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| MAIN PICTURE, ABOVE: Appearing on the veranda of the Grand Palace after their wedding in 1950, His Majesty the King waves to the cheering crowd with Her Majesty the Queen by his side. FAR LEFT: A touching moment between HM the King and an elderly subject. LEFT: Riding on a mule's back, His Majesty explores rough terrain in Northern Thailand to find solutions to the drug problem and hardship among hilltribesmen. |
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| While in the monkhood, His Majesty receives alms. |
Many have wondered why the handsome, Swisseducated
King Bhumibol Adulyadej chose the life
of a hard-working monarch. When he ascended to
the throne in 1946 at the tender age of 18 he could
easily have afforded a life of idle luxury.
Rather than opting to “live happily ever after”
inside an unreal fairy tale, he chose instead to apply
his energies to improving the livelihoods of his
subjects.
Why, during his 60 years as monarch, has His
Majesty braved the heat, dirt and dust of the rugged
backwaters of rural Thailand tackling the country’s
problems? Because of his royal status he could have
earned recognition without exerting significant
effort.
A look back at his childhood seems to provide an
answer.
His Majesty was born into an ideal family. His
father, HRH Prince Mahidol, was a medical doctor
who devoted himself to treating poor patients until
his untimely death at the age of 37, when His Majesty
was less than two years of age.
As a child, His Majesty was raised by his commonborn
mother, HRH the Princess Mother, whose lifetime
devotion not only as a mother of the King but
also as an advocate for public health issues, stretched
over a period of five decades until her death in 1995
at the age of 94.
“It was obvious that the idealism of both parents
has had an influence over His Majesty the King,’’
Dr Sumet Tantivejkul, secretary-general of the
Chaipattana Foundation, said. “Though His Majesty
was too young to get to know his father in person
before his death, Prince Mahidol’s dedication to the
country must have been a great inspiration.
“One can easily imagine how difficult conditions
would have been in the Chiang Mai hospital where
Prince Mahidol worked in the late 1920s. Transportation
to and from the northern province was
extremely difficult. He must have been quite dedicated
to have worked in such appalling conditions.”
Yet, the true King-maker in Dr Sumet’s opinion
was none other than the Princess Mother, who had
the responsibility of grooming her two sons after
the death of Prince Mahidol. Her philosophy of
strict discipline helped to create a thoughtful King,
capable of solving problems and eager to follow in
his parents’ footsteps by dedicating his life to social
causes.
“In every phase of his life, His Majesty was taught
by the Princess Mother to be down-to-earth and to
be a fighter”’ Dr Sumet said.
“As a child, His Majesty would be encouraged to
work for what he desired. If he wanted a toy, he would
have to be resourceful enough to create one of his
own or to save money to purchase it. Unlike many
children being raised today, His Majesty had never
known ‘easy money’ that could be used to buy
things to indulge his whims. Whatever he earned,
he had earned it the hard way,” Dr Sumet said.
The Princess Mother made a rule that none of
the Mahidol children should be given gifts unless
they had either done something to deserve them or
if it was for a special occasion like a birthday or a
New Year celebration. His Majesty once received a
toy car as a reward for fixing a sewing machine for
his nanny.
“When he wished for a car, he had to walk or ride
his bicycle until enough money was saved to buy a car,”
said Dr Sumet.
Referring to an anecdote His Majesty related to him, Dr
Sumet recalls, “There was one time when His Majesty, then
a boy, borrowed money from a Royal Guard to buy a toy.
Upon realising how he acquired it, the Princess Mother
commanded that he return the toy to the shop and repay
what he owed to the Royal Guard. He was told that where
there was no money, there was no toy. He had to save his
own money.
“Instead of using money to acquire things, His Majesty
was consistently motivated to apply wisdom and be
resourceful to get everything he had. In so doing he came
to realise the value of the things he had.”
He once built a toy ship from little more than a few
scraps of wood, pieces of cloth and the wire from a clothes
hanger.
Not only did the Princess Mother instil in her children
important values, she also inculcated in them a sense of
selflessness, said Dr Sumet. “The royal children were taxed
10 per cent of their pocket money to fund a `poor man’s
box’. When the box was full, they would be asked for their
opinion as to what charity the money should go to. Not
only was the Princess Mother a marvellous parent, she was
democratic as well.
“Over time, such unwavering values have helped His
Majesty to succeed in the face of considerable odds. The
Princess Mother herself had experienced suffering in her
childhood, and she taught His Majesty to be a hero to those
less fortunate than himself.”
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FROM TOP: A self-taught musician, His Majesty composed his first song, ‘Candlelight Blues’, in 1946. Four years after he ascended to the throne, His Majesty’s official coronation ceremony was held in 1950. Their Majesties the King and Queen during an official ceremony where His Majesty bestowed upon his wife the title of queen. Introducing jazz, blues and pop music to the public, His Majesty not only composed songs but gave public performances to university students. His Majesty showed his mastery of his brush in this portrait of HM the Queen |
THE FIRST DECADE: 1946-1955
His Majesty the King began his reign on June 9, 1946,
during a time marked by profound grieving. The 18-yearold
King was shattered by the loss of his only brother, 20-
year-old King Ananda, who died a tragic, mysterious death.
A few months after his enthronement, His Majesty
returned to Switzerland to pursue his education.
While his motorcade made its way through the huge
crowd that had come to bid him farewell, His Majesty heard
a voice above the crowd: “Your Majesty, don’t forsake the
people.’’ Upon hearing this, he was later quoted as saying:
“If the people don’t forsake me, how could I forsake them?”
His Majesty has lived up to his word. Almost as soon as
he returned permanently to Thailand in 1951, His Majesty
launched royal initiatives addressing root problems faced
by the majority of poor people in Thailand. His efforts have
continued for 60 years.
Nobody at that time expected the young King — the
third constitutional monarch after the 1932 revolution that
toppled the absolute monarchy — to perform any duties
above and beyond that which was expected of him.
As His Majesty was building a family in the palace, he
quietly and humbly sowed the seeds of his ambitious
plans for the nation’s development.
“At that time, he had neither power nor support,”
said Dr Sumet. “The laws had restricted him into a
narrow role, segregating him from the reigns of
power. Although young, His Majesty was quite capable.
Being well aware of the limitations of his situation,
he established his base of support among
the people. With the public as his base it became
more difficult for him to be defeated.’
’
In the absence of government support, the initial
phase of His Majesty’s social development efforts
faced a harsh reality. “His Majesty started off his
project almost single-handedly by utilising whatever
resources he had at his disposal. Even his swimming
pool was used for one of his projects,’’ said
Dr Sumet.
Indeed, late in 1951 schools of fish called pla
mor thes (Tilapia mosambica) acquired by His
Majesty from Penang, Malaysia, were swimming in
his pool. The first of his royal initiatives, His Majesty’s
project aimed at promoting protein consumption
among the rural poor. The trial was a great success.
Within two years, the royal pool was filled with
fingerlings which were eventually distributed
throughout the country for further propagation.
Early in the 1950s severe epidemics ravaged the
population causing loss of life, physical impairment
and chronic suffering. His Majesty’s battle
against tuberculosis, polio and leprosy saved countless
lives via the promotion of large scale disease
control.
With an initial contribution of 500,000 baht, His
Majesty had the Mahidol Wongsanusorn Building
constructed within the compound of the Thai Red
Cross Society where the BCG tuberculosis vaccine
was produced.
As the polio epidemic spread between 1951 and
1952, His Majesty donated 250,000 baht to set up a
polio welfare fund for the infected and another
534,000 baht to build the Anand Mahidol building
at Siriraj Hospital where children with polio and
other contagious diseases could receive care.
In order to raise funds for the welfare of people
with leprosy, His Majesty granted permission to
present his private film footage for public viewing.
The presentation was overwhelmingly successful.
Later, the King set up the Rajaprachasamasai Foundation
for the treatment of leprosy patients.
“At a time when there was still lack of public
knowledge about contagious diseases, people with
leprosy were often ostracised,’’ Dr Sumet noted.
“In his effort to reduce fear and to mainstream
people with leprosy into the general populace, His
Majesty visited the infected and drank from a glass
of water presented to him by a person with the
disease.’’
In addition to his efforts to promote nutrition
and public health, in 1952 His Majesty ventured
into the arena of rural development. In what is
considered to be his first rural development project,
His Majesty launched a landmark road and tunnel
building plan in Huai Mongkol village of Hua Hin
in Prachuap Khiri Khan province. Using bulldozers
borrowed from the Naresuan Border Patrol Police
Unit, a new road was built that cut through the rough
hills straight into the village. Farmers gained quick
access to the outside market. Where it once took
half a day, fresh produce could now be delivered to the
market in 15 minutes.
“In the early stages, His Majesty worked without organisational
support or a secretarial team. Only his communication
radio was provided for him. Even his field tent had
to be self-provided,’’ Dr Sumet recalled.
“Most people thought that since His Majesty is the King,
whatever he said would be done accordingly. But in reality,
His Majesty would not sit back and wait. He initiated and
started working on projects personally.
“Anyone working with him during that period recalls the
picture of His Majesty standing at the Xerox machine,
running off copies on his own and distributing them to his
team. To see things with his own eyes, His Majesty once
walked through raw sewage ignoring sores on his feet, saying
that attention should be emphasised on the inner value
not on minor superficial wounds.’’
By the mid-1950s, His Majesty had travelled extensively to all regions of the country making personal contact with
rural people. His travels led him to every nook and cranny
of the country and allowed His Majesty to gain first-hand
knowledge of the plight of the rural poor.
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CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT: As part of his royal duties, His Majesty has participated in Buddhist rituals throughout the six decades of his reign. Thanks to His Majesty, generations of top students have received King's scholarships to further their studies overseas. Their contribution to national development has been tremendous. Their Majesties’ visits to foreign countries attracted a lot of attention, and they were featured on the covers of newspapers and magazines. After Cyclone Harriet struck provinces in the South, His Majesty campaigned for donations through his Au Sau radio stations. Their Majesties the King and Queen during their wedding ceremony in 1950. The royal family in the mid- 1960s. HRH the Princess Mother raised two down-to-earth sons who became kings of Thailand. From left to right: HM King Ananda, HRH Princess Mother, and HM King Bhumibol. CENTRE: The athletic King is often spotted engaging in outdoor activities with Her Majesty the Queen by his side. |
While flying over Phuphan Mountain in northeastern Thailand in 1955, His Majesty noticed that although there were plenty of heavy clouds along his flight path, they failed to bring rainfall to the arid land below.
Determined to turn nature to the benefit of his subjects, His Majesty looked into ways in which the dry areas could be provided with “more rain than that given by nature’’. Less than two decades later artificial rain, His Majesty’s brainchild, was facilitated by technological advances.
His Majesty’s first water management project started in 1953 at a small village in Hua Hin district of Prachuap Khiri Khan province. Upon realising the importance of fresh water for agriculture and public consumption, His Majesty began construction of the Khao Tao reservoir and donated 50,000 baht out of his own coffers to finance its construction.
In the area of education, His Majesty set up the Ananda Mahidol scholarship fund in 1955 to award scholarships to enable outstanding students in the medical field to further their education abroad. The fund was transformed into the Ananda Mahidol Scholarship Foundation in 1959 and the scope of the scholarship programme was widened to cover students in science, agriculture, law, art, dentistry, veterinary science and engineering.
In his leisure time His Majesty played as hard as he worked. The young King developed a strong passion for jazz music. Himself a saxophonist and composer, His Majesty enchanted music lovers with self-composed songs from several genres including blues, jazz, pop and classical.
Early in his reign, the King formed a small, private music band called Lay Kram. His Majesty later expanded his band, renamed it Au Sau Wan Suk and made his private sessions public. The band played during live broadcasts on the palace-based Au Sau Radio Station. His Majesty sometimes answered the song requests from callers in his audience. His Majesty and his band also staged public performances at universities and in conjunction with various public and charitable events.
THE SECOND DECADE: 1956-1965
As his reign entered its second decade, His Majesty took
several steps to broaden his rural development mission. At
the same time, he revived ancient rituals and strengthened
diplomatic ties with nations key to Thailand’s security and
continued prosperity.
Their first State Visit took Their Majesties the King and Queen in 1959 to what was then South Vietnam. These visits were followed by stops in Indonesia and Burma in early 1960.
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| LEFT TO RIGHT: Their Majesties with US President Eisenhower. Their Majesties during a visit to rural Thailand. His Majesty promoted the breeding of ‘pla nil’, which is now popular in every Thai kitchen. For six decades, Their Majesties have traveled to every nook and cranny of Thailand. |
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| CLOCKWISE,
FROM TOP:
Overseas visits by
Their Majesties greatly
enhanced Thailand’s
public image and international credibility. During a trip to the North, the young Queen is shown dressed in locall costume. His Majesty the King pokes his head out a train window to wave goodbye to wellwishers. Crowds lined the streets in New York City to greet Their Majesties the King and Queen. |
By mid-1960, His Majesty had embarked on a whirlwind tour of 15 nations in North
America and Europe. Between 1961 and 1967, His Majesty visited 13 other countries
in Asia, Australia, and made similar visits to Germany, Austria and the US.
His Majesty’s visits went a long way in forging international diplomatic relationships
and were a tremendous benefit to Thailand’s public image and to its international
credibility.
Former foreign minister, Dr Thanat Khoman, who travelled in His Majesty’s entourage,
recounted an interview His Majesty’s gave to Saranrom Journal:
“The underlining objective of His Majesty’s state visit was to make Thailand known
internationally and to seek Western support in countering the spread of communism
that was a threat to our national security.
“More than any other period in the past, His Majesty’s state visits have earned Thailand
overwhelming international recognition and acknowledgement. His were not sightseeing
excursions, but working trips as crucial to the country’s survival as was countering
the colonial threat that Thailand faced during the reign of King Rama V.
“As a result of His Majesty’s diplomatic efforts Thailand was able to embark on
significant initiatives in the arena of foreign affairs which included its role in helping
to establish Asean.’’
His Majesty boosted national morale by restoring ancient traditional rituals, like the
Royal Ploughing Ceremony. The revival of this sacred, symbolic ritual dating back to
the Sukhothai period, was highly significant to Thai farmers who still make up the
majority of the population.
The year 1960 was also remembered as the year of one of Thailand’s worst national
disasters. Thirteen provinces in southern Thailand were devastated by a severe typhoon
which ravaged the Laem Talumpuk area.
His Majesty raised 11 million baht in donations through his Au Sau Radio programme.
Then, in 1963, His Majesty established the Rajaprachanukroh Foundation to offer
emergency help to people affected by natural disasters.
To date, the foundation has replaced 12 schools destroyed by storm-related flooding
and it has granted scholarships to the children of the neediest victims. After the
tsunami disaster of December 2004, the foundation was among the first charitable
organisations to reach the young victims, many of whom lost their parents in the
disaster.
His Majesty has since expanded his palace-based experiments from fish breeding
and has moved on to explore new methods of rice cultivation and dairy farming.
“As each of his experimental undertakings was in its infancy,’’ Dr Sumet said, ``His
Majesty wasn’t confident about the results he might obtain. Thus, he decided to
conduct all of his research and experimentation inside palace walls. His Majesty
continued to fund his own projects and raised initial investment capital for his dairy
factory with proceeds from the sale of a music text book that he wrote and published
himself.’’
In the agricultural arena, His Majesty ordered that research be conducted to identify
varieties of rice suitable to different weather conditions. The study yielded two
different strains of rice, one suited for highland and the other to lowland cultivation.
Both have boosted productivity for rice farmers.
In 1962 His Majesty brought in a small herd of milk cows to the palace where he set
up a barn for an on-site dairy farm.
The trial farm churned out pasteurised fresh milk, powdered milk, condensed milk,
ice cream and cheese under the brand name “Chitralada’’. The first of its kind in Thailand,
the royal dairy farm became the prototype for dairy farmers and the national
dairy industry.
In 1965 fish breeding experimentation progressed further with the presentation of
25 pairs of Nile Tilapia Linn fish to His Majesty the King by Japanese Crown Prince Akihito.
Breeding of pla nil was so successful that His Majesty handed out 10,000 pla nil fry to
the public for breeding. Since then, pla nil has grown in popularity, replacing pla mor
thes as the fish of choice in Thai kitchens nationwide.
In the area of education, His Majesty initiated two scholarships — the Ananda
Mahidol scholarship in 1959 and The King’s Scholarship in 1965. Both aim to facilitate
education for outstanding students in various fields.
During this decade, His Majesty authored 17 new musical compositions to the great
enjoyment of local and international music fans. Four of these numbers — A Love
Story, Nature Waltz, The Hunter and Kinaree Waltz — are part of the highly-acclaimed
Kinaree Suite written by His Majesty for the Manohra Ballet.
The Suite and four other numbers brought His Majesty international reputation as
a music composer. During a state visit to Vienna, Austria, in 1964, his musical compositions
were performed in a concert by the N.O. Tonkunstier Orchestra and received
an overwhelmingly positive response from Austrian audiences.
In the first part of the programme the orchestra presented the same Johanne Strauss
works that had been performed for King Rama V during his state visit to Vienna in 1897.
The second half of the programme included His Majesty’s compositions: Music
from the Manohra Ballet, Falling Rain by Emmy Loose; Love at Sundown by Otto
Wiener; and The Royal Marines March and The Royal Guards March.
The following is an excerpt from a letter written by a Thai student who attended the
momentous event on October 3, 1964: “Long and boisterous applause from the audience
spontaneously erupted in the middle of the Manohra suite. Spirited applause continued
until His Majesty stood up to receive the honour. Lengthy periods of applause continued
through to the last piece. The audience refused to stop clapping when the concert was
over and The Royal Guards March was repeated as an encore. The encore was followed
with more applause and a standing ovation in honour of His Majesty. Outside the concert
hall, huge crowds gathered to get a glimpse of Their Majesties and exclaimed ausgezeichet,
meaning superb, and wunderbar, meaning wonderful. His Majesty’s music compositions
were re-broadcast on radio the next day.’
’
Two days later His Majesty was conferred with honorary membership in the worldrenowned
Die Akademic fur Musik und Darstellende Kunst (The Institute of Music
and Arts of the city of Vienna). He was the first Asian composer to receive such an
honour.