Bhumibol Adulyadej

former King of Thailand

Bhumibol Adulyadej (December 5 1927 – October 13 2017), was the King of Thailand from 9 June 1946 until 13 October 2017. Most people in Thailand knew him as "the Great" (Thai: มหาราช, Maharaja). He was also known as Rama IX. He was one of the world's longest-serving heads of state.[1]

Bhumibol Adulyadej
King Rama IX
King Bhumibol in 1969
King of Thailand
Reign9 June 1946 – 13 October 2017
Coronation5 May 1950
PredecessorAnanda Mahidol (Rama VIII)
SuccessorVajiralongkorn (Rama X)
Born(1927-12-05)5 December 1927
Cambridge, Massachusetts, US
Died13 October 2017(2017-10-13) (aged 89)
Bangkok, Thailand
Burial26 October 2018
Spouse
(m. 1950)
Issue
Detail
Full name
Phrabat Somdet Phra Poraminthra Maha Bhumibol Adulyadej Mahitalathibet Ramathibodi Chakri Naribodin Sayamintharathirat Boromanatbophit
Posthumous name
Phrabat Somdet Phra Boromchanakadhipeshra Maha Bhumibol Adulyadej Maharat Boromanatbophit
HouseMahidol (Chakri dynasty)[a]
FatherMahidol Adulyadej
MotherSangwan Talapat
ReligionTheravada Buddhism
SignatureBhumibol Adulyadej's signature
Bhumibol Adulyadej
Privy seal
Thai name
Thaiภูมิพลอดุลยเดช
RTGSPhumiphon Adunyadet

His reign of 71 years and 126 days is the longest of any Thai monarch, the longest of an independent Asian sovereign and the third longest verified reign of any monarch of a sovereign state in history after Louis XIV and Elizabeth II.[1][2] He was like a semi-divine figure for some Thais.[3][4][5]

Early life

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Bhumibol was born at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. He was taught in Switzerland. Bhumibol was also a musician, artist, and sailor.

Wealth

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Bhumibol was a billionaire. He used some of his money to pay for over 3,000 development projects, mostly in rural areas. He was very popular in Thailand.

After a period of failing health and suffering from kidney failure, Bhumibol was hospitalized with pulmonary edema and sepsis on October 1, 2017 at the Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok.[6] He died on October 13, 2017, aged 89.[7][8]

  1. In the Thai tradition, the house (ราชสกุล) is distinct from the dynasty (ราชวงศ์). Bhumibol was the second king of the House of Mahidol (ราชสกุลมหิดล) and the ninth king of the Chakri dynasty (ราชวงศ์จักรี).

References

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  1. 1.0 1.1 "A Royal Occasion speeches". Journal. Worldhop. 1996. Archived from the original on 12 May 2006. Retrieved 5 July 2006.
  2. Redmond, Brien (13 October 2016). "Thailand's King Bhumibol Dies, Triggering Anguish and Fears of Unrest". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on 28 November 2016. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
  3. Montlake, Simon (2006-06-12). "Backstory: The king and Thai". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 2008-03-04.
  4. "World in Brief". The Washington Post. 2007-03-30. Retrieved 2008-03-04.
  5. MacKinnon, Ian (2007-04-07). "YouTube ban after videos mock Thai king". The Guardian. Retrieved 2008-03-04.
  6. "Fears over Thai king's health continue to grow". International Business Times UK. 2016-10-01. Retrieved 2022-03-06.
  7. "Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej dies, aged 88". The Straits Times. 13 October 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  8. "Beloved Thai king dies after long illness: palace". Retrieved 13 October 2016.

Other websites

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  Media related to Bhumibol Adulyadej at Wikimedia Commons

Bhumibol Adulyadej
Born: 5 December 1927 Died: 13 October 2016
Regnal titles
Preceded by
Ananda Mahidol
King of Thailand
1946–2016
Succeeded by
Vajiralongkorn