Moments with His Majesty

To the tens of thousands of people who crowded the Royal Plaza in front of the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall, most wearing “Monday yellow” in honour of the day the King was born, His Majesty was visible only as a tiny figure on the distant balcony.

They were deliriously happy nonetheless, proud and excited just to be part of the yellow sea of admirers filling the King’s gaze, sending him waves of best wishes. But you couldn’t have blamed them for wishing they were Charnnarong. He was still a long way from the throne hall, but considerably closer than they were, and armed with a powerful telephoto lens. 

And in the past he’s been within easy reach of the King.

He and the other photographers were in place early on Wednesday, by 3 or 4am, each and every one of them feeling “extremely honoured” to be assigned easy views, he says.

“The ambience was magnificent, overwhelming, especially when everyone was chanting ‘Long live the King’. I was taking pictures from one corner of the Sanam Suepa King Rama V Monument.”

He’s thankful to Canon for loaning him a Bt6-million ES200mm lens – the only one of its kind in Thailand. “It allowed me to take the best possible pictures of the royal family despite the security restrictions, the awkward angle and the shaky platform.”

Charnnarong hoisted the long, hefty telephoto lens and waited for “pictures that would be the most appropriate to the King’s prestige. When His Majesty came out onto the Sihabanchorn Balcony, my eye was glued to the camera as I watched his gestures for the best shots.”

They go back a long way, the King and our cameraman.

“When I was around four, my mother took me to have an audience with His Majesty at the Emerald Buddha Temple. She told me, ‘Today we will make merit with the King.’ I was holding a Bt10 bill tightly in my palm, and His Majesty came along and took the note from me to make merit. I have never forgotten that moment.”

Charnnarong has been The Nation’s palace photographer since 2002. His first assignment was covering Her Majesty the Queen and Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn opening Chinese New Year festivities in Yaowaraj that year. “After that I was just waiting with all my heart for an opportunity to take pictures of His Majesty the King.”

The chance came in 2005, when the King and Princess Sirindhorn opened the Suwanchart Swimming Pool at Kasetsart University’s Animal Hospital. “I felt overwhelmed,” Charnnarong says, “and then my photograph appeared on the front page of all the Nation Group newspapers.”

The following year, covering the celebrations for His Majesty’s 60th anniversary on the throne, he found himself in tears for the first time. 

“I was well prepared. I rented a room at a hotel near the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall. When His Majesty arrived, the crowd was cheering so loudly that I broke into tears and I couldn’t seem to stop. But my finger continued snapping the shutter – even though my eyes were kind of blurred!”

Then came a breathtakingly personal moment in 2008 when the King travelled to Khao Tao in Prachuab Kiri Khan to see the long-tailed boat races. Charnnarong was delighted to be getting a picture of the monarch smiling, when suddenly His Majesty turned his own camera toward him. “I was astonished and went completely stiff. But I took His Majesty’s picture and then paid him respect.”

Last May 25, Charnnarong got “the closest I’ve ever been to His Majesty”, at the Thung Makham Yong Field in Ayutthaya. 

“I was on the same platform as the other photographers, but I decided to move to the other side of the crowd. I was fortunate – instead of being 300 metres from His Majesty, I was within arm’s reach. No one else got the pictures I did. Everyone else’s photos of His Majesty had me in them too! It felt like an unbelievably great honour.”

The Thai Post Office recently asked to use a photograph that Charnnarong took of His Majesty inaugurating projects at Royal Irrigation Department headquarters in Nonthaburi. It will be replicated on a postage stamp. 

“Through such great moments in life, for an ordinary person like me, I’ve learned a great deal,” Charnnarong says. For one thing, he emphasises, “All the money that people contribute to His Majesty is always returned to the people, especially those in need. 

“From the bottom of my heart I tell you honestly that I used to wish I’d been born earlier so I could have served His Majesty when he was younger. Now, despite his ageing, I’m just determined to take the best possible pictures of His Majesty so that I can present them to the Thai people, so they can better appreciate the King’s love and kindness. Long live the King!”

 

CAMERA CREW

The Nation dispatched most of its photographers to abet Charnnarong’s coverage of Wednesday’s events. Here, some of the others share their impressions.

Supakrit Khumkun: “This time is the closest I’ve ever been taking His Majesty’s photo. I was on the lawn outside the throne hall and, even from there, the chanting of ‘Long live the King’ was very loud. 

“I’m always proud of my shots of the King, but I wish he’d smile more often. There is nothing better than seeing His Majesty happy.”

Anant Chantarasoot was assigned to capture the crowd and the ambience. He got a great shot of children waiting to give the King their best wishes. “Kids might not fully understand what’s going on, but I could see the determination in their eyes, and they cheered even louder than a lot of adults.”

Pramote Putthaisong was enjoying his second chance to photograph His Majesty on the Srihabanchorn Balcony – the first time was in 1999. “I don’t know how to describe my feelings – I’m very proud. It’s a great honour for my family and I. I have every picture I took framed on the wall at home.”

Prasert Thepsri says hearing the people’s cheers along the route from Siriraj Hospital to the throne hall was wonderful. “I got my best picture of the King about eight years ago when he turned to look at the photographers and smiled.”

Nanthasit Nitmetha, chief of Nation Multimedia photography, is the guy who got that amazing photo of the King advising Princess Sirindhorn about getting her own snapshots from the balcony during the accession anniversary six years ago. “The opportunity to serve His Majesty and the monarchy on many important occasions is the greatest reward of my life.”