The King’s birthday on December 5 is also National Father’s day in Thailand. His full name – Bhumibol Adulyadej – means ‘The Strength of the Land: Incomparable Power’. To the Thais however, he is fondly known as “the Father of the Nation,” or Pho Luhang. His birthday is also celebrated as a Father’s Day in Thailand.
Having a lifelong interest in agriculture, HM The King has developed agriculture-related projects that include soil management, drought and flood mitigation, and wastewater management, among others. A gifted inventor, the King has engineered modern and cost effective machines to solve difficult farming and environmental situations such as the Royal Rain and the aerator for polluted water, for example.
In 2006, on the 60th anniversary of his rule, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) presented to HM King Bhumibol the first Human Development Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition for his tireless work. In his speech accompanying the presentation, UNDP’s then Secretary General Kofi Annan credited the King with “extraordinary contribution to human development,” and called him “the world’s Development King, who reached out to the poorest and the most vulnerable people of Thailand regardless of their status, ethnicity or religion.”
Since 2005, HM The King has been residing at Siriraj Hospital due to health issues. This has in no way prevented him from doing his “duty”, as he still receives government and foreign dignitaries, reads, writes and plans more development projects.
A tribute to His Majesty’s unparalleled contributions to Thailand can be seen in the book “King Bhumibol Adulyadej – A Life’s Work”, which aims to honour, promote and protect His Majesty the King’s lifelong achievements since his accession to the throne in 1946.