H.M.

King Bhumibol
Rama IX of Thailand
The World's Longest Serving Monarch

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
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 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
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Mr. Kamolpan Jammapat Foreign Language Department Muang Suratthani School Thailand
 that his subjects look upon King Bhumibol
as the Guiding Light of their Nation.

Now, as His Majesty enters his 80th

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
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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.

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Mr. Kamolpan Jammapat Foreign Language Department Muang Suratthani School Thailand
 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.

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Mr. Kamolpan Jammapat Foreign Language Department Muang Suratthani School Thailand
 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 80th year, may we thank him for the many
blessings he has bestowed upon his people and wish him,
King Bhumibol,

a Very Happy Birthday.

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Mr. Kamolpan Jammapat Foreign Language Department Muang Suratthani School Thailand
 H.M.KING BHUMIBOL
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Mr. Kamolpan Jammapat Foreign Language Department Muang Suratthani School Thailand
LONG LIVE THE KING

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Mr. Kamolpan Jammapat Foreign Language Department Muang Suratthani School Thailand
 H.M.KING BHUMIBOL
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Mr. Kamolpan Jammapat Foreign Language Department Muang Suratthani School Thailand