Bhumibol Adulyadej

On 28 April 1950, Bhumibol Adulyadej married Sirikit Kitiyakara, a distant cousin. The couple had four children. Their only son, Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, born in 1952, succeeded the throne on his father’s death in 2016, becoming King Maha Vajiralongkorn of Thailand.

Apart from Maha Vajiralongkorn, the couple also had three daughters named Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya, born in 1951; Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, born in 1955 and Princess Chulabhorn Walailak, born in 1957.

In 2006, Bhumibol suffered from lumbar spinal stenosis. Thereafter, his health began to decline and he was frequently admitted to the hospital. He died at the Siriraj hospital in Bangkok on 16 October, 2016, at the age of eighty-eight.

Bhumibol Adulyadej was born on 5 December 1927, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. His father, Prince Mahidol Adulyadej of Songkla, the 69th child of King Chulalongkorn of Thailand, was a first class prince born to a princess mother. He was regarded as the father of modern medicine in Thailand.

Bhumibol’s mother, Mom Sangwan (later Princess Srinagarindra), was a commoner. He was born youngest of his parents’ three children, having an elder sister named Princess Galyani Vadhana, and an older brother named Prince Ananda Mahidol.

At the time of his birth, his father was studying medicine at the Harvard University. His father obtained his degree, M.D. cum laude, in 1928, after which the family returned to Thailand. In the following year, his father died of kidney failure.

Bhumibol Adulyadej began his elementary education at Mater Dei School in Bangkok. In 1933, the three siblings accompanied their mother to Switzerland. Here, Bhumibol was admitted to the École nouvelle de la Suisse romande in Lausanne. Sometime now, he developed an interest in photography.

In 1935, on abdication of throne by their childless uncle, Prajadhipok, Bhumibol’s elder brother, Prince Ananda Mahidol, was named the new king of Thailand. As he was still a minor, a regency council was formed to act in his name, allowing the family to remain in Switzerland.

On 5 May 1950, Bhumibol was crowned as the King of Thailand in the Grand Palace in Bangkok, becoming the first king to be crowned under the system of constitutional monarchy, enforced after 1932 revolution. The date is now a public holiday, celebrated as the Coronation Day across the country.

After his coronation, Bhumibol began to be referred as King Rama IX in English. The Thais however refer to him as Nai Luang (the King), Phra Chao Yu Hua (Lord Upon our Heads) or Chao Chiwit (Lord of Life). He signed his name as Bhumibol Adulyadej Por Ror.

Bhumibol Adulyadej started his reign during the rule of military dictator Plaek Phibunsongkhram. Since absolute monarchy was by then abolished, he played mostly a ceremonial role. Although officially he was the Head of the State and the Commander of the Armed Forces practically he wielded very little political power.

As a king, he was the living symbol of the Thai society and its unity. All along, he maintained that the position of a king was above politics and he should remain impartial. Yet, he played a crucial role on several occasions, defusing or helping to avoid political crisis.

The first major crisis occurred in August 1957, when General Sarit Thanarat accused the government of Field Marshal Phibunsongkhram of lèse-majesté and corruption. Smelling a coup, Bhumibol advised Phibunsongkhram to resign; but the later refused to do so.

In the evening of 17 September 1957, General Sarit Thanarat, also known as Sarit Dhanarajata, seized power. Within two hours, Bhumibol proclaimed martial law, appointing Sarit, his close ally, as the ‘military defender of the capital’.

Sarit ruled over Thailand until his sudden death in 1963. During this period, monarchy was revitalized in Thailand. Bhumibol now began to attend public ceremonies. More importantly, he also made regular tours of the provinces, patronizing development projects, thus coming closer to the public.