Ban Ki-moon lauds 'visionary, humanitarian' HM as UN pays tributes to late King
The United Nations on Friday paid tributes to His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, praising his numerous achievements during his seven-decade reign.
Tributes at the 71st session of the UN General Assembly were led by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who praised HM the King for being a visionary and humanitarian.
“Throughout seven decades, King Bhumibol served as a stabilising force in Thailand, notably during times of political turmoil and tensions,” Ban said .
“[His] commitment to sustainable development and national resilience helped move the country through its various development phases and towards becoming a vibrant economy,” he said.
HM the King was the first recipient of the UN Human Development Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006, he added.
Several other foreign officials, such as UN General Assembly president Peter Thompson and the US permanent representative to the UN Samantha Power, also joined in hailing the late King for his leadership and his signature sufficiency economy philosophy that helped Thailand endure difficult economic situations.