For those non-Thai friends who may be puzzled by the profound grief and utter sadness that us Thais have been voicing on social media, to many of us, we are not only mourning the passing of one of the longest reigning monarchs, but that of the Father of our nation. A true father figure, not a god-like diety. People do not love him blindly, but our deep love and respect have been cultivated from years of witnessing his relentless pursuit of his people's happiness. He could choose to live like a king - the life we would imagine for a royalty, but instead he devoted every single day of his life bettering our lives.
He went to the most remote of destinations, places abandoned by the government, places none of us have heard of or would ever care to visit- no matter how far, no matter how remote, every inch of Thailand felt his majesty's love. When there was no path, he went on foot. When a raging river was in the way, he went into the water. He suffered so much to bring aid and hope to the poorest of the poors. His royal projects have bettered so many Thais' lives and the positive effect of them could be seen in every corner of the country, near and far.
He was selflessness personified. One of his best-known projects was his dedication to the concept of sufficiency economy, making sure that the poorest of the poors have a sustainable income and food. He led by examples every single day of his life. He tirelessly dedicated his life to making ours better, like a father would for his children. And that's the only way I know how to explain this extreme sense of loss and emptiness reverberating through all the Thais' hearts. My explanation is by no mean complete or eloquent, but it's the only way I know how to explain our love for him. I felt like I had to say something after reading so many Western publications stating that we love him like a God-like figure. No, we love him like our father. He's the Father of Thailand.