H M The King's Speach

[opalhort]

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A full transcript in English of HM King's speech will be published at thaivisa.com on December 5, 2003.

where is it???

is also a Thai version available online??

opalhort

[george]

We was promised to get it via email, but it has not arrived yet. Will keep you posted.

[Axel]

We was promised to get it via email, but it has not arrived yet. Will keep you posted.

George, here is part of it;

Thaksin taught the value of criticism

Published on Dec 5, 2003 (Source, THE NATION)

His Majesty the King told Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday to keep his feet on the ground and listen to public and media criticism.

"I know the prime minister doesn't like to be criticised, because it always irritates him," the King said in his annual address to senior government and political figures on the eve of his birthday.

"But let me tell you this. Even when I was 40 or 50 years old, whenever the Princess Mother complimented me, she followed up with the warning that you must not forget yourself. She always told me not to be aloof. She said your name is Bhumibol [power of the land] so you have to keep your feet on the ground."

Much of the King's address was directed at Thaksin, who received a mixture of compliments and strong warnings. While endorsing the government's anti-drug campaign, the monarch cautioned about the manner in which the prime minister declared victory and told Thaksin to take criticism about the narcotics war seriously.

"[if] the prime minister is in charge of everything, he has to be responsible for everything, and that means he has to take criticism. [if] one is the only big man, or the only one who gives orders, he will get fingers pointed at him," the King said.

"…When newspapers say the government did it the wrong way, or too violently, they must be heeded. Read those newspapers. Let them write. When they criticise, listen to them. Thank them when they said the right thing, or tell them to take it easy when they give wrong criticism."

Thaksin, who sat in the front row at the ceremony at Chitralada Palace, smiled and nodded humbly.

It's good to be criticised, the King insisted, admitting that he missed his mother, who was the only one who could criticise him.

"I have no idea why they wrote in the Constitution that the King is above criticism. When the King cannot be criticised, sometimes the King cannot know if what he does is right or wrong. Mother is no longer here; she's in heaven. She was the only one who could teach me. Now all I can do is teach myself, because no one can teach me," he said.

His Majesty said the Princess Mother stopped teaching him when he turned 60.

"She would let me know if she liked what I did. But the [mutual understanding] was I must not become arrogant."

Two years ago on the same occasion, the King also denounced "intolerance of criticism" by people in power.

His Majesty yesterday also called for greater unity among senior national figures. He suggested privy councillors did not agree with the government on certain issues.

"Those sitting on the front row [government leaders and some privy councillors], need to patch their rifts," the monarch said.

[opalhort]

Axel,

thanks for your reply, but what you write is what has been published in the papers and they like to take remarks made by HM the King (or anybody else) out of context.

I would like very much to see a true translation of the entire speech.

If somebody knows where I can find the Thai version of the speech online please kindly publish the link.

Happy Birthday to His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great.

opalhort

[george]

Here is the Full Thai version of His Majesty The King's Speech 2003

No English version available yet.

[opalhort]

Thanks a lot George for the link.

My wife and son are happy to have the full speech in Thai.

Please post once an English translation is available (my reading Thai is lousy ).

opalhort

[lukamar]

Please post once an English translation is available (my reading Thai is lousy ).

I'll Ditto that, mine is just as lousy. My wife refuses to translate any Royal Message to me for fear that she takes the king's words out of context. Although she is willing to help me screw it up on my own.