His Majesty the King has granted a new title and the highest class of the Rattanaporn Medal to Princess Ubolratana, according an announcement in the Royal Gazette.
The princess has been granted the title of Phra Sothara Chethapakkinee, broadly meaning the title of the elder sister of the King.
The announcement said the King paid respects to the princess, and that as brother and sister they have been through both happy and trying times together.
It added the princess has performed many works with the utmost compassion, especially those related to education, social welfare and public health, which contributed to the betterment of youth, the general public and the nation.
In addition to conferring to the princess the highest class of the Rattanaporn Medal, the King earlier conferred the Dame Grand Commander of the Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao, as well as the second highest class of the Rattanaporn Medal to Khun Ploypailin Jensen, who is Princess Ubolratana's eldest daughter, and Khun Sirikittiya Jensen, the princess' youngest daughter.
After the announcement, Princess Ubolratana said on her Instagram page that the title does not connote a new position.
If she had been given a new royal position, it might have entailed certain limitations on and could have rendered her work as a princess difficult.
In a separate Royal Gazette announcement, the King granted the highest class of the Rattanaporn Medal award to Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda.
The Gazette also published a royal command bestowing honours upon Col Sineenart Wongvajirapakdi, who is attached to the Ratcha Wallop royal guard unit.
She has been given the Dame Grand Cross of the Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao, the Rattanaporn Medal First Class, the Knight Grand Cordon of the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant and the Knight Grand Cordon of the Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand.