Of His Majesty and the Ten Regal Qualities

These 10 qualities are (1) Giving – not only tangible things, but intangible; (2) Upright & Virtuous; (3) Altruistic; (4) Honest, Honourable, Dependable and True; (5) Compassionate, Considerate and Thoughtful; (6) Resolutely Assiduous; (7) Forgiving & Non-vindictive; (8) Innocuous; (9) Tolerant and Persevering; (10) Fair-minded and Just.

These qualities can be summed up in one word – magnanimity.

That is the word that describes everything that His Majesty is, and has done tirelessly, passionately and selflessly for his people and the country, for all these 62 long years since May 5, 1950 – the day he ascended to the throne. He has made his work appear effortless. He never demands appreciation, and never reminds us about any of the good deeds and gifts he has done or given to the nation. He is the only monarch who says it outright – that even the king can do wrong, as man is fallible. He never points fingers at anyone – that everything is the fault of others. He never seeks revenge or purposely or deviously creates or encourages divisiveness and hatred. 

He takes all of his headaches and heartaches in stride and in silence, graciously. He has forgiven even those who all their lives did everything possible, obsessively, to hurt and harm him to the maximum extent possible, simply because of where he sits. For him, all Thais are one – we sink and swim together. We are his children, and everything that comes with it.

And we are spoiled to the point where many of us completely take for granted His Majesty’s lifelong hard work and contribution to the nation and her people. Many are behaving like a chicken that passes by and gives up a precious gemstone for the sake of a husk, because it cannot recognise, comprehend or appreciate the value of the treasure in front of it.

The images of the oath-taking ceremony of high-ranking officials and military men and women led by the prime minister on Friday at the Grand Palace brought home a profound sense of sadness and resignation. Many of them have taken many times before an oath to uphold the best interest of the country in their heart, and at the core of their duties and responsibilities. 

Their words were nothing but an utterance that can be described anatomically as the vocal chords coming together and narrowing the opening through which air flows between them.

But for His Majesty, an oath or pledge is a serious, binding promise – it’s meant to be kept. And he has kept his, unconditionally and without fail.

His Majesty’s pledge of Succession to the Throne:

“I shall reign with righteousness for the benefit and happiness of the Siamese people.”

In recent years, his name has been dragged through the mud by many, both intentionally and unintentionally. Some people methodically abuse his good name for their own gain. He was painted by those – as unqualified and unwarranted artists as they were – to be the symbol of all the ills of the country. Foreigners as well as locals – who can never fully comprehend the honour, dignity and unselfish virtue that he possesses – have tried to pick him apart, judging him harshly and unfairly according to the standards they pick, many of which they would apply to themselves. Many do not even care to search thoroughly before making flippant and unsubstantiated claims and criticisms.

The lese majeste law is a case in point in these messy situations and circumstances.

The real intent of the law is just to provide the monarch with some level of protection, a level playing field, against defamation. While any citizen can take his grievances to court and sue the daylights out of those who appear to be defaming him and dishonouring his good name, a monarch in practice cannot. In many ways, he has fewer rights than us as citizens. 

However, the enforcement of the law has gone too far in several instances. Many times a harsh penalty has been imposed out of the genuine desire, sometimes misguided, of the law enforcement people to protect the person they most love and revere. 

Sometimes they do it on purpose to perversely attract bad publicity that they know would harm and haunt the institution. 

Westerners, who want to believe in equality and civil liberty, take the law as the highlight of an unjust and primitive Old World value that must be thrown out. 

They take no responsibility for their criticisms, so it is easy for them to make the judgement and speak words of denigration. Facts and truth mean almost nothing nowadays, let alone well-grounded and constructive criticisms. It is more than a “me” generation, it is a “me always right” era. The word “shame” has quickly disappeared from our vocabulary.

His Majesty was hailed as the “Soul” of this nation. 

The chaos and confusion in which we find ourselves these days are partly due to the fact that many have lost their soul, and hence their way. We have abandoned genuine goodness and benevolence for the fake, glittering and poisonous allure of power and wealth. Many are searching and are told to throw the baby and the bath water out the window, and not to care.

For those who do care, they do not have to look far and wide and search among thousands of people to find someone who personifies any of the Ten Regal Qualities that make a magnanimous leader. We only have to look at one person. 

He was born on this day 84 years ago, lives his life by the Ten Qualities and demands nothing in return.

In unreserved gratefulness, we make our wish on this day … LONG LIVE HIS MAJESTY!