Sunday, 24 June 2012

Loyalty of Thai People: The Etiology, Influences, Impacts and Identification of the Royal Family as Part of being 'Thai'


By Seow Choon Hui
His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX)
While strolling along the streets of Bangkok, one would inevitably notice huge portraits of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX), gloriously framed with elaborate yellow or golden coloured altar boards and oversized photo frames. One would also notice HM’s image on an altars, adorned with ornaments and offerings. This to me seems to portray more than just respect. It portrays deep admiration for the King with HM’s Oath of Succession to the Throne:

"We will reign with righteousness for the benefit and happiness of the Siamese people."

HM has been the political and social leader for over 60 years. He has witnessed the come and go of 27 Prime Ministers, making him the longest reigning monarch in the world. Thailand follows a constitutional monarchy which thus places HM as the key political player. His main focus has been to better the livelihood of the Thai people, especially in rural areas. He has also played peacekeeper between political opponents during the many political upheavals in recent Thai history. With past and recent political turmoil faced by Thailand, the King has stood by the Thai people as their pillar of righteousness and as a guiding light.
HM has been introduced as a man of talents, fashioning a concept of kingship that meets a rapidly changing society. The decision to bring the monarchy a step closer (literally) to the provincial population can be considered a felicitous one as the people used to feel ignored by the supreme. Since 1955, the King has been on the road and is the first Thai King to have seen every single corner of his kingdom. During his visits, he brought medical teams as well as surveyors to plan the connection of towns and villages. He also helped with irrigation problems considering that the majority of Thais were farmers, dependent solely on the fruitfulness of their crops for income. He has also eradicated the opium growing culture of many hill tribes from the north, and proposed substitutions with valuable crops. It was not until recently that the King stopped his travels due to health problems. Nevertheless, his team has continued following his instruction.

HM being more than just a ruler.
It is the weight of the King’s moral leadership that could end political strife and re-establish stability on various occasions. As the patron of religious matters, he promoted an understanding among Muslims and the majority of Thais. HM’s compassion and empathic nature was also said to have allowed sanctuary for refugees from the Indochinese conflicts.

Apart from the praises and confidence from the Thai people, members of foreign communities in Thailand and even royal members such as Prince Andrew of England have expressed tremendous amount of admiration for HM. Certainly, the endless tributes towards HM from the Thais are unquestionable. Nevertheless, this statement by The late Mom Rajawongse Kukrit Pramoj, the 13th prime minister of Thailand sums up the magnitude of the King's impact on his people's lives:

"...I have lived through many reigns but I have never seen any king of any reign that all people of this country seem to think that HM the King belongs to them and gives so much respect and reverence up close and personal as I see today... the kinds of prior reigns had ruled the land. But HM the king of this present reign has ruled the hearts of the people..."


Perhaps, the rest of the world may see this admiration as a form of cultivated practive from fear, survival, or tradition. To me on the other hand, it is a commendable act of respect professed towards the guardian of their country. I believe that their reverence should be model to other citizens as a sign of true patriotism and a symbol of confidence towards their motherland and its king.




Seow Choon Hui, 22 is a Bachelor's degree holder double majoring in psychology and communications. With the semester coming to an end, he is currently stuck between the limbo of his last term and the taunting realm of a fresh graduate.



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