HM admits to some sad days
published : 14 Dec 2020 at 11:37
writer: Gary Boyle
ORIGINAL SOURCE/WRITER: Wassana Nanuam
His Majesty the King conceded he has felt sad at some points in his life but has managed to carry on with the goal of working for the people.
"I'm just like other human beings. On some days I feel despondent. On some days I feel sad. On some days, I almost don't want to fight the bad things. But it's all human nature," His Majesty told a student who asked whether he ever felt tired having to work hard for his subjects. "We come to realise that moral support doesn't come to us when we're at our strongest point. Never let despondence become the evil that pulls us down," His Majesty the King said.
At another point, His Majesty said: "We should think about the country and think about how the institution of the monarchy and the people are inseparable. We need only look at what His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great accomplished during his 70 years [reign]. Our younger generations may have forgotten about him."
Their Majesties the King and Queen on Saturday evening granted an audience to young volunteers joining the "LOVE" camp for volunteers at the 11th Infantry Regiment (King's Guard) in Bang Khen district. Their Majesties were presiding over the opening of the camp, which ended on Sunday. LOVE stands for "leadership, oneness, volunteer and experience."
The training programme was held at the Royal Thai Volunteers School with 200 high school students from across the country. The Royaljitarsa Facebook Page featured parts of the conversation between His Majesty and the youth taking part.
A video clip of the event was released separately on YouTube. A young Hmong could not hold back her tears when she talked about her fears sparked by a rumour when His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great passed away. Rumours spread that Hmong would be evicted from Thailand after the change of the reign. "I was scared I wouldn't have a place to stay and wouldn't go to school. It has been several years now but we have not been evicted. We are all good. And I get to go to school because of His Majesty."
His Majesty replied to the young student that every person, regardless of their ethnic origin, is Thai. He would not abandon Thais and would do everything for them, the King said.
Learn from listening
Vocabulary
- abandon: to leave a person or group that you are with - ละทิ้ง
- despondent: very unhappy because you do not believe that an unpleasant situation will improve - อย่างหมดหวัง
- ethnic: of a group of people with the same culture or traditions - กลุ่มชาติพันธุ์
- evict: to force someone to leave a building or place where they have been living or working - ขับไล่ออกจากพื้นที่ ไล่ที่
- inseparable (adj): being very good friends and spending much time together - เพื่อนสนิท, แยกไม่ได้
- institution: an important tradition or system upon which society is based - สถาบัน
- moral support: giving someone encouragement - ให้กำลังใจ
- preside over: to lead or be in charge of - รับผิดชอบ
- reign (noun): a period of time during when a king or queen rules a country - ช่วงเวลาครองราชย์
- rumour: a piece of information, or a story, that people talk about, but that may not be true - ข่าวลือ
- subject: a person who has the right to belong to a particular country, especially one with a king or queen - ประชากร, ผู้อยู่ภายใต้การปกครอง
- volunteer (noun): someone who is not paid for the work that they do; someone who does something willingly without being required to - อาสาสมัคร
