Grand Cordon (1981) Abdullah Ahmad Badawi - Knight Grand Cross (1994) Miklós Horthy - Knight Grand Cross The Earl Mountbatten of Burma - Knight Grand Cross Foster C. LaHue Creighton W. Abrams Ramon Magsaysay, 1955. Sir Samuel Robinson, 1923. "Capt. Samuel Robinson, Who Won Fame For Rescue Work in Jap Quake, Dies," New York Times. September 7, 1958. Graves B. Erskine - Knight Grand Cross Arne Skaug. Pierra Vejjabul Joseph J. Cappucci - Knight Commander (Second Class) David John Collins Awarded by King Rama V in 1897 (Fourth Class) Frederick William Verney - Commander Queen Victoria General William Westmoreland - Knight Grand Cross Vice Admiral Józef Unrug Major General Richard Secord Jiri Sitler - Knight Grand Cross (2006)Jiri Sitler Lieutenant Commander Saman Kunan - Knight Grand Cross (2018) Kirill Mikhailovich Barsky - Knight Grand Cross (2019)
See also
References
External links
The Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant, Secretariat to the Cabinet of Thailand (archived 24 September 2005)