The Chakri dynasty has been ruling Thailand since 1782 following the decline of Taksin Thonburi.

Thailand is one country where the monarchy has been practicing since centuries. And needless to say, that the country has flourished a lot ever since the foundation of Chakri dynasty. The dynasty, still in power, has seen a number of kings who are highly revered across the country. These kings are also called "Rama" after Sri Ram, the avatar of Lord Vishnu. As the Rama X, Maha Vajiralongkorn, is currently on the throne now, let's go through the history and have a look at some of the prolific rulers previously from this dynasty.

King Phra Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke (Rama I): King Phra Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke, the founder of Chakri dynasty, moved the capital of Siam (present day Thailand) from Thonburi to Bangkok. He built The Grand Palace housing The Emerald Buddha which is still referred to as one of the major landmarks in Bangkok. Being a skilled military leader, he succeeded at repelling the Burmese invasions on his land. Also, he introduced several policies to improve the overall socio-economic scenarios in Siam.

King Phra Nangklao (Rama III): King Phra Nangklao, an extremely significant ruler of Chakri dynasty, came to power in 1824 and went on to rule for the next 27 years. He, being an intelligent politician, supported the British in First Anglo-Burmese War (1824). Later, he got engaged in political conflicts with the Vietnamese and Cambodians. Also, he reformed the tax & treasury system and promoted the international trading in his kingdom.

King Mongkut (Rama IV): King Mongkut is regarded as "The Father of Science and Technology" in Thailand. During his reign between 1851 and 1868, the country got modernized in both culture and technology. But Thailand went through a huge pressure from the western power under his reign. For that, he had to sign the Bowring Treaty with the British Empire abolishing the Royal Storage on international trade.

King Vajiravudh (Rama VI): King Vajiravudh, ruling between 1910 and 1925, is widely regarded as the creator as well as promoter of Siamese nationalism. He formed a democratic rule and even participated in World War I. Also, he successfully continued the legacy of building contact with foreign countries. He was a great scholar who promoted education all over Thailand.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX): King Bhumibol Adulyadej ruled for 70 years (1946 - 2016) which is still the longest in Thailand. He worked with 30 prime ministers during the long reign. He was a true leader who developed numerous projects to develop the socio-economic situation in the country. He also did a lot to strengthen the military army of Thailand.

Therefore, we can conclude that the Chakri dynasty should be credited the most for shaping Thailand into its modern form.