Bhumibol Adulyadej
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| Image:Kingofthailand2.GIF.JPG King Bhumibol Adulyadej: His current public image as seen on billboards all over Thailand | |
| Reign | June 9, 1946 - Present |
| Coronation | May 5, 1950 |
| Predecessor | King Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII) |
| Heir Apparent | HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn |
| Spouse | Queen Sirikit |
| Issue | Princess Ubol Ratana HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn HRH Crown Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn HRH Princess Chulabhorn Walailak |
| Royal House | Chakri Dynasty |
| Father | Mahidol Adulyadej, Prince of Songkla |
| Mother | Sangwal, the Princess Mother |
| Born | December 5, 1927 Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States |
King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great (Thai: ภูมิพลอดุลยเดช; IPA: Template:IPA; Template:Audio) (born December 5, 1927), also known as King Rama IX and the Ninth Rama, has been King of Thailand since 9 June 1946. He is currently the world's longest-serving head of state.
Contents |
Early life
Time in the USA
King Bhumibol was born at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the United States, as the youngest son of Mahidol Adulyadej, Prince of Songkhla (son of King Chulalongkorn) and Mom Sangwal (later Somdej Phra Sri Nakarindhara Boromaratchachonnani). At the time of birth, he was known to the Thai people as Phra Worawongse Ther Phra Ong Chao Bhumibol Adulyadej (พระวรวงศ์เธอ พระองค์เจ้าภูมิพลอดุลยเดช), reflecting the fact that his mother was a commoner. Had he been born just a few years earlier, before his uncle King Prajadhipok passed a law allowing children of a prince and a commoner to be called Phra Ong Chao (a prince of a lesser status than Chao Fa), he would have been called Mom Chao (the most junior class of the Thai 'princes'), similar to his older brother and sister. He was brought back to Thailand on the following year, after Prince Mahidol finished his medical study at Harvard University.
Education
After a brief period of primary schooling at the Mater Dei school in Bangkok, Phra Ong Chao Bhumibol left from the age of six with the rest of his family for Switzerland where he continued his secondary education at the École Nouvelle de la Suisse romande, in Chailly-sur-Lausanne and received the baccalauréat de lettres (high-school diploma with major in French literature, Latin, and Greek) from the Gymnase classique cantonal of Lausanne. He was studying science at the University of Lausanne when his elder brother, Phra Ong Chao Ananda Mahidol was crowned king of Thailand. King Ananda Mahidol then elevated his brother and sister to the Chao Fa status (the most senior class of the Thai princes) in 1935. They came to Thailand briefly in 1938, but returned to Switzerland for further study until 1945 (or 2488 in the Buddhist calendar).
Succession
Upon the mysterious and premature death (possibly a murder) of his brother Ananda Mahidol (King Rama VIII) on June 9, 1946, Chao Fa Bhumibol acceded to the throne on the same day. However, as he wished to continue his education, his uncle, Rangsit Prince of Chainat, was appointed Prince Regent while the King returned to Switzerland. This time, he changed his fields to Law and Political Science as this would be more useful now that he had become king.
Marriage and family
Image:Portrait bhumibol sirikit.jpg While finishing his degree in Switzerland, he visited automobile manufacturing plants in Paris frequently. It was in Paris that he first met a distant cousin of his, Mom Rajawongse Sirikit Kitiyakara, daughter of the Thai ambassador to France. He then became a frequent visitor to the ambassador's house. When he lost an eye in a car accident and needed to be hospitalized in Lausanne, Mom Rajawongse Sirikit then became his frequent visitor. On one occasion, she also met the King's mother who asked her to continue her study in Lausanne, as the King had expressed his interest in her and wished to know her better. She obliged and the King chose Riante Rive, a boarding school in Lausanne for her. This eventually led to their quiet engagement in Lausanne on July 19, 1949. He married her on April 28, 1950 — just a week before his coronation.
The King and his wife Queen Sirikit have four children:
- (Formerly HRH) Princess Ubol Ratana, born April 5, 1951 in Lausanne, Switzerland;
- HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, born July 28, 1952;
- HRH Crown Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, born April 2, 1955;
- HRH Princess Chulabhorn Walailak, born July 4, 1957.
One of the King's grandchildren, Bhumi Jensen (also known as Khun Poom), was killed in the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. He was the half-Caucasian son of Princess Ubol Ratana.
Coronation
Bhumibol was crowned King of Thailand on May 5, 1950 at the Royal Palace in Bangkok. His ceremonial name, according to the ancient tradition, is:
- พระบาทสมเด็จพระปรมินทรมหาภูมิพลอดุลยเดช มหิตลาธิเบศรามาธิบดี จักรีนฤบดินทร์ สยามินทราธิราช บรมนาถบพิตร
- Phrabat Somdej Phra Paramindra Maha Bhumibol Adulyadej Mahitaladhibet Ramadhibodi Chakrinarubodindara Sayamindaradhiraj Boromanatbophit (Template:Audio)
On the same day, he made his consort Queen (Somdej Phra Boromarajini).
The date of his formal accession to the throne is celebrated each May 5th in Thailand as Coronation Day, a public holiday.
The second regency
Following the death of his grandmother Queen Savang Vadhana (สว่างวัฒนา, Sawang Watthana Phra Phanvasa Areekajao), the King entered a 15 day monkhood (October 22 - November 5, 1956), as is customary. During the time, HM Queen Sirikit was appointed his regent. She was later appointed Queen Regent (Somdej Phra Boromarajininat) in recognition for this.
Styles
His full ceremonial name is provided in the above section.
Although often referred to as King Rama IX in English language translation, the name 'Rama' itself was never used in Thai. The name Rama IX was used to roughly approximate the word Ratchakal ti kao (รัชกาลที่ 9, lit. The Ninth Reign), which can be used to refer to this King.
More commonly, Thais refer to him as Nai Luang or Phra Chao Yu Hua (ในหลวง or พระเจ้าอยู่หัว, both mean 'the King').
Formally, he would be referred to as Phrabat Somdej Phra Chao Yu Hua (พระบาทสมเด็จพระเจ้าอยู่หัว) or, in legal document, Phrabat Somdej Phra Paraminthara Maha Bhumibol Adulyadej (พระบาทสมเด็จพระปรมินทรมหาภูมิพลอดุลยเดช); and in English as His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
He signs his name as ภูมิพลอดุลยเดช ป.ร. (Bhumibol Adulyadej Por Ror; this is the Thai equivalent of Bhumibol Adulyadej R[ex]).
Life as King
The King and politics
While the King is nominally a constitutional monarch who serves as a figurehead, ceremonial leader, Thais nevertheless view him as an important figure within the national government. While the King normally refrains from getting involved in politics, he has on rare occasions intervened.
During the early years of his reign Bhumibol had little power and was little more than a ceremonial front for the various authoritarian regimes which had run Thailand most of the time since the "Democratic" Revolution of 1932. However, the respect he earned from his people after years of hard work would eventually help shape Thailand's democracy.
In 1973 King Bhumibol asserted himself by making it clear he favoured an end to Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn's military regime and the establishment of democracy. This ended the savage conflict between the military and the pro-democracy students.
In 1992 he again played a key role in the transition to a fully democratic system. A coup on February 231991 effectively put Thailand back under military dictatorship (ironically, the civilian Prime Minister appointed by the junta, Anand Panyarachun, was arguably one of the finest PMs of Thailand; he is still popular to this day). After a general election, held in 1992, the majority parties invited General Suchinda Kraprayoon, a leader of the coup, to be the Prime Minister. This caused much dissent among the people: it was felt this confirmed that the General, despite what was manifested at the coup, did that for his own benefit and that the government would effectively be a military regime in disguise. The conflict escalated to demonstration, then arson, and then (allegedly massive) deaths of the pro-democracy demonstrators when the military was brought in to control the crowd. The situation became increasingly critical as neither side would back down and the violence escalated.
The King summoned General Kraprayoon and the leader of the pro-democracy movement, Major General Chamlong Srimuang, to a televised audience. In an extraordinary scene, both men appeared on their knees before their king. Afterwards General Kraprayoon, former leader of a coup and Prime Minister for 64 days, resigned. A general election was held shortly afterward, and democracy was thus restored.
At the peak of 2003 Phnom Penh riots in Cambodia, hundreds of Thai protesters, enraged by the burning of Thai embassy in Phnom Penh and the sacrilegious acts towards the King's image, gathered outside the Cambodian embassy in Bangkok. In retaliation, the protesters ripped the Cambodian seal out of the front wall, and tried to break into the embassy, possibly to burn it to the ground. It was King Bhumibol who talked down the protesters, preventing a major international conflict.
The royal projects
The south and west sides of his palace, The Chitralada Villa, have several features unique to the palace of the King of Thailand including silos, processing plants and farms. These are just a small part of the so-called "royal projects", which range from research projects (mainly agriculturally-related), to alternative schools, skill training, water conservation, to land development (this list is by no means exhaustive).
The King and the people
Image:Candles for Bhumibol Adulyadej's birthday-1-KayEss-1.jpeg
The popularity of the monarchy, at its lowest during the reign of Bhumibol's uncle, King Prajadhipok, improved when his brother, King Ananda Mahidol, acceded to the throne, and has reached an unprecedented level during King Bhumibol's reign. The King commands great respect among the Thai people, who view the monarchy in a semi-religious light and admire his hands-on approach in helping Thailand's rural poor. He managed this by extensively touring the various different corners of the country and by installing various medical aid and agricultural projects. His rare political interventions, generally viewed as being in favor of democracy, also added greatly to his already enormous prestige.
One of his avocations, unique to the Monarch of Thailand, is to preside over the commencement activities of the government universities. Formerly most graduates from the government universities in Thailand received their diplomas from his royal hand. In recent years, however, this tedious work has been delegated to the prince and princesses.
Having had the same monarch now for 60 years, few Thais can remember any other head of state. King Bhumibol's image is prominently displayed all over the country, including on every coin and banknote. Thais take any suggestion of disrespect for the King, by Thais or foreigners, very seriously.
It is also worth noting that in addition to the personality cult surrounding King Bhumibol, criticism of the king is illegal in Thailand (it is known as lese majeste), and has been usually enforced by arrest or deportation.
On March 24, 2006, the Kom Chad Luek newspaper, embroiled in controversy over a misquote suggesting the Thai protest leader Sondhi Limthongkul wanted King Bhumibol to abdicate, agreed to shut down for three days amid protests, as it stood accused of lese majeste. The paper also printed a front page apology in which the editors asked for forgiveness from the king.
On May 5, 1987, he received, from the prime minister, the honorary epithet the Great.
The King's designated successor is Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn.
Private life
Image:Thai King Standard.png King Bhumibol is an accomplished jazz musician and composer. He was awarded honorary membership of the Vienna Institute of Music and Arts at the age of 32. He used to play jazz music on air on the Or Sor radio station earlier in his reign. His songs can often be heard at social gatherings and are performed in concerts.
In addition, he is a painter, photographer and best-selling author and translator. His translated works are "Tito" (The biography of Josip Broz Tito, former Yugoslavian president, by Phyllis Auty) and "Nai In Phu Pid Tong Laang Phra" (The Man called Intrepid by William Stephenson). National best-seller "Phra Mahachanok" is based on a traditional Jataka story of Buddhist scripture. "The story of Thong Daeng" is the story of his dog Khun Thong Daeng. He suggested making this book into a bilingual comic illustrated by a nationally famous comic illustrator Chai Rajawat, and it sold out quickly. He is the world's first and only monarch to hold a patent, holding one in 1993 for a waste water aerator named "Chai Pattana", and several patents on rainmaking since 1955: the "sandwich" rainmaking patent in 1999 and lately the "supersandwich" patent in 2004.
Crown Property Bureau
The assets of the King and the Thai royal household are managed by the Crown Property Bureau[1]. Estimates of the total wealth of the royal household range from 2 billion to 8 billion USD [2]. The current Director General of the CPB is Chirayu Issarangkul Na Ayuthaya. Through the CPB, the King owns many properties through-out Thailand and equity in many companies, including Siam Cement (the largest Thai industrial conglomerate) and Siam Commercial Bank (one of the largest banks). About 36,000 of the CPB's properties are leased or rented to third parties[3]. Properties owned by the CPB include the sites of the Four Seasons Hotel, the Suan Lum Night Bazaar, and Central World Tower.
Biography
American journalist Paul Handley, who spent thirteen years in Thailand, wrote the biography The King Never Smiles (ISBN 0300106823) in 2005, to be published by Yale University Press in 24 April 2006. The Information and Communications Ministry banned the book and blocked the book's website in February 2006. In a statement dated 19 January 2006, Thai National Police Chief Gen. Kowit Wattana said the book has "contents which could affect national security and the good morality of the people."[4]
The censored publicity materials at the Yale University Press website describe a book telling "the unexpected story of (King Bhumibol Adulyadej's) life and 60-year rule — how a Western-raised boy came to be seen by his people as a living Buddha, and how a king widely seen as beneficent and apolitical could in fact be so deeply political, autocratic, and even brutal... Blasting apart the widely accepted image of the king as egalitarian and virtuous, Handley convincingly portrays an anti-democratic monarch who, together with allies in big business and the murderous, corrupt Thai military, has protected a centuries-old, barely modified feudal dynasty."[5]
Until the book is published; however, it can't be decided if the book is factual or it's "Anna and the King of Siam" all over again. As quoted by Yale University Press Senior Editor John Kulka, the book is "interpretive biography." Therefore, it is not unlikely that the author and reviewers lack deep insight of Thai culture to comprehend causes and effects of King's actions for the country. Another biography book, The Revolutionary King (ISBN 1841194514), was also written by a westerner and published in 2001. The main difference is the author, William Stevenson, had access to the Royal Court and was allowed contact to the Royal Family. This book shows intimate knowledge of the author and involves more personal aspects of the King. Still, the book has been banned on the ground of historical inaccuracy and unfounded conspiracy theory.
Although Stevenson spent hundreds of hours with the King researching the book, which was actually proposed by Bhumibol, Thai distributors will not sell The Revolutionary King and the Royal Household Bureau has warned the Thai media about even referring to the volume in print. The book has been criticized by Thais for factual inaccuracies and for being disrespectful by referring to the King throughout by his family nickname "Lek," or little brother. Stevenson's theory that the King's brother was killed by a Japanese spy has also been dismissed by Thai historians. "The King said from the beginning the book would be dangerous for him and for me," says Stevenson.[6]
See also
- History of Thailand (1932-1973)
- History of Thailand since 1973
- Public Holidays in Thailand
- Chakri dynasty (Kings of Thailand)
External links
- A Visionary Monarch - provides a lot of insights on his visions and contributions to the country.
- The Golden Jubilee Network - has many subjects on the King, including his projects, speeches, and his royal new year card.
- Office of the Royal Development Projects Board
- Supreme Artist - see works of art created by the King.
- The King's Birthplace
- Palaces of the King - provides information of palaces in Thailand.
- Thai monarchy
- Thailand's Guiding Light
- Thailand: How a 700-Year-Old System of Government Functions - article by David Lamb (LA Times staff writer) on Bhumibol
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