Chapter Three - The Monarch and New Monarchy During the Reign of King Bhumibol, Rama IX

Summary

In October 1973 … demands were made for a permanent constitution and an end to government by martial law. Arrests of student leaders provoked a massive popular demonstration, which unfortunately led to the killing of a number of student activists and innocent bystanders. The situation was threatening to erupt into a destructive national confrontation. The government had lost control. The King, sensing the suffering of the people, intervened in a dramatic television appearance. His Majesty was able to reassure the people that the crisis had subsided and that key military figures had decided to leave the country …

Anand Panyarachun, 1996

Two Views of the Monarchy in 1996

The year 1996 was a landmark year for Thailand, the modern Siam, during which King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Rama IX of the Chakri Dynasty, became the world’s longest-reigning monarch. At age sixty-nine, the king had reigned for fifty years. In hindsight, this was probably the apogee of his reign.

Throughout the year, celebrations were held across the kingdom, accompanied by torrents of praise and acclaim. One such was the opening ceremony of the 14th Conference of the International Association of Historians of Asia (IAHA) at Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University on 20 May, barely a year before the 2 July 1997 Thai baht devaluation.

At the ceremony, Anand Panyarachun, who had been appointed as prime minister in 1991 and again in 1992, made a keynote speech of glorification entitled “His Majesty’s Role in the Making of Thai History”. Anand told the international gathering of around one hundred participants:

I am sure that all of you here are aware of this historic event in our country. The entire nation joins hands in the national celebrations of His Majesty’s Golden Jubilee this year. The outpourings of joy, gratification, and pride have no parallel in over 700 years of our nation’s history.

It has indeed been a remarkable reign of a Thai king who succeeded to the throne after the abdication of his uncle, King Prajadhipok, Rama VII, in 1935, and the untimely demise of his elder brother, King Ananda Mahidol, Rama VIII, in 1946.

Anand mentioned that Bhumibol became king “by accident” at age nineteen.