Arsa Sarasin

Arsa Sarasin (อาสา สารสิน; born 26 May 1937) is a Thai diplomat and businessman who served as Principal Private Secretary to King Bhumibol Adulyadej until he retired in 2012.

Early life and education
Arsa Sarasin was the son of former Prime Minister of Thailand Pote Sarasin and his wife, Thanpuying Siri Sarasin. He was one of three brothers, including Pao Sarasin and Pong Sarasin. Arsa Sarasin graduated from Bangkok Christian College, a private boys' school in Bangkok and Dawlish Primary School in London. He then moved to the United States, where he study High school at Wilbraham & Monson Academy and received a bachelor's degree from Boston University.

Careers
From 1977 to 1979, he was firstly appointed as Thailand's ambassador to Belgium. Then, around two to three years later from 1982 to 1985, he was Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and from 1985 to 1988 he was appointed ambassador to the United States.

From 1999 to 2012, he was Principal Private Secretary to King Bhumibol Adulyadej, responsible for aiding the monarch in the exercise of his official duties and relations with the government. He has sat on the boards of the family-owned Thai Pure Drinks Company, as well as the Siam Cement Group, Charoen Pokphand Foods, Dusit International, and Bangkok Dusit Medical Services.

National honours

 * Order of the White Elephant - Special Class (Thailand) ribbon.svg Knight Grand Cordon (Special Class) of the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant (1984)
 * Order of the Crown of Thailand - Special Class (Thailand) ribbon.svg Knight Grand Cordon (Special Class) of the Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand (1982)
 * Order of Chula Chom Klao - 2nd Class upper (Thailand) ribbon.svg Knight Grand Cordon (Second Class, upper grade) of the Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao (1994)
 * Chakrabarti Mala Medal (Thailand) ribbon.svg Chakrabarti Mala Medal (1985)
 * The Boy Scout Citation Medal - 1st Class (Thailand) ribbon.svg First Class of the Boy Scout Citation Medal of Vajira (2003)

Foreign honours

 * 🇧🇪 Belgium:
 * BEL Kroonorde Grootkruis BAR.svg Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown
 * Brunei:
 * BRU Order of Merit of Brunei.svg First Class of the Order of Paduka Seri Laila Jasa (2002)
 * 🇰🇭 Cambodia:
 * KHM Royal Order of Sahametrei - Grand Cross.svg Grand Cross (Maha Sirivudha) of the Royal Order of Sahametrei
 * 🇩🇰 Denmark:
 * Order of the Dannebrog S.K.svg Grand Cross of the Order of the Dannebrog (2001)
 * 🇩🇪 Germany:
 * GER Bundesverdienstkreuz 7 Grosskreuz.svg Grand Cross 1st Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (1984)
 * 🇯🇵 Japan:
 * JPN Kyokujitsu-sho 1Class BAR.svg Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun (1992)
 * JPN Zuiho-sho (WW2) 4Class BAR.svg Fourth Class of the Order of the Sacred Treasure (1966)
 * 🇳🇵 Nepal:
 * Order of Gorkha Dakshina Bahu.svg Member First Class of the Order of Gorkha Dakshina Bahu
 * 🇳🇱 Netherlands:
 * Order of Orange-Nassau ribbon - Knight Grand Cross.svg Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau (2004)
 * 🇸🇪 Sweden:
 * Order of the Polar Star (after 1975) - Commander Grand Cross.svg Commander Grand Cross of the Order of the Polar Star (2003)