On August 7 each year, Thailand observes Rapee Day, commemorating the passing away of Prince Rapee Pattanasak, the father of Thailand’s modern legal system.
On Thursday morning, lawmakers, court officials and city officials led by Deputy Chief Judge of the Court of Appeal Region 8, Chowalit Leelahawong, gathered at the courtyard of Phuket Provincial Court to pay homage and place garlands at the statue of HRH Prince Rapee Pattanasak.
Phuket Governor Nisit Jansomwong, Phuket City Mayor Somjai Suwannasupapana and Phuket City Police Deputy Superintendent Col Saman Chainarong were among the many who attended the event.
HRH Prince Rapee, a son of HM King Chulalongkorn, also known simply as Rama V, was born on October 21, 1874.
After he obtained his secondary education in Suan Kularb Palace School in Bangkok, he went on to study law at Christchurch College, Oxford University. He came back and became minister of justice at the age of 22 in 1896. He held the position for 14 years.
The Prince took initiatives on establishment of the first law school in the country in 1897, Prince Rapee drew up a syllabus and taught the students himself. In his 14 years in office, he laid a firm foundation for the Thai legal system.
Every year on August 7, Thais lawmakers and government officials cerebrate the day to honour the founding father of Thai law and call the day that the prince passed away as “Rapee Day”.