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Krom Phra Ratchawang Bowon Sathan Mongkhon กรมพระราชวังบวรสถานมงคล, colloquially known as the Front Palace (, ), was the title of the uparaja of Siam, variously translated as "viceroy", "vice king" or "Lord/Prince of the Front Palace", as the titleholder resided in the physical residence of the same name. The office of Front Palace was considered second only to the king and regarded as the heir presumptive. The name, with its dual meaning, originated in the Ayutthaya period, and the holder later gained significant powers during the Rattanakosin period. Front Palace occupants were usually a son or brother of the reigning monarch. The office existed until the death of the last occupant, Prince Wichaichan, in 1885. King Chulalongkorn then abolished the office of an heir presumptive, introducing in its stead the Western concept of a crown prince as heir apparent, and styled the new office "Crown Prince of Siam".
Phetracha in 1688 appointed his son Luang Sorasak (later Sanpet VIII) as the Uparat living at the Front Palace. For the first time the descriptive term used was "Krom Phrarajawang Bovorn Sathan Mongkol" ( (lit. The Great Auspicious Place). The Uparat was usually the brother of the king, and only heir presumptive to the throne, not heir apparent. This created an air of uncertainty about the succession upon the death of the king; keeping the heir close at hand in the Great Auspicious Place proved a means for keeping an eye on him, lest he presume too much. When the Uparat died before the king, the title often remained vacant for several years, until the King deigns to appoint a new vice-king.
The Front Palaces during the Rattanakosin period wielded great power, with their own private army and even a navy. In 1851, King Mongkut made his brother Pinklao the Front Palace and then crowned him as a King equal in rank to himself, as was the case of Naresuan and Ekatotsarot. Pinklao also received all the styles and titles usually reserved only for the monarch; to Europeans he refers to himself as the Second King. In 1868, after the coronation of young Chulalongkorn, his regent Sri Suriwongse arranged the grant of the title of Front Palace to Pinklao's son Prince Yingyot as Front Palace Wichaichan.
Though the office had been superseded, Mahidol Adulyadej, the Prince Father was posthumously given an equivalent rank.ราชกิจจานุเบกษา, ประกาศเฉลิมพระนามาภิไธย สมเด็จพระบรมราชชนก และ สมเด็จพระบรมราชชนนี, เล่ม ๘๗, ตอน ๕๒, ๑๒ มิถุนายน พ.ศ. ๒๕๑๓, ฉบับพิเศษ หน้า ๑
| Ramesuan | Borommarachathirat II | Son | 1438–1448 | as Borommatrailokkanat |
| Chettha | Borommatrailokkanat | Son | 1485–1488 | as Ramathibodi II |
| Chettha | Borommarachathirat III | Younger brother | 1488–1491 | as Ramathibodi II |
| Athittayawong | Ramathibodi II | Son | 1526–1529 | as Borommarachathirat IV |
| Chairacha | Borommarachathirat IV | Younger brother | 1529–1533 | as Chairachathirat |
| Chan | Worawongsathirat | Younger brother | 1548 (42 days) | Assassinated |
| Ramesuan | Maha Chakkraphat | Son | 1548–1563 | Died |
| Mahin | Maha Chakkraphat | Son | 1564–1568 | as Mahinthrathirat |
| Naresuan | Maha Thammaracha | Son | 1571–1590 | as Naresuan (Naresuan the Great) |
| Ekathotsarot | Naresuan | Younger brother | 1590–1605 | as Ekathotsarot (Ekathotsarot) |
| Sutat | Ekathotsarot | Son | 1605–1610 | Died |
| Si Sorarak | Songtham | Son | 1620 (10 days) | Died |
| Narai | Si Suthammaracha | Nephew | 1656 (2 months 17 days) | as Narai (Narai the Great) |
| Sorasak | Phetracha | Son | 1688–1703 | as Sanphet VIII (Suriyenthrathibodi) |
| Phet | Suriyenthrathibodi | Son | 1703–1708 | as Thai Sa (Thai Sa) |
| Phon | Thai Sa | Brother | 1708–1732 | as Borommakot (Borommakot) |
| Thammathibet | Borommakot | Son | 1732–1746 | Executed |
| Phonphinit | Borommakot | Son | 1757–1758 | as Uthumphon (Uthumphon) |
| Inthraphithak | Taksin | Son | –1782 | Executed |
| Maha Sura Singhanat | Rama I | Brother | 1782–1803 | Died |
| Rama II | Rama I | Son | 1806–1809 | as Rama II (Phutthaloetla Naphalai) |
| Maha Senanurak | Rama II | Brother | 1809–1817 | Died |
| Sakdiphonlasep | Rama III | Uncle | 1824–1832 | Died |
| Pinklao | Mongkut | Brother | 1851–1866 | Crowned as co-ruler with Mongkut |
| Wichaichan | Chulalongkorn | Cousin | 1868–1885 | Died, title abolished |
With the death of Wichaichan, Chulalongkorn did not appoint any new Front Palaces. In 1886, Chulalongkorn made his son Prince Maha Vajirunhis, "Crown Prince of Siam", therefore abolishing the title of Front Palace altogether.
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