The Revolutionary King by
William Stevenson (published in 1999)
My prelude: Special thanks to Sirichai
who lent me the book many years ago. I only found time to read it now. I’m glad
I did it albeit late but it’s better late than never. My first close contact with Thailand and its
people took place in 1997 when I was sent to work in Bangkok for two weeks a
month over a six-month period. My contact with Thailand was renewed in 2003 when
I was closely involved in Bangkok’s business operation as part of my job in
Hong Kong. Throughout these years, I’m
awed by how Thai people adore dearly their King Bhumibol and see him as God-like. I was amused on my first visit to the local
cinema – the Royal Anthem is played prior the start of the movie and everybody
is expected to stand out of respect for the King. To me, the King is just a human being whose
pictures are seen everywhere and often carry a blank facial expression. I heard
he is a great engineer and has initiated many agricultural projects which vastly
improved the lives of Thai people. But that much I know. My impression is
totally changed after reading the book, I am won over. You may watch a brief 45 minutes documentary
by History Channel “The People’s King” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Khl3YMfwn0w but nothing beats reading the book which offers rare
insights and untold secrets. I’m grateful
for the wonderful friendship of numerous friends and colleagues in Thailand. Once
again, thanks Sirichai for introducing the book.
King Bhumibol, Rama the 9th, the World’s longest
reigning monarch, is truly a great king and Father of the Thai Nation. If not
for a strong sense of duty instilled by the King’s father (Prince Mahidol) and the
wisdom and enormous courage of Bhumibol’s grandmother and mother, his uncle
Rangsit, his Elder Brother Ananda and of course Bhumibol in 1930s and 1940s,
Thailand could have become part of Britain or Japan, or the Chinese in Thailand
could have been severely persecuted.
In December 1932, a revolution overthrew absolute monarchy
in Thailand. However, Rama the 7th remained as a puppet king to
prevent a mass uprising as the
revolutionaries knew that most Siamese feared living without a king. Meanwhile, the British government and Nazi
Germany were constantly trying to win over the 7th Rama. Nazi Germany told him stern measures were required to solve the economic woes caused by
international Jewry, thinking this would appeal to a monarch whose predecessor
had written “The Chinese are the Jews of the East”. Fortunately, the 7th Rama was
repelled by Nazism. Finally in 1935, Rama the 7th moved to England
and abdicated.
Britain, in its plan to run
Siam through a king of its own choosing without the bother of administering a
colony, then pushed its own candidate – Prince Chula Chakrabongse. Prince
Chula’s father (another son of King Chulalongkorn) was in line to succeed the 5th Rama until he married a
Russian who gave birth to Chula. Chula made matters worse by marrying an
Englishwoman. Siamese Kings were forbidden to have foreign wives.
On the other hand, Pibul who led the revolution, now
controlled the country. He was
influenced by the ideology of Hitler and dreamed of restoring Greater Siam
where neighbouring Cambodia, Laos, Burma, parts of Southern China used to pay
tributes to Siam. The Japanese promised
to help but secretly meant to turn the
territories into Tokyo’s tributaries, not Bangkok’s. Pibul also wanted Siam to play a part in the
German-Japanese pact against communism.
Galyani (Bhumibol’s elder sister), Ananda (elder brother)
and Bhumibol were born and bred in the west (United States, Switzerland). Their father, Prince Mahidol (another son of
King Chulalongkorn) and their mother (an orphaned commoner) were working and
living in United States in 1910s and 1920s. Prince Mahidol did not want the crown but was
suddenly Heir Presumptive - the 6th Rama died without a heir and the
kingship went to a brother who had neither sons or daughters. Prince Mahidol
moved the family back to Siam but he died shortly when Bhumibol was only 2
year-old. After the 1932 revolution,
Bhumibol’s mother decided to move her children to Lausanne, Switzerland for education
and also to escape the royal hierarchies. However, shortly after the 7th
Rama’s abdication in 1935, Pibul’s regime requested 9 year-old Ananda to become
King as it needed a boy king whose
strings they could pull. The request
was turned down initially but Ananda finally accepted – he was reminded of his father’s
teachings: that Siamese lucky enough to
study abroad had an absolute duty to go back and make the best of what they had
learned. Ananda’s uncle, Prince
Rangsit acted as the family guardian, reasoned that so long as Ananda existed as king, the Japanese would be cautious,
whereas his mother was reminded that the
people will feel lost and unprotected without a godhead and thought it will help the country. With someone else,
there might be trouble. Fortunately,
at the mother’s request, the young King Ananda and his siblings were allowed to
stay in Lausanne to complete their studies.
During those times in 1940s, Japan stepped up its presence
in Siam, Japan waged wars in Asia and Nazi Germany in Europe. The
Japanese were building up their strength in Siam to prepare for the most
ambitious stage in their military adventures – the advance to meet Nazi
Germany’s forces in the Middle East. This required building the infamous Death
Railway from Bangkok into Burma so that troops could be transported overland,
rather than be exposed to Allied submarines. Meanwhile, the Allied agents in Siam were operating actively in secret. Japan
lost the war, Pibul lost favour among the people and a British’s agent, Pridi
was appointed as prime minister.
The yet to be crowned 20 year-old King Ananda was summoned
to return to Bangkok. His mother agreed
to let Ananda made a brief trip with the intention to leave again. Unfortunately, King Ananda was murdered before
he could leave. In 1946, 18-year-old
Bhumibol took over the kingship in fulfilment of his royal duty. The Coronation took place on 5th May
1950 when Bhumibol was 23.
Bhumibol, like Ananda, was a western school boy, flung back in time to a feudal court. He chose to wear a blank expression so that people will read into his face whatever they
want. The royal palace (just like dynasties in
ancient China) is rife with gossips, jealousies and conspiracies. After the end of absolute monarchy in 1932, prime
minister, police general, military etc. flex muscles and fight for supremacy under
the new system of democracy. The need to
balance between the great external powers (like Britain, America, Japan etc.)
adds to the challenges, not to mention the uprising communism insurgents. To buy time, he settled upon silence rather than the role of a stammering fool (adopted
by Emperor Claudius), with the purpose of concealing his growing wisdom.
Not willing to be a salaried
ornament, King Bhumibol vowed to make kingship
to serve the people but how was he to do this without becoming a slave to
superstition? The King is saddled
with elaborate superstitious ceremonies/processions/rituals – both private and
public – the latter is necessary to maintain
the respect of the masses which have an innate love and respect for all forms
of royal pageantry. The king also felt
pushed into playing a god considering he is in a land of gods and demons. For
example, to save the rice crops, perhaps a
king would wave a long-handled fan
toward the sea to summon flood-demons to drain the waters. The imagery,
thought the King, would make country folk more receptive to the construction of
dams and reservoirs. I thought that is
very wise of the King! The King also believed, to modernise Siam,
he was obliged to use its old beliefs.
Turbulence continued in 1950s through 1970s, the King, his
wife Queen Sirikit and King’s mother, worked hard to protect and serve the
nation. Many royal projects were
initiated to relieve poverty and improve lives of country folks as the King believed
it was the way to disarm the communists. While the King worked hard to get
agricultural technical assistance and equipment from Japanese and US, he was firm
as he told US President Johnson a line
had to be drawn between US aid and US control. In 1960, the King made his
first overseas state visit with the Queen to US and Europe. In that trip, the Jazzy King wooed the
Americans when he played spontaneously with the world renowned jazz musician
Benny Goodman and his orchestra. Apart
from an accomplished Jazz musician and composer, the King is also an artist and
was once a monk. In 1956, the King
shaved his head to the scalp and put on the single rust-coloured robe of
poverty following the footsteps of his great grandfather King Mongkut.
While the King and Queen worked tirelessly for the people,
it was a struggle bringing up the royal children who grew up in strange isolation. Eldest daughter,
Princess Ubol was stifled, felt
suffocated, finally married a young American and renounced all her titles and
privileges. Only son, Crown Prince
Vajiralongkorn showed an imperious sense
of destiny. When he was young, he defied a reprimand from a courtier by saying
“Don’t talk like that to your future king!”. He was a
bit of a Don Juan - women find him interesting and he finds women even more
interesting. Second daughter,
Princess Sirindhorn was their greatest consolation. Princess Sirindhorn who made it known she
would never marry, passionately continued the royal projects of his parents and
grandparents. She also learned the Chinese language, wrote children’s stories
and drew witty cartoons.
Happy Birthday to King Bhumibol! The King just celebrated his 87th
birthday on 5th December 2014 and has been king for over six decades
now. He is truly a great man, a great People’s
King who has outlasted numerous constitutions, prime ministers, military coups ,
political crises, turmoils and uprising
which continued in 1980s to present. I wish King Bhumibol good health and wish
Thailand could soon set aside its political differences so as to remain a free,
happy and prosperous country.
