Long Live His Majesty The King Of Thailand

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LONG LIVE HIS MAJESTY

Outpouring of love as Thais celebrate King's 83rd birthday

By THE NATION ON SUNDAY

On the eve of His Majesty the King's 83rd birthday, Thais yesterday held various activities to honour their beloved monarch.

Other countries also acknowledged this auspicious occasion. The United States offered good wishes to the King and called Thailand its ally. At the Thai consulate in Laos, local and foreign diplomats joined the celebrations.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, on behalf of US President Barack Obama, offered good wishes to HM the King, a source at the Foreign Ministry said yesterday.

Clinton said the US highly admired the King's works for Thailand and his subjects and that the US throughout a 50-year period was happy with visits by HM the King and royal family members to promote bilateral relations and friendship.

The US was proud to call Thailand a close friend and ally, she said. Clinton also offered well-wishes to the King for a long life and happiness and congratulated Thais on this national celebration and wished them to be happy and prosperous in the years to come.

In Savannakhet in southern Laos, the Royal Thai Consulate General's celebration for the occasion yesterday was attended by representatives of six Laotian provinces - Savannakhet, Saravane, Khammouane, Champasak, Sekong and Attapeu - and four Thai provinces in the Northeast - Mukdahan, Nakhon Phanom, Amnat Charoen and Ubon Ratchathani - and members of the public. Representatives from the Vietnamese Consulate-General also attended.

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Chaovarat Chanweerakul told a press conference that five million VCD copies of seven special films to celebrate the King's birthday would be distributed to the public.

The films will also be shown free of charge today at all Bangkok Major Cineplex and SF Cinema branches, all provincial city halls and Thai embassies and consulates in 91 countries, he said.

People can also watch the films online at www.weloveking.org.

Meanwhile, a large crowd of pink-clad people went to extend good wishes for HM the King at Siriraj Hospital yesterday.

The hospital then announced the closure of guest books for well-wishers to sign at Siriraj's 100th Year building today. Those wanting to sign the well-wishers' |guest book today can do so at the Royal Palace's Sahathai Samakhom Pavilion from 8.30am to 4.30pm.

The Royal Household Bureau also announced that sales of entrance tickets for the Royal Palace and Wat Phra Kaew will be suspended today and tomorrow.

A rehearsal of the annual solemn oath-taking ceremony by the royal guards was also held yesterday in front of the Sahathai Samakhom Pavilion by 13 battalions from the four armed forces.

The Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) is giving free bus rides on routes 4, 7, 25, 29, 34, 53 and 75 for those wishing to attend the celebrations today. Government-hosted celebrations will continue at the Royal Plaza area until Thursday.

In related news, Privy Councillor Air Chief Marshal Kamthon Sindhvananda yesterday presided over the opening ceremony of an exhibition titled "Tamroy Phrarajadamri Suparyotsuk" ("Following Royal Initiatives for the Country's Benefit") at King Rama IX Park's Ratchamongkol Tower.

The event will continue until December 12.

A Suan Dusit Poll reported yesterday that Thais were impressed with HM the King's work - particularly his visits to rural areas (41 per cent), his water-management, irrigation for agriculture, royal rain-making, the water-retaining "monkey cheeks" project (22 per cent), and projects to rehabilitate natural resources, reforestation, mangrove forest conservation projects (20 per cent).

On his birthday, the wish most expressed for the King was for a long life (43.5 per cent), followed by wishes for his good health and a speedy recovery (35 per cent) and for him being Thais' "beloved forever" (12 per cent).

Some 34 per cent of respondents said they were inspired to live their lives by the King's work for his subjects, while his love and concern for his subjects also won support (25 per cent), as did his self-sufficiency economy philosophy (23 per cent), it said.

-- The Nation 2010-12-05

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