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| The idea of Kingship had changed considerably over the centuries. While he could no longer issue immutable decrees as his predecessors had, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej was in a position to take a more direct, personal approach in support of national development. |
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He was buoyed by the progressive example of His Majesty King Mongkut (1851-1868). His Ancestors-during the Ayutthaya period (1351-1767) it was a crime even to look upon Royalty-had shielded themselves from the people. He was not cloistered by the same constraints but could interact with them, the better to learn their needs.
In this, he acknowledged the influence of his brother. His Majesty King Ananda Mahidol had sought opportunities to see first-hand the lives of his people. In a historic walk through Chinatown, he not only demonstrated his personal touch but gave the resident Chinese a sense of equality with their fellow Thais that had hitherto been missing. They responded by increased participation in national life. His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej acknow- ledged the attractions of his brother's approach when, shortly after his Coronation, he noted that: |
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"My brother had no time to do many things...but he set up perhaps without knowing, a new Kingship. The people had somebody to look on as a symbol. a new thing, because in the past
Kings were perhaps more sheltered."
This very hands-on approach dovetailed perfectly with His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej's own endless curiosity about everything around him. Taking one of his Royal titles, Phra Chao Phaen Din ("Lord of the Land"), seriously, he traveled extensively through the villages near his summer palace at Hua Hin, on the coast south of Bangkok. His journeys made him aware of the problems faced by farmers and farm families.
To further his knowledge about rural agriculture, His Majesty and Her Majesty Queen Sirikit toured Suphan Buri, Ang Thong, and Sing Buri, north of the capital, in September 1955. Wearing an ordinary white shirt and no Royal trappings, he talked with farmers about their daily lives. He also received petitions, much as his Grandfather, His Majesty King Chulalongkorn had. On one of his journeys, he drove to Chiang Mai, in the northern part of Thailand, by himself. He also recorded what he saw on film for later review back in Chitralada Villa, Dusit Palace.
In 1955, Their Majesties visited the Northeast, the least developed region of Thailand. On his return to Bangkok, he was asked why he would spend so much time and effort in this region. In his explanation, he uttered the phrase that would define the rest of his life work: "It is the peasant, the farmer, who is the backbone of Thailand." And, "Our economy has traditionally been based upon agriculture". |
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The national income which has contributed to creating prosperity in the country has been derived mainly from agricultural productivity. "It can, therefore, be said that the nation's prosperity relies to a large extent on ensuring the prosperity of agriculture."
The statement set the theme and scope for the work he would pursue to the present day. |
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