[7] From January 1884, the two princes studied in Ascot under the tutelage of Basil Thomson;[8] in 1895, Vajiravudh began training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, while Abhakara moved to The Limes, a naval preparatory school for Britannia Royal Naval College at Greenwich, before commencing sea training in April 1897 aboard the Siamese vessel Maha Chakri.

[11] Abhakara achieved good marks in his training and impressed his supervisors with his skills, but was not allowed to undertake courses in naval tactics, gunnery or torpedoes, which were deemed to be of a 'confidential character' by the Admiralty.

[12] Since the late 20th century, some royal biographers have claimed that Abhakara saw active service in Crete during the three months of the Theriso revolt,[13] but the chronology of this episode is difficult to corroborate with the prince's known postings and movements during his time in Britain, and the story has been described as one that 'may fit more easily into the category of legend than into that of fact.

He was made Director of the Naval Education Department, and subsequently named Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Siamese Navy in 1903–10, in which role he contributed significantly to the modernisation of the force.

[15] In 1920, he returned to England to negotiate the purchase of the destroyer HMS Radiant, which was transferred to the Royal Siamese Navy in September as Phra Ruang.

[21] Not long after being honoured to the title "Commander in Chief, Admiral and Father" of the Siamese Navy, Abhakara resigned from office on the grounds of ill health.