Constitutional Monarchy
A constitutional monarch is above politics. He lives under the law of the kingdom, but cannot be involved in politics. In fact, all royals with the ranks of Mom Chao (Serene Highnesses) up cannot be involved in politics, nor have any voting rights, including not being able to join political parties nor become politicians. In addition, the royals should not show their slant towards any particular political parties.
His Majesty King Bhumibol has acted righteously in all of the political events of Thailand from past to present. He has only become involved during extreme situations involving bloodshed, and then only as a mediator between two or more factions, trying to get to a solution of calm and peace. Lately, many has forgotten the role of the King, and tried to drag his good name into the political mess. The King continues to stand tall, and has not involved himself. He neither denies nor accepts any misconceptions thrown out at him, as the modern Thai people continues to show their ignorance in not knowing what a constitutional king can or cannot do. Even political individuals have also forgotten this, and tries to drag the King’s good name to their sides, only with the sole intention of trying to win over the voice of the people. Many descendants of the different royal houses (rankings of Mom Rajawongse down) have also become involved in the different sides, and have since drag the King’s name with them as well. They are in fact not counted as royals, but as citizens of the kingdom, who are descendants of royalty, but now have rights to vote and make known their political views. Even they have forgotten the role of a constitutional monarch, as well as how their fathers (Mom Chaos), as royals, were expected to act in the good name of the Thai Royal Family.

The King and His People
His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej is undoubtedly his people’s King; the Father of the Land. When he moved back to Thailand for good in 1951, he began his visits to his people almost straight away. He is the first Thai King, and Thai individual, to see every single corners of his kingdom. He has visited far-reaching places. Where there were no roads, he used helicopters; where there were no place for helicopters to land, he went by jeeps, horses, as well as on foot. It is said that he is the only individual in Thailand, past and present, and most probably the future, to see every single square inch of his land. With his visits, he brought medical teams as well as surveyors to plan the connection of all towns and villages, a route to prosperity. He helped with irrigation problems as the majority of the Thai people were farmers, depending solely on their crops for their income. He has also eradicated the opium growing culture of many hilltribes of the north, and proposed substitutions with valuable crops. During the time of natural crisis, the King has always been the first person to be on the scene. Only until recently that the King has not been able to travel to the affected places due to health problems, nevertheless, his team has continued to visit and help out according to the King’s instructions. In addition, he has continued to contribute personal funds quick and fast to the needy, as seen most recently with the flooding disaster around the Kingdom in late 2010, when the King’s team was the first to act the fastest, while government team became the slowest, especially with all the bureaucracies they had to go through before help could be dispatch to the flooding victims. With the continual disputes within the political world, the Thai people are becoming more and more dependent on the King to guide them through everyday lives; a source of simple strength needed to lead a happy life in this ancient Kingdom.

The Thai Concept of Kingship
A King is the Father of the Land. It’s quite a simple concept, really. A father is expected to look after his children and give them the basic needs to live on, and provide good basic education for them, as foundation to make a living when they are grown up. The good children will then look after their father in old age, so that he will have a comfortable life after he retires.
His older and wiser children were to form a group that would continue their father’s work, to better the lives of the younger children and bring peace and prosperity to the family and their home. The King, though, is father to over 60 million children, and growing. He has looked after his millions of children quite well, as witnessed by his actions through his visits, his projects, and his personal funds, all for the betterment of his country. I have to say that he has been the hardest working monarch in the world, as his subjects were not as healthy as others, nor were living in good conditions. But, the Thai people were happy back then, as they had simpler lives, and had the very basic needs. The ones that were quite lost, and lived away from developed areas were looked after by the King, and they were then slowly but surely connected to the civilization that make up the Kingdom. He has tried to improve education by setting up schools in rural, unreachable areas, and provided funds for their continuations. It is so much a single person can do for the 60 million subjects. It could have been quite easy for the government, the supposedly wiser and mature children, to continue these projects, as the basic foundation have been laid. With sound education, the Thai subjects could have moved to a better life working in jobs that were provided by the government and the private sector. The subjects would have been happy, with better lives, and no quarrels in politics. The subjects, in turn, will come to look after their King as a child to a father. Unfortunately, the King does not get to retire. And, it seems no one is looking after him when he has entered old age.
A Father is also expected to be the pillar of strength for his children. Indeed, the King has certainly been a very strong pillar. With the cumbersome bickering between political parties, unending it seems, since Thailand changed from absolute monarchy to a constitutional one, with what is called the system of democracy introduced to the land. This constant bickering has not benefited the country much, though Bangkok has seen huge developments in terms of infrastructures and much else, the rural areas are still in need of catching up, where some far-reaching areas are still without electricity. So, the King travelled again and again, and tried to bring developments to these areas. Personal funds can never be enough without the government’s additional monetary help. So, with the King going it alone, the underdeveloped parts will be slow to see their light-of-day.

Her Majesty Queen Sirikit was born Mom Rajawongse Sirikit Kitiyakara on 12 August 1932, daughter of His Serene Highness Prince Nakkhatra Mongkol of Chandaburi and Mom Luang Bua Kitiyakara.

The Royal marriage between Their Majesties the King and Queen took place on 28 April 1950 and Her Majesty was conferred the title of Somdetch Phra Nang Chao Sirikit Phra Baromma Rajini, official title of the Queens of Thailand.  In part of 1956, Her Majesty became Region of the Kingdom while His Majesty went into the monkhood, for which She was conferred the title of Somdetch Phra Nang Chao Sirikit Phra Baromma Rajini Nath, or Sirikit the Region Queen.

The Queen is completely devoted to His Majesty the King.  She oversees many of the King's projects as well as introducing her own programmes to benefit the Thai people especially in the rural areas through her SUPPORT Foundation.   The promotion of Thai silk by Her Majesty was a particularly important one, and has since become famous throughout the world. 

The year 2004 saw Her Majesty turning 72 - or 6th cycle birthday, which in Thailand is very auspicious. The Thai people jointly celebrated with activities throughout the year.

HRH the Crown Prince of Thailand was born on 28 July 1952, the only son of the King and Queen.  His Royal Highness was invested the title of Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Thailand on 28 December 1972.  He received his education at Kings Mead and Millfield Schools in Great Britain, and at the King's School and the Royal Military College at Duntroon, Australia.  He also received the Degree of Bachelor of Laws from Sukhothai Thammatirat University, Thailand.

Since he was young, he was inclined towards the life in the military, and has since shown himself to be a great Military Man.  After his father, he has immersed himself in activities in promotion of the general welfare and economic betterment of his people as well as activities in promotion of public health through the Crown Prince Hospital and the Maha Vajiralongkorn Foundation.  He has also represented his father on numerous State Visits abroad, far too many to list in just a page. 

The Crown Prince first married in 1977 M.L. Somsavali Kitiyakara, a cousin from the Queen's side, who then became HRH (Pra Chao Vorawongse Ther Pra Ong Chao) Princess Somsavali. They have one daughter.* His second marriage was to Yuvadhida Polpraserth in 1994, hence she became Mom Sujarinee Mahidol Na Ayudhya. After their divorce, she became Sujarinee Vivacharawongse. They had 4 sons and one daughter.** The Crown Prince has been married to HRH Princess Sri Rasmi , The Royal Consort, formerly Srirasmi Akharaphongpreecha, since 10 February 2004. They have one son.***

The Children of the Crown Prince are:

HRH Princess Bajra Kitiyabha (7 December 1978)*
HSH Mom Chao (Prince) Juthavachara (29 August 1979)**
HSH Mom Chao (Prince) Vacharaesorn (27 May 1981)**
HSH Mom Chao (Prince) Chakriwat (26 February 1983)**
HSH Mom Chao (Prince) Vatchrawee (14 June 1985)**
HRH Princess Siriwannawari Nariratana (8 January 1987) (previously HSH Mom Chao Busya Nambejara)**
HRH Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti (29 April 2005)***

The Crown Prince, his current wife, his daughters and youngest son reside in Thailand, while his 4 elder sons reside with their mother in the US.

HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn was born Princess Sirindhorn Debaratanasuda on 2 April 1955, the third child of Their Majesties the King and Queen.  She was created the Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn on 5 December 1977 (a royal rank equal to that of a crown prince, but is not a crown princess) for her tireless work in all sectors for the people.  She follows her father's every footstep, and is a most beloved princess of the kingdom.  Her work is far too numerous to list here - a new website will need to be created just to list everything.  She has set up many foundations, all for the betterment of the rural areas, notably the Sai Jai Thai Foundation.

For a closer look of the Princess, please visit her website

   The Golden Jubilee Network

HRH Princess Chulabhorn is the youngest daughter of Their Majesties the King and Queen, born on 4 July 1957.  She achieved a Bachelor of Science in Organic Chemistry from Kasetsart University, Bangkok, and a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from Mahidol University, Bangkok.  Her numerous positions include Professor of Organic Chemistry at Mahidol University, President of the Chulabhorn Foundation, Chairman of the Working Group on the Chemistry of Natural Products, and Chairman of the Foundation for Promotion Nature Conservation and Environmental Protection.

The princess was married to, and have since divorced Flight Lieutenant Virayudh Disyasarin, and they have two daughters,
HRH Princess Siribha Chudhabhorn (8 October 1982)
HRH Princess Adityadorn Kitigun (6 May 1984)

Thanpuying Ubolratana was born HRH Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya on 5 April 1951, eldest child of Their Majesties the King and Queen.  After finishing her education in the United States of America, she relinquished her royal title to marry an American commoner.  She has since been bestowed royal decorations entitling her to use the title of "Thanpuying." The Thai people though uses the courtesy title of "Toolkramom Ying," an informal way of addressing a "Chao Fa" in Thai. She has lived most of her life in the United States with her then husband, Peter Jensen, and their three children,

Miss Ploypailin Jensen (13 February 1981)
Mr. Bhumi (Poom) Jensen (1983-2004)
Miss Sirikitiya Jensen (19 March 1985)

After her divorce, the princess has moved back to Thailand, and has embarked on many activities for the betterment of the Thai people. One notable project is the "To Be Number One" project which deals with the drug problems in the kingdom.

In December 2004, the Thanpuying visited Phuket for an official function and a private holiday with her family, and witnessed first hand the Tsunami that devastated the South of Thailand. In the event, she lost her son, Khun Poom, to the waves. She has since set up the Khun Poom Foundation to help autistic children in Thailand.

Related Links