In line with this approach manpower reform was the main item on Somdet Chaophraya’s agenda right at the beginning of the reign he appointed as head of Krom Suratsawadi (the office responsible for phrai registration) a noble of a commoner background named phraya Burut (pheng penkun) he had been a client of King Mongkut whom he had faithfully served during his monkhood andlater as a senior official in the royal pages department achieving the tltle of phraya ratchasuphawadi Somdet Chaophraya’s choice of this loyal but humble servant reflected his concern to appoint somebody who did not share the traditional ruling class’s vested interest in preserving the old manpower system