H.M.King Bhumibol Rama IX : Happy Birthday to the King

December the 5th is the birthday of Thailand's Monarch, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej Rama IX of the House of Chakri. He will be 74 years of age and he wears his years well which makes him a font of experience, wisdom and understanding as he continues to lead and guide his loyal subjects.

King Bhumibol was born in Massachusetts, U.S.A. in 1927. The reason that His Majesty was born in the United States is that his parents, Prince and Princess Mahidol of Songkhla were both studying there at the time. It was never anticipated that the Baby Prince Bhumibol would ever become King because that role, in the fullness of time, was expected to fall on the shoulders of his elder brother Prince Ananda. However, destiny can sometimes move in mysterious ways.

In this case, Prince Bhumibol's father, Prince Mahidol, passed away at an early age and the family, with their mother Princess Mahidol of Songkhla in charge, moved to Lausanne in Switzerland for their early life and education. King Prajadhipok, uncle to Prince Ananda and Prince Bhumibol, was reigning in Thailand but when, in 1935, he abdicated his throne (very similar to King Edward VIII of Great Britain), the monarchy passed to Prince Ananda. At the time of his elder brother acceding to the throne, Prince Bhumibol was a young 8 year old, living and studying in Switzerland, blissfully ignorant of future events. Destiny played another unexpected card.

In 1946 King Ananda was fatally shot, in tragic circumstances, and this single event catapulted young Prince Bhumibol into a situation which neither he, his family nor nation ever expected. Prince Bhumibol had, with terrible swiftness, become King. He was 18 years old when the mantle of Majesty draped itself around him the Prince had become His Majesty, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Rama IX, of the Kingdom of Thailand.

With family, government and national agreement, it was decided that the young King continue his university courses (engineering and political science degrees) so the actual Coronation was postponed until these were finished. Also, the King was courting the lovely Mom Rajawongse Sirikit Kittiyakara, daughter of the Thai Ambassador to the Republic of France, and, as it happened, their engagement was announced one year prior to the King's Coronation. On 28 April 1950, the couple married and, one week later on 5th May 1950, in full Royal and Regal splendor, King Bhumibol was crowned Monarch of the Kingdom of Thailand. People throughout the Kingdom rejoiced.

Thailand has been blessed by having such a Monarch as King Bhumibol. He, in turn, has been blessed by his people who revere him as a kind, caring and compassionate Monarch. King Bhumibol can also be a firm King as a Constitutional Monarch, he has only three "rights". The right to encourage, to be consulted, and to warn. With even handedness, the King has exercised his rights at times he deemed necessary. It is little wonder that his subjects look upon King Bhumibol as the Guiding Light of their Nation.

Now, as His Majesty enters his 74th year, one wonders if King Bhumibol reflects on the life which destiny cast his way. As Sovereign, he has travelled widely and has met or hosted fellow Royals from other countries. Presidents and Pretenders, Dictators and Despots, Saints and Sinners, the Famous and Infamous have all been received graciously and with dignity. King Bhumibol has visited, and hosted, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom; likewise the Monarchs of Denmark, The Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Jordan and Japan. General Ne Win of Burma (now Myanmar), the Lion of Judah Haile Selassie of Ethiopia, Prince Sihanouk of Cambodia, Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines and General Suharto of Indonesia have all called at the Grand Palace. As did President Lyndon Johnson of the United States and, later, First Lady Nancy Reagan. His Holiness, Pope John Paul II has also paid his respects. Thailand's Monarch. King Bhumibol, has afforded Thai traditional culture and hospitality to most world leaders and continues to do so in a most Royal and Regal style.

State occasions aside, when all the Pomp, Pageantry and Ceremonies are over, what does H.M. King Bhumibol like to do in his free time? Indeed, does he have any free time? The King has always made a point of putting Thailand first so he had visited every corner of his Kingdom to meet his people in their own environment. Gone are the Regal Robes and Magnificent Uniforms as His Majesty visits his subjects in Esarn, the southern palm oil and rubber tree plantations, the Hilltribes of northern Thailand or his Royal Sponsored Projects of Chiangmai Province. Instead, the King will possibly be in open necked shirt, or ordinary jacket, camera slung over a shoulder, notebook and map in hand as he strides and inspects throughout his Kingdom. He is exercising his right to encourage, and his people love him for it, because King Bhumibol is not only a Regal Monarch but, very much, a working Manarch.

When and if His Majesty does have free time for his own personal relaxation, what does he like to do? During his younger days, snow skiing, ice skating and motor sports captured his imagination. Yachting and small craft racing also gained his attention; in fact, the Monarch has won Gold Medals for OK Class Yacht races the medals he happily shared with his daughter, Princess Ubol Ratana, as she crewed with him. But, as ongoing passions, King Bhumibol has had a lifetime love affair with music and photography. These joint hobbies afford him the relaxation of both challenge and concentration. King Bhumibol has toted his camera the length and breadth of Thailand as he records the colors of people and places in his Kingdom, however, for studio still life and portrait work, he favors the more dramatic effects of black & white film which he processes and prints himself. If not in his darkroom, His Majesty may be found listening to music or humming a few bars of a potential composition. He is an accomplished saxophonist and clarinetist with a keen enjoyment of jazz especially Dixieland and Blues and an enthusiastic composer of "easy on the ear" melodies. Benny Goodman would have had the King join his band (had not the King been busy doing other things!) and one of His Majesty's compositions, Blue Night, was featured in a Broadway production. As an amateur photographer and musician, many have voiced that King Bhumibol could have been a professional in either.

So here we have a brief insight of His Majesty King Bhumibol of Thailand as he works or relaxes. He is a Royalist's Royal, Regal in Style, Dignity and Majesty. As he enters his 74th year, may we at WTCMCR magazine thank him for the many blessings he has bestowed upon his people and wish him, King Bhumibol, a Very Happy Birthday. LONG LIVE THE KING