But now, while our political leaders are constantly embroiled in back-room deals, pork barrel initiatives that benefit the few while ignoring the many, and politics for the sake of power rather than serving the public, King Rama IX, as he was known, was known to have brokered peace between two warring internal factions that would never be caught in the same room had the King not forced them both to kneel together in front of him and stop the internal strife that was beleaguering the troubled country. Out of the royal treasury, he funded countless programs for the rural poor. With the help of his long-time friend Lord Chamberlain Khwankeo Vajarodaya, the King funded a distance learning program that brought education to children in the most remote hilltribe regions of the country. I had the privilege once of meeting with His Excellency Khun Khwankeo and touring the school facility, and was struck with the sincerity of everyone involved, and the degree of involvement the Royal Household had in the success of this project.