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98-740: Set up by parliament resolution, the WMC is incorporated by the Royal Thai Government and sanctioned by the Sports Authority of Thailand, working together with the highest sport authorities of all member countries around the world to regulate all aspects of the art and sport of Muaythai. The inauguration meeting was held in 1995 at an appropriate venue, the United Nation Conference Centre with representatives from 39 countries attended. Presently there are 120 member countries registered with

196-497: A compound of Bhūmi ( भूमि ), meaning "Land"; Bala ( बल ), meaning "Strength" or "Power"; Atulya ( अतुल्य ), meaning "Incomparable"; and Tej ( तेज ), meaning "Power". Thus, Bhūmibala Atulyateja , or Bhumibol Adulyadej as it is transliterated in Thai , can be literally translated as "Strength of the Land, Incomparable Power". Bhumibol came to Thailand in 1928, after his father obtained

294-675: A 15-day monkhood (22 October 1956 – 5 November 1956) at Wat Bowonniwet , as is customary for Buddhist males on the death of elder relatives. He was ordained by the Supreme Patriarch on 22 October 1956 at the Royal Chapel of the Emerald Buddha in the Grand Palace . At this time, Sirikit was appointed his regent. She was later appointed Queen Regent ( Somdej Phra Boromarajininat ) in recognition of this. Although Bhumibol

392-600: A Thai sovereign to rule under the system of constitutional monarchy . During the ceremony, he pledged that he would "reign with righteousness for the benefit and happiness of the Siamese people". Notable elements associated with the coronation included the Bahadrabith Throne  [ th ] beneath the Great White Umbrella of State and royal regalia and utensils. In 1950 on Coronation Day, Bhumibol's consort

490-727: A bloodless coup. The junta, led by the Sonthi Boonyaratglin , Commander of the Army, called itself the Council for Democratic Reform under the Constitutional Monarchy . It accused the deposed prime minister and his regime of crimes, including lèse majesté, and pledged its loyalty to Bhumibol. Martial law was declared, the constitution repealed and the October elections cancelled. Protests and political meetings were banned. The king's role in

588-535: A break from politics. Due to the election result, Bhumibol took the unprecedented step of calling the elections undemocratic. In May 2006, the Sondhi Limthongkul -owned Manager Daily newspaper published a series of articles describing the " Finland Plot ", alleging that Thaksin and former members of the Communist Party of Thailand planned to overthrow the king and seize control of the nation. No evidence

686-724: A certificate from Harvard. His father died of kidney failure in September 1929, when Bhumibol was less than two years old. He briefly attended Mater Dei school in Bangkok , but in 1933 his mother took her family to Switzerland, where he continued his education at the École nouvelle de la Suisse romande in Lausanne . In 1934 Bhumibol was given his first camera, which ignited his lifelong enthusiasm for photography. When Bhumibol's childless uncle Prajadhipok abdicated in 1935, his nine-year-old brother Ananda Mahidol became King Rama VIII. However,

784-570: A coup d'état resulted in a postponement, and court astrologers determined that 2 March 1949 was the most auspicious date. While doing his degree in Switzerland, Bhumibol visited Paris frequently. It was in Paris that he first met Mom Rajawongse Sirikit Kitiyakara, daughter of the Thai ambassador to France ( Nakkhatra Mangala ) and a great-granddaughter of King Chulalongkorn and thus a cousin of Bhumibol. She

882-487: A fever, King Bhumibol underwent tests that revealed a blood infection and an X-ray found inflammation on his left lung, along with water in his lungs. He had been in kidney failure for some time and received dialysis . By 9 October, he had been placed on a ventilator and doctors pronounced him "not yet stable", recommending him to suspend his official duties. Crowds of well-wishers, many dressed in pink symbolizing good health and luck, gathered outside Siriraj Hospital and

980-482: A historic record crowd that, including foreign tourists and expats living in Thailand, broke all-time attendance records and left an estimated 890 million Thai baht in donations for the royal charity activities. Special nationwide services in all Buddhist temples together with a general 100th day memorial service were held to mark the 100 day mark since his death on 20 January 2017 with King Vajiralongkorn presiding over

1078-663: A judgment but I cannot say", he said. "Either way the ruling goes, it will be bad for the country, there will be mistakes". The tribunal later acquitted the Democrat Party, but dissolved the Thai Rak Thai Party and banned 111 of its executives from politics for five years. The junta-appointed Constitution Drafting Assembly later tried to use the King in a propaganda campaign to increase public support for its widely criticised draft constitution . The CDA placed billboards saying "Love

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1176-447: A large number of deaths when the military was brought in to control protesters. The situation became increasingly critical as police and military forces clashed with protesters. Violence and riots spread to many areas of the capital with rumours of a rift among the armed forces. Amidst the fear of civil war, Bhumibol intervened. He summoned Suchinda and the leader of the pro-democracy movement, retired Major General Chamlong Srimuang , to

1274-570: A resolution was reached that IFMA will hold 2 thirds of all executive positions in the WMC worldwide with WMC Thailand keeping their autonomy. The cooperation continued with annual events held in Thailand to celebrate the Kings, Queens and Prince's birthdays. In 2006, muaythai under IFMA was recognized by GAISF. In 2012 the WMC, IFMA and the Olympic Committee of Thailand started a campaign, muaythai towards highest recognition, applying for recognition to

1372-473: A result, a number of events, including sports (such as the Thai League football season , which ended entirely), were cancelled or postponed. Entertainment outlets such as cinemas, nightclubs and theatres announced that they would shut down or operate under reduced hours during this period. The mourning period prompted concerns from Thailand's tourism industry, which felt that the mood of the country, as well as

1470-526: A series of military dictatorships. However, during his interview given to the BBC in 1979, the king reiterated that the monarchy should remain impartial and be in peaceful co-existence with everybody. Bhumibol invited public criticism in a 2005 speech, but the lèse majesté laws have not been revoked by the Thai parliament yet. In the early years of his reign, during the government of military dictator Plaek Phibunsongkhram , Bhumibol had no real political power and

1568-424: A televised audience, and urged them to find a peaceful resolution. At the height of the crisis, the sight of both men appearing together on their knees (in accordance with royal protocol) made a strong impression on the nation. Bhumibol then signed Suchinda's amnesty decree that applied to both sides of the conflict, with the reason to protect security and unity of the country. Suchinda resigned soon afterwards. It

1666-498: A week before the scheduled verdict, Bhumibol gave a rare speech to the Supreme Administrative Court (the president of which is also a member of the constitutional tribunal). "You have the responsibility to prevent the country from collapsing", he warned them in the speech, which was shown on all national television channels simultaneously during the evening. "The nation needs political parties   ... In my mind, I have

1764-567: Is why Bhumibol was the only monarch to be born in the US . Bhumibol had an older sister, Princess Galyani Vadhana , and an older brother, Prince Ananda Mahidol . His US birth certificate read simply "Baby Songkla", as the parents had to consult his uncle, King Prajadhipok, then head of the House of Chakri, for an auspicious name. The king chose a name of Sanskrit origin, Bhumibol Adulyadej ( Devanagari : भूमिबल अतुल्यतेज, IAST : Bhūmibala Atulyateja ),

1862-426: The 1949 constitution , which returned to the monarchy many of the powers it had lost by the 1932 Revolution . In December 1946, the Siamese government allocated several hundred thousand dollars for the ceremonial cremation of the remains of the late King Ananda, a necessary preliminary to the coronation of Bhumibol who was required by religious custom to light the funeral pyre. Unsettled conditions in 1947 following

1960-514: The 1997 Asian financial crisis , which triggered political instability in Thailand during the 2000s. Bhumibol's reign was characterized by several periods of gradual democratization punctuated by frequent military coups, the last of which occurred in 2014 . Forbes estimated Bhumibol's fortune—including property and investments managed by the Crown Property Bureau , a body that is neither private nor government-owned (assets managed by

2058-546: The Bangkok BRT . The Ministry of Public Health was expected to deploy huge numbers of medical personnel to serve the public and foreign visitors during these days and provide medical assistance. While social media live reports are prohibited for the TV networks (which broadcast the bilingual coverage of the events via the state Television Pool of Thailand and was aired via satellite and streamed worldwide online in both English and Thai via

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2156-668: The IFMA , and other notable VIPs were also in attendance. Over 20 representatives from the different embassies in Bangkok also came to witness the ceremony, along with representatives from the United Nations, among many other organizations. Along with Royal Patronage, the WMC logo was changed to include the Royal Insignia of His Majesty. Bhumibol Adulyadej Bhumibol Adulyadej (5 December 1927 – 13 October 2016), on whom

2254-603: The royal funeral chariots to be used at the Bangkok National Museum . The construction work for the complex officially commenced on 27 February 2017 with the building of the central column with a September target completion date. The crematorium was the biggest, largest and tallest yet since the state cremation rites for King Rama V ( Chulalongkorn ) in 1911. On 19 November, the Ministry of Culture's Fine Arts Department head Anant Chuchote visited Nakhon Pathom, where

2352-637: The 3 organizations will work closely together and support IFMA in getting muaythai into multi-sport events recognized by the IOC as well as GAISF recognition. General Chetta the president of WMC at the time was Supreme Commander of the Royal Thai Army, later serving as Defence Minister and also the President of the National Olympic Committee of Thailand. In 1997 a joint effort began between WMC, IFMA and

2450-474: The Bureau were owned by the crown as an institution, not by the monarch as an individual) —to be US$ 30  billion in 2010, and he headed the magazine's list of the "world's richest royals" from 2008 to 2013. In 2014, Bhumibol's wealth was again listed as US$ 30  billion. After a period of deteriorating health which left him hospitalized on several occasions, Bhumibol died in 2016 at Siriraj Hospital . He

2548-467: The Capital, and command that all the citizens shall remain calm whilst all the government officers shall serve the orders issued by Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat. This Proclamation shall come into force immediately. Done this 16th Day of September, Buddhist Era 2500 (1957). Sarit later admitted in a rare interview with foreign correspondent that the king had no involvement and did not acknowledge anything about

2646-483: The Chinese wherein the deceased, together with his personal effects and clothing, was transferred ceremonially to the next life, with special prayers and chants sung by monks. The event was unprecedented since it was the first time such a ritual was held for any member of the Thai royal family in an official capacity. Sanam Luang was used as the cremation ground, where the construction of an elaborate, temporary crematorium

2744-545: The Election Commissioners. On 14 July, Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanonda addressed graduating cadets of the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy , telling them that the Thai military must serve the nation and the king—not the government. On 20 July, Bhumibol signed a royal decree endorsing new House elections for 15 October 2006 . In an unprecedented act, the King wrote a note on

2842-547: The Grand Palace later that day. The king's body lay in state at the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall of the Grand Palace for a period of one year, with daily rites for a period of 100 days. As in the funerals of the king's mother and sister, the king's body was not physically placed in the royal funerary urn ( kot ) as was customary; instead, the coffin which housed the body was placed behind the pedestal displaying

2940-426: The Grand Palace to offer prayers and support. By 12 October, King Bhumibol's condition became significantly unstable due to evolving acute hepatitis . The royal children had arrived at Siriraj Hospital and Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn had met with the prime minister. There were some internal concerns about the succession of the crown prince, in that he was not perceived to be as well-respected as his father and it

3038-610: The Gymnase Classique Cantonal de Lausanne , and by 1945 had begun studying sciences at the University of Lausanne , when World War II ended and the family was able to return to Thailand. Bhumibol ascended the throne following the death by gunshot wound of his brother, King Ananda Mahidol , on 9 June 1946, under circumstances that remain unclear. While an initial government statement stated that Ananda had accidentally shot himself, an investigation committee ruled this

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3136-560: The IOC and the Sports Authority of Thailand to ensure full cooperation with WADA and ITA to protect the clean athletes. In 2023 Stefan Fox was arrested for slanderous comments made towards WBC MuayThai On August 20, 2014, Muaythai and the World Muaythai Council received official Royal Patronage from His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand. All government departments, sport and culture ministries, sport authorities, and all major Muaythai stadiums and promoters were invited to

3234-539: The International Olympic Committee and inclusion in the World Games. In 2014 muaythai got recognized by The World Games then in 2016 the IOC gave provisional recognition to IFMA. In the year 2019 after muaythai got recognized by the International Olympic Committee, the World Muaythai Council merged with IFMA to represent the professional sector which was witnessed by representatives of over 100 countries,

3332-458: The King. Care about the King. Vote in the referendum" throughout northeast Thailand , where opposition to the junta was greatest. On 20 April 2009, Thaksin claimed in an interview with the Financial Times that Bhumibol had been briefed by Privy Councillors Prem Tinsulanonda and Surayud Chulanont about their plans to stage the 2006 coup. He claimed that General Panlop Pinmanee , a leader of

3430-514: The National Olympic Committee of Thailand to get muaythai recognized by the Olympic Council of Asia. As a result of this muaythai was included in the Asian Games as a demonstration sport then in 1999 the Olympic Council of Asia officially recognized muaythai under IFMA as an official sport. In 1998 muaythai began the process to become an official recognized sport and to be included into GAISF. In

3528-507: The People's Alliance for Democracy, had told him of the briefing. The Thai embassy in London denied Thaksin's claims. Death and funeral of Bhumibol Adulyadej King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand died at the age of 88 on 13 October 2016 ( B.E. 2559), after a long illness. A year-long period of mourning was subsequently announced. A royal cremation ceremony took place over five days at

3626-521: The Thai equivalent of "Bhumibol Adulyadej R[ex])". In 1957, a military coup overthrew the government of Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram with allegations of lèse-majesté , corruption and manipulation of the election held earlier that year. This began a new and long-lasting relationship between the monarch and military, leading some to perceive that the king condones the Thammasat University massacre in defense of his throne, and support

3724-502: The United States, Bhumibol spent his early life in Switzerland, in the aftermath of the 1932 Siamese revolution , which toppled Thailand’s centuries-old absolute monarchy , ruled at the time by his uncle, King Prajadhipok (Rama VII). He ascended to the throne in June 1946, succeeding his brother, King Ananda Mahidol , (Rama VIII), who had died under mysterious circumstances. In

3822-566: The WMC. The executive board and various committees ranging from technical and rules, refereeing and judging, medical, finance, youth, women, press and public relations, business and legal; all were democratically elected. In 1996 an MOU was signed between the World Muaythai Council, the Amateur Muaythai Association of Thailand under Royal Patronage and the International Federation of Muaythai Amateur (IFMA) outlining that

3920-485: The abbot of Wat Bowonniwet Vihara , the autocade entered the palace via Thewaphirom Gate. Upon arrival at the palace, the body was given the bathing rite, presided over by the late king's son, King Vajiralongkorn . The event was broadcast live by the Television Pool of Thailand . The general public were allowed to take part in a symbolic bathing rite in front of the king's portrait at Sahathai Samakhom Pavilion within

4018-513: The anniversary, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan presented Bhumibol with the United Nations Development Programme 's first Human Development Lifetime Achievement Award on 26 May 2006. National holidays were observed on 9 June and 12–13 June 2006. On 9 June, the king and queen appeared on the balcony of Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall before hundreds of thousands of people. The official royal barge procession on 12 June

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4116-427: The blame, but whatever happens, the King will only get praise." On Saturday, 23 September 2006, the junta warned it would "urgently retaliate against foreign reporters whose coverage has been deemed insulting to the monarchy." Prem did help secure the appointment of Surayud Chulanont , another member of the King's Privy Council, as Premier, and allegedly had a say in the appointment of Surayud's Cabinet. Critics claimed

4214-493: The cabinet was full of "Prem's boys". The junta appointed a constitutional tribunal to rule on alleged polling fraud involving the Thai Rak Thai and Democrat political parties. Guilty rulings would have dissolved both parties, Thailand's largest and oldest, respectively, and banned the parties' leadership from politics for five years. The weeks leading up to the verdicts saw rising political tensions. On 24 May 2007, about

4312-695: The cancelled events, would reduce interest in visiting Thailand. Out of respect for the mourning period, many Thai malls, including all Central Pattana and The Mall Group properties, chose not to install extensive Christmas displays and decorations for the holiday season. Some installed memorials to Bhumibol instead. Actions were taken against those who failed to wear black during the mourning period. In November 2016, Nangrong School in Buriram province seized colourful winter jackets from students and required them to wear those in mourning colours only. The students were reportedly distressed to lose their jackets due to

4410-520: The cold weather, and many did not own multiple warm articles of clothing. A director of a public school in Ranong province was also fired for not wearing mourning black on her first day at work. Following the king's death, many Thais publicly displayed grief and paid tribute to him and his 70-year reign. Other world leaders and monarchs also expressed their condolences. Television broadcasters replaced their programming with monochrome tributes to Bhumibol as

4508-689: The country. The ensuing chaos was used as a pretext for a military coup, which Bhumibol backed and described as a manifestation of the people's will. The event that catalyzed the coup was the Thammasat University massacre , carried out in the name of defending Bhumibol's throne. The victorious military junta submitted three names to the king as possible premiers: Deputy President of the king's Privy Council Prakob Hutasingh  [ th ] , right-wing Bangkok Governor Thamnoon Thien-ngern  [ th ] , and staunchly anti-communist Supreme Court judge Thanin Kraivichien . Bhumibol chose Thanin as

4606-434: The coup was the subject of much speculation among Thai analysts and the international media, although publication of such speculation was banned in Thailand. The king had an audience with Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanonda at the same time that special forces troops were mobilised. Anti-coup protesters claimed that Prem was the mastermind of the coup, although the military claimed otherwise and banned any discussion of

4704-539: The coup until it had been done successfully. During Sarit's dictatorship, the monarchy was revitalised. Bhumibol attended public ceremonies, toured the provinces and patronised development projects, he also visited the United States in June 1960, addressing Congress, and many countries in Europe, including a visit to Rome, hosted by PM Giovanni Gronchi , in September 1960. Under Sarit, the practice of crawling in front of royalty during audiences, banned by King Chulalongkorn ,

4802-584: The course of his rule, Bhumibol presided over Thailand's transformation into a major U.S. ally and a regional economic power. Between 1985 and 1994, Thailand was the world's fastest growing economy, according to the World Bank , and in the 1990s was predicted by many international journalists to be the next " Asian Tiger ". During this period, the country also saw the emergence of an urban middle class as well as mass political participation in its electoral politics. However, this rapid economic growth came to an end with

4900-547: The cremation ceremonies. was livestreamed both in Thai and English via the official funeral website and FB page, NBT World and the Thai PBS and Channel 9 MCOT HD YouTube pages Foreign dignitaries who visited the Grand Palace during the lying-in-state were as follows (by order of their visit): The government declared a year-long mourning period for Bhumibol. Citizens were asked to refrain from participating in "joyful events" and entertainment for thirty days following his death; as

4998-647: The cremation days. To encourage greater public participation, several Thai provincial capitals had been building replica crematoriums to serve people who cannot be in Bangkok to pay their last respects on the cremation date while both the public and tourists joining the events rode the Bangkok MRT system and the BTS Skytrain lines during the cremation days free of charge, as well as on the public ferries at Khlong Phadung Krung Kasem (Hua Lamphong-Thewarat Market) and Khlong Pasicharoen (Phetchkasem 69-Pratunam Pasicharoen) and

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5096-507: The crematorium complex area had seen construction work faster than the usual practice for royal cremations, with all buildings in the middle of the construction phrase earlier than expected. The FAD had also been tasked to undergo a major design remodeling for the main royal urn to be used in the ceremonies and an October date is expected to be chosen for the events. The cannon chariot which was based on those used in British state and royal funerals

5194-569: The death several hours before the official announcement by the royal palace. On 14 October 2016, the body of the late king was carried by an autocade from Siriraj Hospital to the Grand Palace . His body left Gate 8 of the hospital around 16:30. As the cortege passed Arun Ammarin Road , Phra Pin Klao Bridge , and Ratchadamnoen Road , crowds of Thais, most clad in black and many openly sobbing, paid homage. Led by Somdej Phra Vanarata (Chun Brahmagutto),

5292-506: The deaths of Emperor Hirohito of Japan and Franz Joseph II, Prince of Liechtenstein . In 1992, Bhumibol played a key role in Thailand's transition to a democratic system. The 1991 Thai coup d'état on 23 February returned Thailand to military dictatorship . After a general election in 1992 , the majority parties invited General Suchinda Kraprayoon , a leader of the coup group, to be prime minister. This caused much dissent, which escalated into demonstrations called Black May that led to

5390-565: The dictator Sarit was Bhumibol's tool. Political scientist Thak Chaloemtiarana writes that Sarit used Bhumibol in order to build his own credibility. Following Sarit's death General Thanom Kittikachorn rose to power to lead Thailand's military dictatorship, ultimately challenged by the 1973 Thai popular uprising . Bhumibol initially asked student protestors to disband. When police attacked and killed dozens of students, sparking protest riots, Bhumibol announced general Thanom's resignation and departure from Thailand. According to William Stevenson,

5488-608: The end of October 2017. The actual cremation, which was not broadcast on television, was held in the late evening of 26 October 2017. Following cremation his remains and ashes were taken to the Grand Palace and were enshrined at the Chakri Maha Phasat Throne Hall (royal remains), the Royal Cemetery at Wat Ratchabophit and the Wat Bowonniwet Vihara Royal Temple (royal ashes). Following burial,

5586-481: The end of the 100-day mourning period. Despite his interest in science and technology, he changed his major and enrolled in law and political science to prepare for his duties as head of state. His uncle, Rangsit, Prince of Chainat , was appointed Prince Regent . In Bhumibol's name, Prince Rangsit acknowledged a military coup that overthrew the government of Thamrongnawasawat in November 1947. The regent also signed

5684-466: The family remained in Switzerland and the affairs of the head of state were conducted by a regency council. They returned to Thailand for only two months in 1938. In 1942, Bhumibol became a jazz enthusiast, and started to play the saxophone, a passion that he kept throughout his life. He received the baccalauréat des lettres (high-school diploma with a major in French literature , Latin , and Greek) from

5782-399: The field marshal to resign to avoid a coup. Phibunsongkhram refused. That evening, Sarit Thanarat seized power. Two hours later Bhumibol imposed martial law throughout the kingdom. Bhumibol issued a proclamation appointing Sarit as "military defender of the capital" without anyone countersigning the proclamation. It included the following: Whereas it appears that the public administration by

5880-686: The government pavilion and the Buddhist chapel were under construction. Concurrently, the Royal Thai Army began manufacturing a new royal cannon chariot for the state cremation ceremonies, a first after many years, timed to be completed in April 2017 for delivery to the Fine Arts Department of the Ministry of Culture. The designs of the buildings combine both Thai traditional and modern building design and construction methods. The construction process for

5978-475: The government under the premiership of Field Marshal P. Phibunsongkhram is untrustworthy, and that the government could not maintain the public order; and whereas the military, led by Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat, has successfully taken over the public administration and now acts as the Military Defender of the Capital; now, therefore, I do hereby appoint Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat as the Military Defender of

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6076-483: The historic event. PDG. General Saiyud Kerdphol, General Wimon Wongwanich the former President of WMC, General Chetta Thanajaro the current President of WMC, Dr Sakchye Tapsuwan IFMA President and WMC General Secretary, Khun Kajorn Prowsree Vice President of the Amateur Muaythai Association of Thailand under Royal Patronage of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, Stephan Fox Vice President of WMC and General Secretary of

6174-532: The king had asked the three tyrants to avoid bloodshed; although the three tyrants had agreed, they later changed their minds. Eventually, it led to the incidents of October 1973. Bhumibol distanced himself from the Thai military after Thanom's fall. Political events in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos brought powerful guerrilla and communist movements into power or prominence, which threatened the Thai monarchy and political establishment. Fearing unrest, Bhumibol began to court

6272-499: The land of gilded elephants and white umbrellas". The ceremony was performed by Bhumibol's ageing grandmother, Savang Vadhana . Bhumibol and Sirikit had four children: After presiding over the long-delayed, ceremonial cremation of his brother Ananda Mahidol , Bhumibol was crowned King of Thailand on 5 May 1950 in the Phaisan Thaksin Throne Hall in the Grand Palace in Bangkok. It was the first coronation ceremony of

6370-465: The major chariots at Saraburi province, with two military vehicles to serve as simulators. For the royal puppet show, it was the first ever to feature a woman performer in keeping with the modern age - Ancharika Noosingha, 43 years old, who was the first female royal puppeteer in history, keeping a historic tradition from the Ayutthaya period. The Fine Arts Department Royal Music and Drama Office organized

6468-461: The military in 1975, visiting camps throughout the country, and publicly warning of internal and external threats. At this time, Bhumibol increasingly cultivated far-right militias and paramilitary forces, including the Red Gaurs and the Village Scouts, warning that students and political dissidents planned to bring communists to power in Thailand. Finally, Bhumibol provoked outrage among students and legal groups by inviting general Thanom back into

6566-446: The most suitable premier, leading student protesters to flee to join the communists in the jungle. Thanin was overthrown in a military coup in October 1977 led by General Kriangsak Chamanan . Kriangsak was succeeded in 1980 by the popular Army Commander-in-Chief, General Prem Tinsulanonda , who later became the Privy Council President. Bhumibol's refusal to endorse military coups in April 1981 and September 1985 ultimately led to

6664-415: The mourning period officially ended on midnight of 30 October 2017 and Thais resumed wearing colors other than black in public. King Bhumibol Adulyadej had been treated at Siriraj Hospital since 3 October 2014. He developed a high fever due to sepsis in February 2016, which improved following antibiotics treatment. On 1 October 2016, the palace released a bulletin stating that after recovering from

6762-419: The national service. On 28 February 2017, a special Royal Kong Tek Chinese Buddhist ceremony was held, presided by King Vajiralongkorn at the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall and was led by monks from the Thai Teochew Chinese Buddhist community in the Bangkok area. The service was in keeping with Chinese Buddhist rites and customs regarding the dead. The Kong Tek ceremony was a Buddhist religious ceremony unique to

6860-419: The official funeral webpage, the RTA Thai Global Network, NBT World and the YouTube channel of Thai PBS, the first time this has ever been done), people will still post live feeds but with difficulty and the national and international press have been given a special media center at the Thammasat University . In early August, plans were finalized to open the cremation site for public and tourist visitation after

6958-405: The plaza grounds, organized by The Foundation of the Promotion of Supplementary Occupations and Related Techniques of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit of Thailand (SUPPORT) and the Bunditphatthanasilpa Institute. Given the huge importance of such an event, the official practice runs for this began as early as 15–16 May with the RTA Ordnance Division spearheading the runs simulating the funeral procession of

7056-463: The public. Bhumibol, in a speech on 26 April 2006, responded, "Asking for a Royally-appointed prime minister is undemocratic. It is, pardon me, a mess. It is irrational". After publicly claiming victory in the boycotted April parliamentary elections , Thaksin Shinawatra had a private audience with the king. A few hours later, Thaksin appeared on national television to announce that he would be taking

7154-405: The puppet play and its personnel form part of the cast who will perform on the cremation night. The Nation reported on 11 May that the funeral crematorium and the monastic pavilion are almost ready for an early completion, the fastest yet for royal funerals in the modern era, and the prefabrication processes for the decorations to be used in the buildings are at the final stage. At the same time,

7252-538: The royal crematorium (Phra Merumas (Golden Crematorium)) itself commenced with due ceremony on the morning of 27 February 2017 in the Sanam Luang Plaza, in the presence of the Prime Minister of Thailand Gen (ret) Prayut Chan-o-cha . At the right moment, the central steel beam of the building was hoisted using a crane towards its spot in the plaza worksite after a Brahmin blessing was bestowed on it. By 1 April,

7350-518: The royal decree calling for a clean and fair election. That very day, Bhumibol underwent spinal surgery. The 60th anniversary ( diamond jubilee ) celebrations of the king's accession to the throne were a series of events marking Bhumibol's reign in June 2006. Events included a royal barge procession on the Chao Phraya River, fireworks displays, art exhibitions, and the pardoning of 25,000 prisoners, concerts, and dance performances. Tied in with

7448-562: The royal funeral urns have been manufactured for centuries out of old sandalwood trees. He asked for public support and assistance for the making of the royal urn alongside 150 artisans from the Traditional Arts Office. The department issued a job hiring call in the middle of January 2017 for prospective workers in the Sanam Luang royal crematorium complex and for the needed chariot repair and upgrading works. As of 12 February 2017,

7546-434: The royal urn. Special rites attended by King Vajiralongkorn were held to mark the 7th, 15th, 50th and 100th days since the king's death. After the fifteenth day, the public were allowed to pay their respects and attend the lying-in-state in the Grand Palace. By the end of the allowed public attendance on 30 September 2017 (later pushed forward to 5 October the same year), over 12 million people had paid their respects in person,

7644-457: The sandalwood corn flowers used for state funerals were made to be used by citizens and foreign attendants attending the services, as the kalamet flowers, protected by law, will only be used in the royal crematorium. The practice of making flowers from corn leaves, though, was a modern practice which began in 1925 during the state funeral of King Vajiravudh (Rama VI). As of 24 September more than 5,500 people signed up to volunteer to serve during

7742-559: The title of Bhumibol the Great was posthumously conferred, was the ninth king of the Chakri dynasty of Thailand , titled Rama IX , from 1946 until his death in 2016. His reign of 70 years and 126 days is the longest of any Thai monarch, the longest on record of any independent Asian sovereign, and the third-longest verified reign of any monarch of a sovereign state in history (after Louis XIV and Elizabeth II ). Born in

7840-494: The topic. In a BBC interview, Thitinan Pongsudhirak of Chulalongkorn University noted, "This coup was nothing short of Thaksin versus the King   ... He [the king] is widely seen as having implicitly endorsed the coup." In the same interview, social critic Sulak Sivaraksa claimed, "Without his [the king's] involvement, the coup would have been impossible." Sulak added that the king is "very skillful. He never becomes obviously involved. If this coup goes wrong, Sonthi will get

7938-405: The victory of forces loyal to the government, despite some violence – including, in 1981, the seizure of Bangkok by rebel forces. The coups led many to believe that Bhumibol had misjudged Thai society and that his credibility as an impartial mediator between various political and military factions had been compromised. In 1989, Bhumibol became the world's longest-reigning living monarch following

8036-408: The year 2000 a world meeting took place with WMC, IFMA, the National Olympic Committee of Thailand and Sports Authority of Thailand in which 106 countries participated to vote on the idea of applying for GAISF membership. With a vote of 102 against 4 the world muaythai community decided to apply under the word ‘muaythai’ as the official name of the sport to meet Olympic requirements. Also at this meeting

8134-492: Was attended by the king and queen and royal visitors from 26 other countries. On 13 June, a state banquet for the royal visitors was held in the newly constructed Rama IX Throne Hall at the Grand Palace, the first official function of the hall. The Chiang Mai Royal Floral Expo was also held to honour the anniversary. On the evening of 19 September, the Thai military overthrew the Thaksin government and seized control of Bangkok in

8232-609: Was born at Cambridge Hospital (now Mount Auburn Hospital ) in Cambridge, Massachusetts , United States, on 5 December 1927, during the reign of his paternal uncle, King Rama VII (Prajadhipok). He was the youngest son of Prince Mahidol Adulyadej , the Prince of Songkla, and his commoner wife Mom Sangwan (later Princess Srinagarindra , the Princess Mother). His father was enrolled in the public health program at Harvard University , which

8330-638: Was declared the national day , replacing the previous national day, the anniversary of the Siamese revolution of 1932 (24 June). Upon Sarit's death on 8 December 1963, an unprecedented 21 days of mourning were declared in the palace. A royal five-tier umbrella shaded his body while it lay in state. Long-time royal adviser Phraya Srivisaravacha later noted that no Prime Minister ever had such an intimate relationship with Bhumibol as Sarit. Bhumibol biographer Paul Handley, in The King Never Smiles , writes that

8428-529: Was ever produced to verify the existence of such a plot, and Thaksin and his Thai Rak Thai party vehemently denied the accusations and sued the accusers. In a rare, televised speech to senior judges, Bhumibol requested the judiciary to take action to resolve the political crisis. On 8 May 2006, the Constitutional Court invalidated the results of the April elections and ordered new elections scheduled for 15 October 2006 . The Criminal Court later jailed

8526-414: Was highly revered by the people in Thailand —some saw him as close to divine . Notable political activists and Thai citizens who criticized the king or the institution of monarchy were often forced into exile or suffered frequent imprisonments. His cremation was held in 2017 at the royal crematorium at Sanam Luang . His son, Vajiralongkorn , succeeded him as King Rama X of Thailand. Bhumibol

8624-535: Was hospitalised in Lausanne, Sirikit visited him frequently. She met his mother, who asked her to continue her studies nearby so that Bhumibol could get to know her better. Bhumibol selected for her a boarding school in Lausanne, Riante Rive. A quiet engagement in Lausanne followed on 19 July 1949, and they were married on 28 April 1950, just a week before his coronation. Their wedding was described by The New York Times as "the shortest, simplest royal wedding ever held in

8722-425: Was little more than a ceremonial figure under the military-dominated government. In August 1957, six months after parliamentary elections, General Sarit Thanarat accused the government of Field Marshal Phibunsongkhram of lèse-majesté due to its conduct of the 2,500th anniversary celebration of Buddhism . On 16 September 1957, Phibunsongkhram went to Bhumibol to seek support for his government. Bhumibol advised

8820-405: Was made queen ( Somdej Phra Boromarajini ). The date of his coronation is celebrated each 5 May in Thailand as Coronation Day , a public holiday. The royal couple spent their honeymoon at Hua Hin before they returned to Switzerland, where the king completed his university studies. They returned to Thailand in 1951. Following the death of his grandmother Queen Savang Vadhana , Bhumibol entered

8918-447: Was officially finished by the end of the month and delivered to the FAD so that the decoration process can begin in time for their debut in the funeral events later in the year. The national cremation in the Sanam Luang Plaza took place on 26 October 2017, 13 days after the 1st anniversary of the King's death. Just as in past state cremations since 1995, a special Khon performance was held in

9016-609: Was one of the few occasions in which Bhumibol directly and publicly intervened in a political conflict. A general election was held shortly afterward, leading to a civilian government. Weeks before the April 2006 legislative election , the Democrat Party -led opposition and the People's Alliance for Democracy petitioned Bhumibol to appoint a replacement prime minister and cabinet. Demands for royal intervention were met with much criticism from

9114-585: Was revived in certain situations and the royal-sponsored Thammayut Nikaya order was revitalised. For the first time since the absolute monarchy was overthrown, a king was conveyed up the Chao Phraya River in a Royal Barge Procession to offer robes at temples. Other disused ceremonies from the classical period of the Chakri Dynasty , such as the royally patronised ploughing ceremony (Thai: พิธีพืชมงคล), were also revived. Bhumibol's birthday (5 December)

9212-577: Was sometimes referred to as King Rama IX in English, Thais referred to him as Nai Luang or Phra Chao Yu Hua , which translated to "the King" and "Lord Upon our Heads", respectively. He was also called Chao Chiwit ("Lord of Life"). Formally, he was referred to as Phrabat Somdet Phra Chao Yu Hua or, in legal documents, Phrabat Somdet Phra Paraminthara Maha Bhumibol Adulyadej , and in English as "His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej". He signed his name as ภูมิพลอดุลยเดช ป.ร. (Bhumibol Adulyadej Por Ror,

9310-483: Was speculated that some palace elites, responding to the people's admiration for Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn , might try to position her to take the throne. The king died at Siriraj Hospital on 13 October 2016 at 15:52 local time. The Bureau of the Royal Household officially announced his death at 18:45, less than three hours later, although Scottish journalist and author Andrew MacGregor Marshall reported

9408-466: Was started in early 2017 and took only 8 months to complete. The government granted one billion baht , deducted from central budget, to cover the construction. Once the cremation is over, the crematorium opens for public visits for a month before being torn down in January 2018. Designs for the cremation complex were officially unveiled on 28 October 2016, and a special ceremony was held on 19 December for

9506-502: Was then 15 years old and training to be a concert pianist. On 4 October 1948, while Bhumibol was driving a Fiat Topolino on the Geneva - Lausanne road, he collided with the rear of a braking truck 10 km outside Lausanne. He injured his back, suffered paralysis in half of his face and incurred cuts on his face that cost him the sight of his right eye . Both the royal cremation and coronation had to be postponed once more. While he

9604-488: Was virtually impossible. Three palace aides ( Chit Singhaseni , But Patthamasarin , and Chaliao Pathumrot ) were eventually convicted of regicide , and were executed by firing squad on 17 February 1955, after their appeals for clemency were rejected by Bhumibol. A third possibility, that Bhumibol accidentally shot his brother while the brothers played with their pistols, was never officially considered. Bhumibol succeeded his brother, but returned to Switzerland before

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