04 Jun 2006BANGKOK (AFP)
Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest-reigning monarch, will mark his 60th anniversary on the throne with days of rituals and feasts -- and royalty from around the world.
The festivities have attracted some of the world's highest-profile royals, including Emperor Akihito of Japan, Prince Albert II of Monaco, King Abdullah II of Jordan, as well as leaders of several Gulf states.
But while some of his fellow rulers have suffered scorn and rough treatment in the press, the 78-year-old monarch is revered with intense devotion here -- a reverence accompanied by a ban on books considered critical of him.
His picture hangs in every taxi, office and shop, and his anniversary will be colored in hues both patriotic and religious, with a two-day holiday in Bangkok to mark the occasion.
"Every time in the past 60 years when our country faces a crisis, he comes out to solve the problem for his people," Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said Friday. "Thais are very lucky to have the king."
The activities begin Thursday, with three days of religious observances by the royal family, which will be closed to the public but televised live.
On Friday he will make a rare public appearance, standing on the palace balcony to greet the tens of thousands of his subjects expected to crowd onto the Royal Plaza.
Monday and Tuesday have been declared public holidays, largely in hopes of minimizing Bangkok's notorious traffic when royals from Belgium to Bhutan will make their way to the Thai capital.
The king will escort his visitors to the riverside headquarters of the Thai navy, where they will watch a procession of more than 50 royal barges, which have paraded down the Chao Praya River only 14 times during his reign.
On Tuesday evening, the king will host a royal banquet with his guests. Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah is expected to deliver a toast on behalf the guests, many of whom will leave Thailand the following day.
The banquet hosts monarchs from 13 nations -- Brunei, Cambodia, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Monaco, Qatar, Swaziland and Sweden.
Other royalty will come from Bahrain, Belgium, Britain, Bhutan, Denmark, Morocco, the Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Spain, Tonga and the United Arab Emirates.
The anniversary celebrations have brought a lull to a bout of political turmoil in Thailand that has seen the prime minister step aside -- only to take back his duties -- in recent weeks.
As the younger brother in his family, few people during his childhood expected Bhumibol would take the throne. But when he was only 18, his brother died mysteriously on June 9, 1946, and he was named king the same day.
After his ascension to the throne, he went to Switzerland to study and was not formally crowned until four years later in May 1950, when he received the official royal name Rama the Ninth. His full name means "Strength of the Land -- Incomparable Power".
The festivities have attracted some of the world's highest-profile royals, including Emperor Akihito of Japan, Prince Albert II of Monaco, King Abdullah II of Jordan, as well as leaders of several Gulf states.
But while some of his fellow rulers have suffered scorn and rough treatment in the press, the 78-year-old monarch is revered with intense devotion here -- a reverence accompanied by a ban on books considered critical of him.
His picture hangs in every taxi, office and shop, and his anniversary will be colored in hues both patriotic and religious, with a two-day holiday in Bangkok to mark the occasion.
"Every time in the past 60 years when our country faces a crisis, he comes out to solve the problem for his people," Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said Friday. "Thais are very lucky to have the king."
The activities begin Thursday, with three days of religious observances by the royal family, which will be closed to the public but televised live.
On Friday he will make a rare public appearance, standing on the palace balcony to greet the tens of thousands of his subjects expected to crowd onto the Royal Plaza.
Monday and Tuesday have been declared public holidays, largely in hopes of minimizing Bangkok's notorious traffic when royals from Belgium to Bhutan will make their way to the Thai capital.
The king will escort his visitors to the riverside headquarters of the Thai navy, where they will watch a procession of more than 50 royal barges, which have paraded down the Chao Praya River only 14 times during his reign.
On Tuesday evening, the king will host a royal banquet with his guests. Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah is expected to deliver a toast on behalf the guests, many of whom will leave Thailand the following day.
The banquet hosts monarchs from 13 nations -- Brunei, Cambodia, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Monaco, Qatar, Swaziland and Sweden.
Other royalty will come from Bahrain, Belgium, Britain, Bhutan, Denmark, Morocco, the Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Spain, Tonga and the United Arab Emirates.
The anniversary celebrations have brought a lull to a bout of political turmoil in Thailand that has seen the prime minister step aside -- only to take back his duties -- in recent weeks.
As the younger brother in his family, few people during his childhood expected Bhumibol would take the throne. But when he was only 18, his brother died mysteriously on June 9, 1946, and he was named king the same day.
After his ascension to the throne, he went to Switzerland to study and was not formally crowned until four years later in May 1950, when he received the official royal name Rama the Ninth. His full name means "Strength of the Land -- Incomparable Power".
18 comments:
Say what, King Sihamoni also got invited to go to Thailand's king's royal banquet too. That is cool.
Notice also how the Thais also use their river to parade their navy forces. Hahahah.
On a serious note, Cambodia's King Sihamoni should tell the King of Thailand to tell the Thai soldiers to stop killing the migrant Khmer workers.
King Sihamoni of Cambodia should not go to Thailand at the invitation of the Thai King! This action is a form of protest that the Thai soliders still kill innocence Cambodian people and migrant workers from other part of South East Asia!
Why any Cambodian King would forget so soon? The bombers B-52 were allowed to station in Thailand to fly over Cambodian to drop bombs on Cambodian people! How can any Cambodian people forget the river of blood cause by the B-52?
Cambodian people will rejoice when
King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand leave this planet Earth! So for now, there is no point of celebration or banquet in honor of hundred and thousand and thousand of Cambodian people who had to die because of some stupid political game play by Thai King and his politicians!
The mark of 60th anniversary for the Thai King is a moment of silence for me.
King Bhomibol is one of the most respectable king in the world.
Hang around with the winner making our King looking shinier as well.
Go for it King Sihamony! and have a wonderful time time!
Althought, I do like to see very much of an issue statement of apology from the king or his goverment for helping the Free world fighting he communist by droping bombs in our land, but the is so wrong.
Go with the flow your Highness King Sihanomy. You are not doing anything wrong at all.
We need see every corner of this entire universe and try to understand the best we can, if we don't that is too bad.
Speak from the heart,
To: 12:47
You speak from a dark blind heart! Go ahead King Sihamoni of Cambodia! Go party with the King of Thialand, the one that killed your people! Most Cambodian King tend to forget their history and they are condemned to repeat and to be look down upon.
Speak from the mind with reasoning and not with emotion.
The king should go and make friend with our neighbor.
And All your stories are wrong reread the news and history. Life have to go on and the King have his choice not listen to dump haed like yours.
You know friends come and go. Now if the friend is a killer and I wouldn't want to make friend with him.
Cambodian neighbor especially Thialand is no different than that of Vietname. Any Cambodian people wan to know the good of work of Thailand just go to see the rich gem city of Pailin for yourself. Pailin in one beautiful Cambodian town rich in gem and diamond. The Thai turn Pailin into landscape full of craters that you will only see on the moon. In addition,Thailand is still annexed large portrion of Cambodian land along Cambodian border that why Thailand is in such a hurry to finish border demarcation before 2008. Thailand still make million and million of dollars on Preah Vihea which is located on Cambodian land!
To be friend is to have mutual understand and not taking advantage of one another! Cambodian King should understand the different between good friend and a friend who want everything from you and willing to kill you for it and a friend who look down upon you and a friend who will help you in a time of need.
Cambodian King have a choice to make stratgetic friends beyond Cambodian neighbors. Cambodian neighbors especially Thailand and Vietname had never respected Cambodia sovieregnty through out history and why should Cambodia make friends with them. Cambodian King can make friends but not all friend.
Hi all,
Thai ai a trailor like VN, there is not differences between them, the only difference is one does it in the hot way and other in the cool way.
I still think about the land that we have lost either to Thai or VN. Our king can make frend with those country, but straight forward, we have to hide something in our mine and remember and tell our next generation to stand up when we have a strenght.
The nature of khmer people are nationalist, but right now all of our neihboring country destroy us make us to be selfish and familinist.
I still do hope, one day, thos trailors will go to hell. Nothing can stay forever, thing can start, it also can end, just soon or later.
Anonymous 11:30PM. I must solute you. Continue to educate some of our own Khmer who are still in the pond and not knowing what is going on in our past. Our neighboring countries are taking advantage of everything they can with our current dumb monkey government.
We can not make a comparison between Phoumibol and Seihamouny. Phoumibol was an original Thai king and he usually think about his citizen, but Sihakmouny was a king kaun kath (not original khmer king) and he was a small king that appointed by Hun Sen and CPP. He got no power bo feeling no politic no management skill just a dancer
Did you hear that 26 countries of royalty and other dignitaries from around the world will be there?
Do you really think that our King will go to celebrate with the Thai's King alone?
If he doesn't go, he is going to be left out and be an out cast. King needs to be with other Kings sometimes.
And do you know who else will be there? Mr.Coffee Anan will be there. Aren't we smart enough to know who he is?
The most importnat trail of the century for Cambodia is coming next year! Hello!!!
What is so good just to stay inside in that lonely and small palace? or going up and down to China and North Korea all the times anyway?
Going to learn how to be mean,rotten and ugly to his own poeple? or is he going to learn how to make a NUCLEAR BOMB? so that He ( King Sihamony ) could bomb all of our heads of from the face of this earth?
Look! If I'm King, i'm going WEST!....DESTINATION BANGKOK on June 9th! I got peace and prosperity to promote for Cambodia. Aurevoir! bye!
and please don't worry that i'm going to marry a Thai princess. My mind is made up. I want somebody that could help me turning Cambodia to next Monte Carlo, the way Grace Kelly did to Monaco. I want Cambodia to be on the world's map. I want Cambodia to be on a RADAR SCREEN for every vacationer around the world TO COME AND ENJOY!
I got millions and millions to make for OUR BELOVED AND PRECIOUS CAMBODIA!
Too bad my Cambodian princess Angelina Jolie is taking up with Bratt Pitt. My heart was just completely shatter!and broken into a trillion pieces! Damm!!! you did not understand me!!!
There is a time and place for everything and right now it is not the time for Cambodian King to be party. There are so many issues facing Cambodian society that need to be taken care of.
The concept of going with the flow and jump on the bandwagon is not the way to go. It shows that a person lack of reasoning. It is about being individual especially if you are a king. Cambodian King have to right not to show up and so what if all other King show up to celebrate the Thai King 60 birthday because those King have no bitter history with the Thai King anyway.
Cambodian King need to understand that Cambodian people have a history and history is still in the making! Thai will make another history before 2008 by annexed vast Cambodian land along the borders!
Don't be just another King or an average King! There are too many average King out there who are not love by their people! Cambodian King need to stand apart and take on responsibility for Cambodian people and nation!Cambodian King need to promote peace and harmony and progress eveywhere in Cambodian society!
The crown achievement of Cambodian King will be honored and celebrated by all Cambodian people in the Kingdom and it would be more lavished than just a simple 60 birthday banquet!
Cambodian King can go to birthday party representing Cambodia as the world poorest country in the world!
Now this is fucken embarrassing for me if I am the King of Cambodian! So I am at the birthday party to promote a bad image of my people! You got to be kidding me!
Not a 60th birthday party or banquet,Madame!
It's the 60th accession to throne for the King of Thailand! If our King want to be on The Cambodian's Emperor chair for another 6o years, I don't think it would be a bad idea for him to go at all! You will never know that he might be able to bring home a wealth of new ideas and creations.
MR. RUMSFELD of the U.S is visiting the Vietcong right now!
I surely think, it will be alright for the King to go! This is 2006! It's the new a Millenium!! People are poeple! It won't do any good just to staying at home and dwelling on the ugly past. Might as well travel the world to do it while he can still walk.
Hey, At least I still remember " Kdou rak! trachak chrouu! " forgetting so soon?
To 10:07
So does it matter whether it is 60th anniversary on the throne or 60th birthday? It will not change a damn thing whether Cambodian King go to Thailand or not! Why should Cambodian King care so much for other King instead care for himself? Cambodian King had been a ballet dancer for all his life and he had been travelling all over Europe and the world! Cambodian King had seen enough in his life time and now it is time to settle down and get on with the real work ahead of him!
If you want to go to Thailand so much and why don't you go and experience it for yourself! I had been to Thailand! It is crowded, congested, and dirty! It is the ghetto in the making! Any Cambodian leaders who look to Thailand for their city planning or any form of construction from Thailand must have one fuck up brain.
According to you! Cambodian King Sihamoni must go to Thailand to celebrate the Thai King 60th anniversary on the throne because if he doesn't go the Thai King will kill him! ahahaha
To 10:07, Mr. Rumsfeld of the U.S. is visiting the Vietcong to find the MIA( missing in action) and he is not going to Vietname to celebrate! You are a real dumb ass!
You peopel are sick! bunch of communists quack!!
The next time,the King go to HANOI OR NORTH kOREA ,i HOPE THAT YOU WILL OPEN YOUR BIG MOUTH AND SAY NASTY THING BETTER THAN THAT! GO AND LAUGH. YOU POEPLE DESERVE TO GO BACK AND LIVE IN A COMMUNIST CAGE!!! gO TO HELL!!!
to 12:21 & 12:40a.m
you are really sick bother & sister. Where is Dr.Ruth? I need help! These bother and sister of mine are nasty!!! I mean Nasty bitch and bastard!
They do know that their your old magic trick had stoped working 5000 years ago! and they cann't ll think of trying something new or do anythign better,let alone being able to reverse the bad situation.
I'm tire of their moaning and croning all the time! Give them serotonin would you?
Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
To: 12:09
ahahahhaha! Are you crazy or what?
For your information! King Sihanuok and King Sihamoni have mansion in Beijin (China) and Pyongyang (North Korea)! Now tell me does King Sihamoni has a mansion in Thailand? Of course not!
Duh? You know why you keep moaning and croning because you never get enough from you wife so you better ask Dr. Ruth again why her advice is not working for you!aahahah I can't believe I am speaking to a moron!
I'mnot crazy. I just think differently.
Please give peace a chance.
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