16 February 1987 His Majesty the King conversing with local people who came to greet Him during a visit to San Kanphaeng District, Chiang Mai Province.
As the Thai people - and, in fact, people all around the world - honour this year’s anniversary of the birth of the world’s longest-reigning Monarch, as well as his Diamond Jubilee, the Pattaya Mail presents this supplement, prepared by special correspondent Peter Cummins, as a “Happy Birthday” tribute to our beloved King.
In his Coronation Oath, promulgated on the fifth of May 1950, the newly-crowned King Rama the Ninth vowed that, “We will reign with righteousness for the benefit and happiness of the Siamese people” and the almost 56 years which have passed since that auspicious day, the concept of “righteousness” has dominated his reign. In fact, HM the King has, throughout his more than five decades of rule, constantly revered the age-old Buddhist concept of ‘Kingship’ as defined in the “Sutta Pitaka” of the “Tripitaka” in which a King is defined as “Mahasammata” - a King of Righteousness. The Buddhist scriptures also define the genesis of the universe and the progression of evils which befall mankind: greed, stealing and lying and the inevitable repercussions of censure and punishment.
Our King has steadfastly reigned by these principles, embodying good kingship in his own life and example and often speaking out against the affliction of the evils so clearly spelled out in the Buddhist philosophy - evils and afflictions which seem to have become progressively worse in the past tumultuous years.
There will inevitably be some familiar material in parts of this story, for HM the King’s development projects have been ongoing for more than 50 years and there is, of course, a historical perspective which has been incorporated.
King Bhumibol Adulyadej:
Ever Attentive to Royal Duties
His Majesty the King continued to have many official duties over the past years, culminating in a plethora of official functions during this year to commemorate his Diamond Jubilee on the Thai Throne, continuing right through the coming year, up to his 80th birthday.
One of his many functions during this period was to open the new Rama VIII Bridge - the 475-metre long cable-stay bridge which the King had planned since July 1996, having it constructed to commemorate King Ananda Mahidol, Rama the Eighth.