BORN TO GREATNESS

Boon Rawd Brewery and Singha Corp have just released “The Mahidol Royal Family”, an elaborate book tracing His Majesty the King’s lineage, to be made available in schools and libraries.
It offers wonderful profiles of the Prince Father, Prince Mahidol Adulyadej of Songkla, Phra Srinagarindra Boromarajajonani the Princess Mother, and Her Royal Highness Princess Galyani Vadhana, as well as her siblings who became beloved kings – Ananda Mahidol and Bhumibol Adulyadej.
Privy Councillor MR Thepkamol Devakula presided at the book’s recent launch at the Siam Kempinski Bangkok, where representatives of Boon Rawd and Singha said the book and its accompanying DVD express their deepest gratitude to His Majesty.
The publication commemorates three recent auspicious events – the King’s 84th birthday on December 5, 2011; the 120th anniversary last January 1 of the Prince Father’s birth; and the 150th birth anniversary this past September 10 of Her Majesty Queen Sri Savarindira, the Queen Grandmother.
“We deeply appreciate that His Majesty has graciously granted permission to use the royal surname Mahidol on the book, together with the royal surname emblem, images, paintings, photographs of royal duties and His Majesty’s paintings, and His Majesty’s handwriting,” said Boon Rawd vice chairman Vapee Bhirombhakdi.
“The Mahidol Royal Family” includes much interesting information, from age-old traditions for the family’s order of precedence to the ranks of royal wives up until the reign of Rama V. It also lists surnames granted by Rama VI.
The book has five chapters – “Duties of the Royal Family”, “Forming a Family, Lifestyle and Modern Thinking”, “Changes”, “Beloved Family” and “Family as Pillar of Faith and Worship” – and in the back cover is the nine-part DVD of the documentary recently aired on Modernine TV.
“This book and video, which took over two years to make, are the result of everyone’s dedication,” said Buranee Rachjaibun, managing director of Ovation Studio and executive producer for the project. “The content isn’t new, but it’s been carefully processed from reliable and verifiable sources in order to help people understand history and, more importantly, use them as a reference.”
“The documentary film wasn’t easy because we had to tell the stories via images and voiceover, but it’s very special and enchanting. It isn’t just old pictures put together, but reflects the atmosphere, the lives and the memories of the past.”
Describing their respective roles at the launch were Parichat Khumraksa of Amarin Printing and Publishing, who gathered information and edited the text, and Chat Arayajittipong, who directed the documentary. Professor Dr Sanjai Saengvichien, an adviser at Siriraj Hospital, talked about the Prince Father’s achievements in modernising Thai medicine and public health.
Readers and viewers will gain a fresh appreciation for the Mahidol clan’s determination to improve citizens’ lives and a better understanding of the affection shared among grandmother, parents, sister and brothers.
While working in the United States in 1913, the Prince Father told a New York newspaper that he would far prefer to build a hospital than a navy vessel, so he chose health over a military career, a better way of benefiting his homeland. He became, in fact, Thailand’s “Father of Modern Medicine and Public Health” – but his hard work caused his own fragile health to collapse.
Left a single mother, the Princess Mother became revered in her own right as Somdej Ya. She raised her three children to appreciate simplicity in life, only for the abdication of Rama VII in 1934 to summon her elder son Ananda to the throne.
Regardless, both Ananda and Bhumibol adhered to their mother’s disdain for pretence. Growing up in Switzerland they attended school like any other children, taught by their mother that social quality was essential to democracy.
     GET A COPY
-  “The Mahidol Royal Family” in hardcover has 250 pages with colour illustrations and includes the DVD.
-  Schools and libraries can obtain copies by calling Boon Rawd Brewery at (02) 669 1069 through January 31.