Supreme Patriarch of Thailand

Supreme Patriarch of the Rattanakosin สกลมหาสังฆปริณายกแห่งกรุงรัตนโกสินทร์
Incumbent Somdet Phra Ariyavongsagatanana (Amborn Ambaro) since 12 February 2017
Style	His Holiness
Member of	Supreme Sangha Council
Appointer	King of Thailand and countersigned by the Prime Minister
Term length	Lifetime
Formation	2325 BE (1782/83 CE)
First holder	Ariyavongsanana (Sri)

The Supreme Patriarch or Sangharaja (Thai: สังฆราช; rtgs: Sangkharat) is the head of the order of Buddhist monks in Thailand. His full title is Somdet Phra Saṅgharāja Sakalamahāsaṅghapariṇāyaka (Thai: สมเด็จพระสังฆราช สกลมหาสังฆปริณายก; rtgs: Somdet Phra Sangkharat Sakonlamahasangkhaparinayok; 'the Supreme Patriarch, the Head of all Members of the Sangha').

As early as the Sukhothai period (thirteenth to sixteenth centuries CE), there were city-dwelling and forest-dwelling orders, and there was more than one Supreme Patriarch appointed. In modern times, however, only one position is responsible all fraternities and orders. As of December 2016,^[update] the Supreme Patriarch was formally appointed by the King of Thailand and countersigned by the Prime Minister, with consultation of the Supreme Sangha Council, an administrative body of the Thai Sangha. The Supreme Patriarch has legal authority to oversee both of Thailand's Theravada fraternities, the Maha Nikaya and the Dhammayuttika Nikaya, as well as the small minority of Mahayana Buddhists in the country. He is also the President of the Supreme Sangha Council.