Remembering a great King

Thais have traditionally celebrated December 5, His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s birthday and also national Father’s Day. Less known perhaps is that today also marks World Soil Day, a Thai initiative that was unanimously endorsed in June 2013 by the 68th UN General Assembly.
It too is cause for celebration as during the 70 years of his reign, King Rama IX designed thousands of development projects to improve the living conditions of his people, often using the grounds of his palaces as experimental plots. 
His interest in development manifested itself when he was just a small child living at Srapathum Palace in Bangkok with the Queen Grandmother, Queen Savang Vadhana. 
Take, for example, his Monkey Cheeks project to store water for irrigation. The late King always credited the monkeys raised at Srapathum Palace for his inspiration, saying he was fascinated as a child at how the monkeys would chew bananas then keep the pulp in their mouths for later. 
That memory and other others will soon be on display in a new exhibition being organised by the Queen Savang Vadhana Foundation at its Phra Tamnak Yai museum inside Srapathum Palace. Titled “Our Beloved Great King”, it aims to express gratitude to the late monarch and will be open for public viewing from December 19 to the end of March.
Before that, though, the foundation has joined hands with Siam Piwat and Siam Paragon Development to hold “Our Beloved Great King” in the Lifestyle Hall on Siam Paragon’s second floor. The exhibition runs from today until December 18. 
 It brings together photographs and personal items that portray the late King’s royal duties as well as his happy childhood inside the vast compound of Srapathum Palace.
 “Queen Savang Vadhana Museum is open to the public and serves as a resource centre for further studies of the royal activities and Thai history. In line with the royal initiative of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, we would like to introduce a glimpse of the exhibition that is taking place at Queen Savang Vadhana Museum to visitors at Siam Paragon,” says the Foundation’s secretary-general Chawalee Amatyakul.
“This will allow both Thais and foreigners to learn more about our history and the profound benevolence of the late Monarch toward his subjects. His perseverance and demeanour throughout the past 70 years of the reign is truly a great example of a Dhammaraja, or the king of righteousness.”
The exhibition comprises four parts. 
Part I, “First Royal Residence”, narrates the late King’s biography and noble demeanour at Srapathum Palace’s Phra Tamnak Mai (New Mansion) where he lived as a child 1928-1933. The palace is today the residence of Princess Sirindhorn. 
“This part of the exhibition is devoted to the great affection between the late King, the Queen Grandmother, the Princess Mother, King Ananda Mahidol, and HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana. His Majesty once said that he learnt much about the Kingdom from the Queen Grandmother. In the past, when he resided in Bangkok, he would visit her every day. The highlights are the baby cart which belonged to His Majesty, and the Chinese rickshaw known as ‘Jek-tu’ that the Queen Grandmother would use for her niece and nephews to look and shop,” Chavalee says. 
More than seven years were spent preparing the museum for its opening in 2008. “There are so many memories here. Princess Sirindhorn told us that she once asked His Majesty about what he remembered from his childhood and the late King said he remembered making his own toy carts from chopped wood. And when Their Majesties the King and Queen together with Thanpuying Dhasanawalaya Ratanakul Serireongrit, Princess Galyani Vadhana’s daughter, visited the museum on April 27, 2012, Princess Sirindhorn asked His Majesty if he was pleased with the museum and he said ‘yes’. Their Majesties visited the museum just one day before their wedding anniversary, which was held at Srapathum Palace on April 28, 1950. Queen Savang Vadhana bestowed her formal blessings on the royal couple. Gratitude is considered a most auspicious value,” Chavalee says. “So visitors must not miss the chance to visit the Palace museum.”
Part II of the exhibition features “Royal Activities” and is dedicated to the late King’s lifelong works for the benefits of the Thai people and global citizens. 
Part III, “Worldwide Praise” depicts the deep-felt appreciation of all Thais nationwide as well as the global community. A number of official condolences offered by heads of states are also on display here along with the national and international awards and decorations His Majesty received during his lifetime. These include awards recognising the late Monarch’s King’s numerous royal projects and his unwavering commitment to improving the lives of his people, such as the United Nations Development Programme’s first-ever Human Development Lifetime Achievement Award. 
Part IV, “Royal Guidance” brings together His Majesty’s royal remarks and teachings on several auspicious occasions.
The Queen Savang Vadhana Foundation will also distribute 9,999 postcards with priceless portraits of His Majesty at the exhibition. The backs of the cards are printed with the late King’s words of wisdom.
 

In appreciation
 - “Our Beloved Great King” runs at Siam Paragon’s Lifestyle Hall from today until December 18.
- It will then be on show at the Phra Tamnak Yai museum inside Srapathum Palace until the end of March. 
- The museum is open daily except Sundays and visits can be made by appointment. Admission is Bt150 per person and Bt50 for students. 
- For more information, call the museum at (02) 252 1965-7 or visit www.QueenSavang.org and Facebook/Queen Savang Vadhana Museum