King of Thailand, born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. He studied in Bangkok and Switzerland and became monarch as King Rama IX in 1946 after the assassination of his elder brother King Rama VIII Ananda Mahidol (192546). He married Queen Sirikit (1932 ) in 1950 and has one son, Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn (1952 ), and three daughters. The longest reigning monarch in Thailand's history, he is a highly respected figure, viewed in some quarters as semi-divine. In June 2006 he celebrated 60 years on the throne, and festivities to mark the occasion took place throughout the country.
| King Bhumibol Adulyadej,the Great (Rama IX) | ||
|---|---|---|
| King of Thailand | ||
| Reign | June 9, 1946 - Present | |
| Coronation | May 5, 1950 | |
| Born | December 5, 1927 | |
| Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States | ||
| Predecessor | King Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII) | |
| Heir-Apparent | HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn | |
| Consort | Queen Sirikit | |
| Issue |
Princess Ubol Ratana HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn HRH Princess Chulabhorn Walailak |
|
| Royal House | Chakri Dynasty | |
| Father | Mahidol Adulyadej, Prince of Songkla | |
| Mother | Sangwal, the Princess Mother | |
Bhumibol Adulyadej (Thai: ภูมิพลอดุลยเดช; Having reigned since June 9, 1946, Bhumibol is the world's longest-serving current Head of State and the longest-serving monarch in Thai history.
Although Bhumibol is a constitutional monarch, he has several times made decisive interventions in Thai politics, including the political crisis of 2005-2006. Bhumibol has been widely credited with facilitating Thailand's transition to democracy in the 1990s, although in earlier periods of his reign he supported military regimes.
Bhumibol uses his great wealth to fund numerous development projects, particularly in rural areas.
Bhumibol was born in the United States and educated primarily in Switzerland. Bhumibol is also an accomplished musician, artist, and sailor.
Early life
Bhumibol was born at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, Massachusetts in the United States, the youngest son of Mahidol Adulyadej, Prince of Songkhla and son of King Chulalongkorn, and Mom Sangwal (later Somdej Phra Sri Nakarindhara Boromaratchachonnani). At the time of his birth, he was known in Thailand as Phra Worawongse Ther Phra Ong Chao Bhumibol Adulyadej (พระวรวงศ์เธอ พระองค์เจ้าภูมิพลอดุลยเดช), reflecting the fact that his mother was a commoner. Had he been born just a few years earlier, before his uncle King Prajadhipok passed a law allowing children of a prince and a commoner to be called Phra Ong Chao (a prince of a lesser status than Chao Fa), he would have been called Mom Chao (the most junior class of the Thai princes), similar to his older brother and sister.
Bhumibol was brought back to Thailand in 1928, after Prince Mahidol finished his medical study at Harvard University.
Succession and marriage
Bhumibol ascended to the throne following the death of his brother, Ananda Mahidol, on June 9, 1946. Bhumibol then returned to Switzerland in order to complete his education, and his uncle, Rangsit, Prince of Chainat, was appointed Prince Regent. Bhumibol switched over his field of study to law and political science in order to prepare himself more effectively for his new position as ruler.
While finishing his degree in Switzerland, Bhumibol visited Paris frequently. Bhumibol became a regular visitor to the ambassador's residence.
On October 4, 1948, while Bhumibol was driving a Fiat Topolino on the Geneva-Lausanne highway, he collided into the rear of a braking truck 10 km outside of Lausanne. She met Bhumibol's mother, who asked her to continue her studies nearby so that Bhumibol could get to know her better. Bhumibol selected for her a boarding school in Lausanne, Riante Rive.
Bhumibol and his wife Queen Sirikit have four children:
(Formerly HRH) Princess Ubol Ratana, born April 5, 1951 in Lausanne, Switzerland;One of Bhumibol's grandchildren, Bhumi Jensen (also known as Khun Poom), was killed in the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.
Coronation and titles
Bhumibol was crowned King of Thailand on May 5, 1950 at the Royal Palace in Bangkok. His ceremonial name, according to the ancient tradition, is:
พระบาทสมเด็จพระปรมินทรมหาภูมิพลอดุลยเดช มหิตลาธิเบศรามาธิบดี จักรีนฤบดินทร์ สยามินทราธิราช บรมนาถบพิตร (Phrabat Somdej Phra Paramindra Maha Bhumibol Adulyadej Mahitaladhibet Ramadhibodi Chakrinarubodindara Sayamindaradhiraj Boromanatbophit listen (help·info))On the same day, he made his consort Queen (Somdej Phra Boromarajini). On December 5, 1996, Bhumibol celebrated his 50th anniversary as the King of Thailand, becoming the longest reigning monarch in Thai history.
Following the death of his grandmother Queen Savang Vadhana (สว่างวัฒนา, Sawang Watthana Phra Phanvasa Aiyeekajao), Bhumibol entered a 15-day monkhood (October 22–November 5, 1956) at Wat Bowonniwet, as is customary at the death of elder relatives.
Although Bhumibol is often referred to as King Rama IX in English, the name "Rama" is never used in Thai. Formally, he would be referred to as Phrabat Somdej Phra Chao Yu Hua (พระบาทสมเด็จพระเจ้าอยู่หัว) or, in legal documents, Phrabat Somdej Phra Paraminthara Maha Bhumibol Adulyadej (พระบาทสมเด็จพระปรมินทรมหาภูมิพลอดุลยเดช), and in English as His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. (Bhumibol Adulyadej Por Ror; this is the Thai equivalent of Bhumibol Adulyadej R[ex]).
Role in Thai politics
In the early years of his reign, during the government of military dictator Plaek Pibulsonggram, Bhumibol had no real power and was little more than a ceremonial front for the military-dominated government. On September 16, 1957, Pibulsonggram went to Bhumibol to seek support for his government. Bhumibol told the Field Marshal to resign to avoid a coup; That evening, Sarit Dhanarajata seized power, and two hours later Bhumibol decreed martial law, named Sarit as "defender of the capital", and allowed Sarit to countersign royal decrees. Bhumibol attended public ceremonies, toured the provinces and patronised development projects.
Other disused ceremonies from the classical period of the Chakri dynasty, like the royally-patronised ploughing ceremony (Thai: พิธีพืชมงคล), were also revived.
During the 1970's, Bhumibol was a key figure in the Village Scouts and Red Gaur. In October 1973 after massive protests and the deaths of a large number of pro-democracy demonstrators led by students, Bhumibol asserted himself politically for the first time by opening the gates of the Chitralada Palace to fleeing students, and holding audiences with their leaders. Bhumibol subsequently appointed the devout Thammasat University Rector Sanya Dharmasakti as the new Prime Minister.
The ensuing chaos was used as a pretext for a military coup which resulted in the appointment of the ultra-conservative Tanin Kraivixien as Prime Minister.
Crisis of 1992
In 1992, Bhumibol played a key role in Thailand's transition to a democratic system.
Bhumibol summoned Suchinda and the leader of the pro-democracy movement, Major General Chamlong Srimuang, to a televised audience. It was one of the few public occasions where Bhumibol directly intervened in a political conflict.
Crisis of 2005-2006 and the September 2006 coup
Weeks before the April 2006 legislative election, the anti-Thaksin coalition (including the People's Alliance for Democracy) petitioned Bhumibol to appoint a replacement Prime Minister and Cabinet to resolve the political crisis. Bhumibol, in a speech on April 26, 2006, responded, "Asking for a Royally-appointed prime minister is undemocratic.
After publicly claiming victory in the boycotted April parliamentary elections, Thaksin Shinawatra had a private audience with Bhumibol.
In May 2006, the Sondhi Limthongkul-owned Manager Daily newspaper published a series of articles describing the "Finland Plot", alleging that Thaksin and former members of the Communist Party of Thailand planned overthrow the King and take seize control of the nation.
In a rare, televised speech to senior judges, Bhumibol requested that the judiciary take action to resolve the political crisis.
On 14 July 2006, Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanonda addressed graduating cadets of the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy, telling them that the Thai military must serve the King - not the Government.
On 20 July, Bhumibol signed a royal decree endorsing new House elections for 15 October 2006. That very day, Bhumibol underwent spinal surgery.
On the evening of September 19, 2006, the Thai military overthrew the government and seized control of Bangkok in a bloodless coup.
The King's role in the coup was the subject of much speculation among Thai analysts and the international media.
Royal powers
Despite Thailand's ongoing transition to a mature parliamentary democracy, Bhumibol retains enormous powers, partly because of his immense popularity and partly because his powers - although clearly defined in the Thai Constitution - are often subject to conflicting interpretations. But Jaruvan refused to leave her position without an explicit order from Bhumibol. When the Senate approved of a replacement for Jaruvan, Bhumibol, in a very rare move, refused to approve the replacement. Finally in February 2006 the Audit Commission reinstated Jaruvan when it became clear from a memo from the Office of the King's Principal Private Secretary that Bhumibol supported her position.
This raised the issue of whether Bhumibol was more powerful than the Constitution. Kaewsan interpreted this as giving Bhumibol veto powers over the Senate's appointment of Wisut Montriwat to replace Jaruvan: "Whatever [the King] considers [something as being] not beneficial to the people and being unjust, His Majesty has a veto power".
Bhumibol has very rarely vetoed legislation in previous circumstances. In 1976, when the Parliament voted 149-19 to extend democratic elections down to local levels, Bhumibol refused to sign the law. In 1954, Bhumibol vetoed parliamentary-approved land reform legislation twice before consenting to sign it.
Bhumibol's hold over Thai public opinion was demonstrated following the 2003 Phnom Penh riots in Cambodia, when hundreds of Thai protesters, enraged by the burning of the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh, gathered outside the Cambodian embassy in Bangkok, ripped the Cambodian seal out of the front wall, and tried to break into the embassy. The situation was resolved peacefully when Police General Sant Sarutanonda told the crowd that he had received a call from royal secretary Arsa Sarasin conveying Bhumibol's call for calm.
Bhumibol has the constitutional prerogative to pardon criminals.
Royal projects
Bhumibol has been involved in many social and economic development projects, although the nature of his involvement has varied by political regime.
The military regime of Plaek Pibulsonggram (1951-1957) suppressed the monarchy; however, during that period Bhumibol managed to initiate a few projects using his own personal funds.
In the military regime of Sarit Dhanarajata and his successors (1958-1980), Bhumibol was reportrayed as the "Development King," and appropriated to the economic and political goals of the regime. Bhumibol's visits to these projects were heavily promoted by the Sarit government and broadcast on the state-controlled media.
During the civilian governments of General Prem Tinsulanond (1981-1987), the relationship between the Thai state and the monarch was at its closest. Prem, later to become President of Bhumibol's Privy Council, officially allocated government budgets and manpower to support royal projects.
During the modern period (post-1988), the structured development of the Royal Projects reached its apex. Bhumibol's Chaipattana Foundation was established, promoting what he called the self-sufficient economy, an alternative to the export-oriented policies adopted by the period's elected governments.
Awards
Bhumibol set a world record for receiving the greatest number of honorary university degrees (136) in 1997.
Bhumibol is a recipient of the Royal Victorian Chain, a personal award of the British Monarch. In May 2006, UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, presented the United Nations' first Human Development Lifetime Achievement Award to Bhumibol.
Bhumibol, who serves as head of The National Scout Organization of Thailand, was presented the Bronze Wolf award on June 20, 2006, World Organization of the Scout Movement's highest award, for his support and development of Scouting in Thailand by Carl XVI Gustav, King of Sweden and Honourary President of the World Scout Foundation.
60th Anniversary celebrations
Also called the Diamond Jubilee, the 60th Anniversary Celebrations of His Majesty the King's Accession to the Throne were a series of events marking Bhumibol's reign. Tied in with the anniversary, on May 26, 2006 United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan presented Bhumibol with the United Nations Development Programme's first Human Development Lifetime Achievement Award.
Private life
Bhumibol is an accomplished jazz musician and composer.
Bhumibol is also a painter, photographer, author and translator.
In his youth, Prince Bhumibol was greatly interested in firearms.
Bhumibol suffers from lumbar spine stenosis, a narrowing of the canal that contains the spinal cord and nerve roots, which results in back and leg pain and numbness in the legs.
Sailing
Bhumibol is an accomplished sailor and sailboat designer. This accomplishment is all the more remarkable given Bhumibol's lack of binocular depth perception. Bhumibol has also sailed the Gulf of Thailand from Hua Hin to Toey Harbour in Sattahip, covering 60 nautical miles in a 14-hour journey on the "Vega 1", an OK Class dinghy he built.
Like his father, a former naval engineer, Bhumibol was an avid boat designer and builder.
Wealth
Bhumibol is one of the wealthiest men in the world. Bhumibol's assets, the Thai royal household, and palace properties are managed by the Crown Property Bureau (CPB) and Privy Purse. Through the CPB, Bhumibol owns equity in many companies, including Siam Cement (the largest Thai industrial conglomerate), Christiani &
Biographies
American journalist Paul Handley, who spent thirteen years in Thailand, wrote the biography The King Never Smiles.The Information and Communications Ministry banned the book and blocked the book's page on the Yale University Press website in January 2006. The book provides a detailed discussion of Bhumibol's role in Thai political history and also analyses the factors behind Bhumibol's popularity.
William Stevenson, who had access to the Royal Court and the Royal Family, wrote the biography The Revolutionary King in 2001. An article in Time says the idea for the book was suggested by Bhumibol.
Critics noted that the book displays intimate knowledge about personal aspects of Bhumibol. The book has been criticised for factual inaccuracies, disrespecting Bhumibol (it refers to Bhumibol by his family nickname "Lek"), and proposing a controversial theory explaining the death of King Ananda.
Succession to the throne
Bhumibol's only son, Prince Vajiralongkorn, was given the title "Somdej Phra Boroma Orasadhiraj Chao Fah Maha Vajiralongkorn Sayam Makutrajakuman" (Crown Prince of Siam) on December 28, 1972 and made heir apparent to the throne in accordance with the Palace Law on Succession of 1924.
On December 5, 1977, Princess Sirindhorn was given the title, "Sayam Boromrajakumari" (Royal Princess of Siam).
Although the constitution was later amended to allow the Privy Council to appoint a princess as successor to the throne, this would only occur in the absence of an heir apparent.
Recent constitutions of Thailand have made the amendment of the Palace Law of Succession the sole prerogative of the reigning King.
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