English: Title: Social Hierarchy in the Ayutthaya Era of Siam. This represents the social classes during the Ayutthaya Era. The Sakdina system (Thai: ศักดินา) was developed over centuries in Siam (Thailand). It was used for around 600 years from the Ayutthaya Kingdom to early Rattanakosin periods of Thai history. In 1454, the first king of Ayutthaya, King Ramathibodi I (King U-thong), 1314–1369) announced that all land belonged to the king. The king was an absolute monarch, he granted control to his subjects. A numerical rank called rai was assigned to every person based on their status which determined their place in the social and political structure. The number of rai is the amount of land one is allowed to posses. In practice this correlated with the number of people under their control. Members of the Royal Family were the second most powerful ruling class. The nobility held important ruling positions in society. Noble ranks and titles are mentioned in documents of early Tai city states including Sukhothai. Noble titles (comprise a rank and a title) were not hereditary, they were individually granted by the king based on merit and could be revoked. The monk class were learned Buddhist monks (Bhikkhu) (Thai: ภิกษุ, phiksu). They were members of the Sangha (assembly) (Thai: phrasong, พระสงฆ์). The Commoners could utilize the land with permission. For example peasants could use the land if they cultivated it. The bottom class were various kinds of slaves. Note: this is based on Thai sources with similar descriptions.