Biography
His
Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts,
the United States of America, on December 5, 1927, being the third and
youngest child of Their Royal Highnesses Prince and Princess Mahidol of
Songkhla. Even the facts of his birth seem to be significant in several
ways. He is, first of all, the direct grandson of His Late Majesty
King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) who was renowned for the great reforms which
he made to all Thai institutions, bringing them up to date and in line
with the rest of the western-oriented world. Secondly, the fact that
he is the son of Prince Mahidol is also significant since Prince Mahidol
himself was perhaps one of the most modern-minded of all the sons of King
Chulalongkorn. (Prince Mahidol’s life was dedicated to the development
of many modern ideas, particularly in the field of medical science and
he is known as the father of the modern Thai medical profession.)
Last but not least, King Bhumibol was given the significant name of Bhumibol
Adulyadej, meaning ‘Strength of the Land with Incomparable Power’.
This name becomes prophetic as his reign advances through various critical
periods and the Thai nation evolves more and more around the throne as
the sole source of unity and strength.
Prince
Mahidol returned to Thailand and passed away when His Majesty was not yet
two years old. After a brief period of primary schooling in Bangkok,
His Majesty left with the rest of his family for Switzerland where he continued
his secondary education at the Ecole Nouvelle de la Suisse Romande, Chailly
sur Lausanne, and received the Bachelieres Lettres diploma from the Gymnase
Classique Cantonal of Lausanne. He then chose to enter Lausanne University
to study Science, but the death of his elder brother King Ananda Mahidol
in Bangkok (Rama VIII) on June 9, 1946, changed the course of his
life completely. The law of succession had suddenly bestowed on him
the arduous and challenging responsibility of the Thai crown. His
Majesty decided to go back to Switzerland for another period of study,
but this time in the subject of political science and law in order to equip
himself with the proper knowledge for government. In 1950, His Majesty
returned to Thailand for the coronation ceremony, which took place on May
5th. Following the coronation ceremony, he went back to Switzerland
for another period of study before the urgent call of his country and people
brought him back to Thailand in 1951 to stay.
His
Majesty met and became engaged on July 19,1949 to Mom Rajawongse Sirikit, daughter of His
Highness Prince Chandaburi Suranath (Mom Chao Nakkhatra Mangala Kitiyakara) and Mom
Luang Bua Kitiyakara (nee Mom Luang Bua Snidwongse).
Their
Majesties were married by Her Majesty Queen Sawang Vadhana, the paternal grandmother of
His Majesty, at Sra Pathum Palace in Bangkok on April 28, 1950 and Their Majesties have four
children namely, Their Royal Highnesses Princess Ubol Ratana, Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn,
Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, and Princess Chulabhorn.
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