Admiral Prince Abhakara Kiartivongse, Prince of Chumphon (19 December 1880 – 19 May 1923) (, , full title: ), was the 28th child of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V). He was commonly revered as "The Father of the Thai Navy". As the founder of the Thai Navy (then known as the 'Royal Siamese Navy'), Abhakara was highly praised by many Thais as "Sadej Tia" (; lit. Lord Father), "Mor Phon" (; lit. Doctor Phon). The Thai Royal Navy officially granted him the title of "the Father of the Thai Navy" in 1993. There are 217 shrines and memorials built to honour him around Thailand. The most famous of these is the Prince of Chumphon Shrine at Hat Sai Ree in Chumphon Province, where he recuperated and rehabilitated from his illnesses, before his death on 19 May 1923. Career Prince Abhakara Kiartivongse was born on 19 December 1880. His mother, chao chom manda Mot (Mot Bunnag), was a royal concubine from an aristocratic but non-royal family, which meant that Abhakara was unlikely to ascend to the throne. In late 1893, his father, Rama V, sent Abhakara and his brother Vajiravudh to study military science in England. The king's decision was motivated by the recent loss of Siam's Laotian territories to France, and his consequent desire to modernise Siam's army and navy. He hoped that his sons would acquire western military knowledge that would allow them to train future officers of the armed forces. From January 1884, the two princes studied in Ascot under the tutelage of Basil Thomson; in 1895, Vajiravudh began training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, while Abhakara moved to The Limes, a naval preparatory school for Britannia Royal Naval College at Greenwich, before commencing sea training in April 1897 aboard the Siamese vessel Maha Chakri. He was accepted as a midshipman (officer cadet) in the Royal Navy and posted to the battleship HMS Revenge in November 1897, and subsequently served in HMS Ramillies, the sloop HMS Cruiser and the reconnaissance vessel HMS Hawk. Abhakara achieved good marks in his training and impressed his supervisors with his skills, but was not allowed to undertake courses in naval tactics, gunnery or torpedoes, which were deemed to be of a 'confidential character' by the Admiralty. Since the late 20th century, some royal biographers have claimed that Abhakara saw active service in Crete during the three months of the Theriso revolt, but