Monarchies Today - Royalty around the globe: Gen. PREM Tinsulanonda (1920 - 2019); a royalist 'military statesman', who once was the world's oldest monarch

Soon after the most spectacular (yet) Royal transition of this century was culminated, an essential part of its smooth & elaborate development became part of history. General Prem Tinsulanonda, the most senior Thai royal court figure, former state leader & once the oldest-living de facto monarch in the world, passed away at the age of 98. He died on Sunday, May 26 (2019) of heart failure at Phramongkutklao hospital, where he was emergently transferred from his residence at ~5am, and was pronounced dead at 9:09am.

General Prem's body drapped into a Thai flag leaves the hospital where he died

General Prem was born on August 26, 1920 at Thailand's Southern Songkhla province. His family was honoured by Thai monarchy with the surname Tinsulanonda given by King Rama VI in 1919. Prem took his name from a senior revered monk as well. After his school graduation in 1937, Prem enrolled to an army technical school & later joined the military to participate in Indochina War & WWII. He became an army officer & in 1952 earned a scholarship, which he used to study in a US cavalry school. Prem Tinsulanonda never married & used to compare his bond with army as 'marriage'.

Prem first entered to politics in 1959 & rose to prominense by late 1960s, reaching the rank of major general & status of senator. In the early 1970s he participated in anti-communist expeditions in Northwestern Thailand, earning respect for providing amnesties & trying to intervene through dialogue. He also served as MP & in the second half of decade became the chief general of Thai Army being also appointed to senior ministries. King Rama IX appointed Prem as Prime Minister in 1980, a rank he held until 1988. Despite his inexperience in technocracy, his royalist views & mighty position contributed to the rise of reverence of Thai monarchy (which is de jure constitutional since 1932) & the revival of its influence in political decisions through the model of guided democracy (with a network of the most powerful elected officials, loyal to the King).

Prem (left) with King Bhumibol Adulyadej (1927-2016) / Rama IX (1946-2016)

Regent Prem Tinsulanonda (central-line, standing centre)
invites Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn to ascend the throne

After stepping down from politics, Prem retained his popularity & was soon named the King's senior adviser at the Privy Council. In 1998 he became its Head. Tinsulanonda was reportedly the most trusted adviser of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, and often used to make influensive decisions from behind the scenes. He is supposed to be the man behind a military coup against populist elected PM in 2006, which caused uncertainty. However, both men are hailed as forefathers of modern Thailand's history with Prem regarded as statesman. In the early 2010s as King's health failed, his influence declined, but he still remained a mentor to the (powerful) military. Prem openly endorsed a 2014 bloodless coup (the 13th successful during constitutional monarchy) and the current military junta, that uses the most oppressive lese-majeste laws in the world.

Military junta leader & Thailand's Prime Minister Gen. Prayuth Chan-o-cha
(kneeled) pays respects to elder statesman Prem Tinsulanonda at his residence

Elder statesman Prem receives Malaysian elderly Prime Minister
(his countepart in 1980s) Mahathir Mohammad (b. 1924) in 2018

Gen Prem (standing) was the oldest official to pay respects
to the newly crowned King Maha Vajiralongkorn/Rama X

Strength & longevity also contributed to the senior positions Prem reached. Outliving the frail revered King in 2016, the 96-year-old Head of the Privy Council took briefly the reins as Regent of Thailand, before the Crown Prince accepted his invitation to take the throne as King Rama X. In the 50 days from revered King Bhumibol's passing until Vajiralongkorn's formal proclamation as new King, the elder statesman (already the longest-lived Thai Prime Minister & one of the oldest-living state leaders worldwide) was technically the world's oldest monarch / Head of State. Still strong and resilient until his last days, Prem played a key-role in King Vajiralongkorn's coronation ceremonies last May, and also signed the certificate as a wittness of his royal wedding to Queen Suthida on May 1. The oldest official to participate in paying respect to the newly-crowned King, Prem declined an offered chair during a long-standing ovation. He died naturally 20 days later.

Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn (sitting) presides over the
first-day funeral bathing rite (Monday, 27 May 2019)

Prem's body was placed into a royal coffin at Banchamabophit marble Temple in central (capital) Bangkok the day after his death, & Buddhist funeral rites performed. Princess Sirindhorn attended the first-day bathing ceremony on behalf of the King & Queen.

Their Majesties attended the first week funeral ceremony (June 2). Vajiralongkorn, who was reportedly at odds with Prem & via a new constitution seems to have replaced guided democracy with immediate royal power, ordered national mourning of 21 days for the deceased (until June 17), with the exception of June 3 (which is the new Queen's birthday).

King Vajiralongkorn & Queen Suthida participate in Prem's funeral (8/12/2019)

Prem Tinsulanonda's Royal Urn at his funeral

Further merit-making ceremonies were held for the 15th, 50th & 100th day of elder statesman's passing. Some time after his residence was handed over to the state (through military) in mid. October, the King allowed the culmination of state funeral for Prem Tinsulanonda on Sunday, December 8 (2019) with his cremation taking place on that day. The three-day elaborate farewell included a funeral procession to Dhepsirin Temple, the main merit-making ceremony & officials (including Their Majesties & members of royal family) paying respects to the royal urn, placed above Prem's coffin. After the cremation was complete, General Prem's ashes & relics were collected on December 9 by Head designate of the Privy Council, with more prayers held for them.

Prayers over Gen. Prem Tinsulanonda's ashes & relics - 9/12/19

Prem Tinsulanonda got down to history as the embodiment of an era, maybe matching to an option of modern democracy in Thailand, but still fairly far from its literal meaning in the world.