Twin volumes of tribute

TWO BEAUTIFUL new English-language books have just been released, adding to a steady stream of tributes to His Majesty the late King.
Boon Rawd Brewery and Singha Corp have released “The Mahidol Family”, published with royal permission and now in stores. “Rama IX: The Life and Legacy of King Bhumibol Adulyadej” is a Nation Multimedia Group publication for which advance orders are now being taken.
“The Mahidol Family” documents the multitude of contributions the late King and his parents and siblings made to benefit Thais. Examined in turn and in detail are Their Royal Highnesses Prince Mahidol Adulyadej of Songkla (the Prince Father), Princess Srinagarindra (the Princess Mother) and Princess Galyani Vadhana, the late King’s elder sister, as well as the brother monarchs Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII) and Bhumibol (Rama IX).
Just 1,000 copies of the book are available at Kinokuniya bookstores and the Chulalongkorn University Book Centre. The price is Bt1,500, with all proceeds from sales will go to the Ananda Mahidol Foundation.
Publication of “The Mahidol Family” is part of a series of tributes the brewery giants have jointly undertaken to mark milestones in King Bhumibol’s reign and highlight the family’s good deeds, achievements and enduring compassion for the populace. 
The book is filled with interesting historical and personal facts and even explains the traditional line of succession based on princely rank. It covers the varying degrees of honour conferred the ladies of King Rama V’s court and the royal lineage and surnames bestowed by King Rama VI. 
Chapter 1 is titled “Understanding the Family Duty” and examines royal rites including the tonsure and ordination ceremonies. Chapter 2, “Family, Lifestyle and New World Ideologies” notes that Prince Mahidol was among the first generation of Thai princes who studied overseas, which gave him the knowledge to help younger arriving Thai students adapt to their new surroundings and later encourage them to return home and assist their compatriots. 
In this chapter, too, love blossoms with a modest nurse named Miss Sangwan, who, after their marriage and the birth of three children, would return with him to Thailand and in her own right do great deeds for the Kingdom.
Chapter 3 is “The Tide Turns”, covering the death of Prince Mahidol, the constitutional revolution and the family’s new life in Switzerland. Chapter 4, “Beloved Family”, follows Prince Ananda to the throne amid a decade’s democratic education in Europe. While Ananda specialised in political science, Galyani excelled in chemistry and Bhumibol delved into engineering – all subjects they would put to good use to the benefit of their homeland.
The book concludes with “A Family to Be Revered”, in which Bhumibol assumes the throne and begins his storied reign as caregiver to the country’s poor, ill and little educated.
Included inside “The Mahidol Family” is a DVD with a documentary of the same title divided into nine five-minute segments. The full series aired on TV in 2012 when the original Thai-language edition of the book was published. 

In the Nation Group’s vibrant 204-page “Rama IX: The Life and Legacy of King Bhumibol Adulyadej”, Nation staff writers cover the late monarch’s development and inspiring achievements across 89 years of a most remarkable life.
It is fully illustrated with photographs taken by staff and provided by other entities, including the Royal Household Bureau, the Chaipattana Foundation and the Royal Project Foundation. 
Its six parts are titled “Thailand’s King of Hearts”, “A Full Life”, “A Thirst for Achievement”, “On the World Stage”, “The Development King” and “Legacy to the World”. 
The news-feature-style articles teem with interesting and valuable information about his 70-year reign. The subjects range from the specific work of Royal Projects and the way they have transformed remote areas to the innovations the late King conceived to combat flood and drought and, of course, his many practical patented inventions. 
The collector’s volume costs Bt699 and can be delivered to any Bangkok address through the first half of January. 
Subscribers to Nation Group publications are entitled to a 20-per-cent discount and can order copies in advance by telephone (02 338 3000, press 1) and email ([email protected]). 
Non-subscribers can pre-order at |(02) 338 3696, [email protected] or www.nstore.net. Bulk orders are taken at (02) 338 3019.