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Phraya

Phraya (พระยา) is a Thai noble title historically used in the kingdoms of Siam, including Ayutthaya and early Bangkok. It denotes a high rank within the traditional system of aristocratic titles and is typically interpreted as an honorific for senior officials and provincial governors. The title is formed from the honorific prefix Phra and a suffix derived from royal-era terminology, reflecting its origin in Sanskrit and Pali linguistic influences.

In its practical use, a Phraya was usually a high-ranking official entrusted with important administrative, military,

With modernization and reforms in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Thai system of noble

or
diplomatic
responsibilities.
Titles
in
the
Siamese
hierarchy
placed
Phraya
below
the
supreme
Chao
Phraya
but
above
other
noble
ranks,
marking
the
bearer
as
a
person
of
significant
status
within
the
royal
administration.
Style
and
address
followed
formal
conventions,
with
the
holder
referred
to
as
Phraya
X
and
addressed
accordingly
in
court
and
official
correspondence.
titles
was
reorganized,
and
the
official
use
of
titles
such
as
Phraya
declined.
Today,
Phraya
survives
mainly
in
historical
records,
genealogies,
and
ceremonial
contexts,
and
may
appear
in
the
names
of
former
titleholders
or
as
part
of
traditional
place
and
institution
names.
The
term
remains
a
key
element
in
discussions
of
Thai
aristocratic
history
and
the
evolution
of
governance
under
the
monarchy.
See
also:
Chao
Phraya,
Thai
nobility,
Royal
decrees
on
titles.