King Bhumibol – Thailand's Long Serving Monarch
Concern for the Thai King as he Fights Infection in Hospital
Oct 17, 2009
No current Monarch is as revered as the Thai King Bhumibol, whose portrait hangs in every home and office in the land as well as being displayed at cross-roads and prominent roadsides in the Kingdom.
Considered by many politicians both inside and outside the country asthe glue that keeps the country together, his current illness is severe enough to cause the stock market to plunge 8% this week and throw the local currency into disarray. Fears are that investors will dump their Thai assets. The shadow of the 1997 currency debacle is never far away.
King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand – Some Facts
- The name Bhumibol is pronounced Pumipon
- He was born in Massachusetts, USA, on December 2nd 1927 where his father, Prince Mahidol, was studying medicine at Harvard.
- While finishing his education in Switzerland he met the aristocratic Mom Rajawongse Sirikit Kittiyakara and they married in 1950.
- It is presumed the heir to the throne will be HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn who is married with two sons and five daughters. He is the first male heir to be born to a reigning monarch in Thailand in 59 years.
- King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit also produced 3 daughters, the much-loved HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn (most like her father in the way she works for the country and the people), HRH Princess Chulabhorn, and HRH Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya who gave up her title many years ago to marry an American, has since divorced and returned to Thailand with her children, one of whom died in the tsunami that struck Phuket in 2004.
King Bhumibol as a Unifying Force
- The King ascended the throne in 1950 when he had completed his studies in Switzerland.
- His often expressed love of his people and his country and his forays into the mountains and jungles of the north where he is often seen working with the rice farmers, has led to him being regarded as almost divine by his more superstitious subjects. Criticism of the royal family is forbidden and the law of lese majeste has recently been invoked to deal with writers who have allegedly spoken in unfavourable terms of some royal happenings.
- Thailand has a constitutional monarchy which means it has few formal powers. However, the king’s comments on events that take place in the country are highly influential and although he is seen as above politics, his influence over policy is critical.
The Military, The King, Coups and Politics
- During his reign there have been more than a dozen coups but all factions claimed loyalty to him. King Bhumibol has always trod a wary path with the military, and although he has few legal powers, he has managed to keep the prestige of the monarchy high in the people’s estimation.
- The King’s intervention in October 1973 at the height of the bloody student demonstrations against the military government was responsible for persuading the generals to step down and leave the country. This solidified his rule with his people who saw him as acting on their behalf.
- Again in May 1992 he intervened after 3 days of bloody fighting between army and demonstrators.
King Bhumipol as a Private Man.
- The King is a great Jazz saxophonist and has played with some of the great jazzmen of the age. Any American jazzman in Bangkok can expect an invitation to the Palace.
- His other great hobby is photography, proved by the fact that he is seldom seen without a camera round his neck. It is said that he prefers black and white photography which reflects his preference for the simplicities of life.
The writer is a historian and has studied the history of Thailand and the Thai people for many years. The information in the article comes from informants in Thailand and her own knowledge built up over the years. However, for those wishing to delve further into the history of the Thai monarchy, the summary on Wikipedia is excellent and covers the essentials.
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