"We Love HM the King" wristbands sell like hotcakes

BANGKOK: -- Almost all of one million wristbands emblazoning "We Love HM the King" message sold out when they were offered to the public for the firs time Tuesday.

People Tuesday queued up at branches of Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) hoping for an opportunity to buy the bright yellow wristbands at Bt100 apiece. It was the first day that the wristbands were sold to members of the public.

The proceeds from the sale will go to His Majesty the King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who is going to celebrate his 60th year in the Throne next year.

"We have stocked 3,000 wristbands at our branch and they were sold out within an hour," Supong Limpanich, who heads the bank's Ratchayothin branch, said.

Many branches such as Rajvithi Hospital branch have divided their stock, and will sell the another lot Wednesday.

King Power Foundation has produced one million of the bright yellow wristbands emblazoning "We Love HM the King" in Thai and "Long Live the King" in English. With number running from 0 to 1,000,000, each wristband has an identical number.

"We have delivered 700,000 wristbands to all 628 branches of SCB and we have received reports of them being sold out," the foundation's Vice Chairman Julajit Boonyaket said.

According to him, the foundation has sold 300,000 other wristbands, including those with unusual numbers such as 111, exclusively to King Power duty-free shop members and those who bid for the wristbands. The bidding was expected to dramatically raise the wristband price.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was wearing the wristband numbered 999, Tuesday said he had secured the beautiful number through good connection. During an interview, he also bought another wristband. It is numbered 855937.

In Chiang Mai, Wichai Winijkool - a district official who has provided support to SCB - said the bank had imposed a rule that each buyer could purchase no more than five wristbands but still the items were flying out of the bank counters so swiftly.

"People formed the lines in front of each branch before the bank's opening time," he said. He added that only the quota limit helped save some stock for interested buyers today.

Made of silicone, the wristbands have two sizes: 57 millimetres in diameter and 64 millimetres in diameter.

--The Nation 2005-10-19

With number running from 0 to 1,000,000, each wristband has an identical number.

--The Nation 2005-10-19

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Pardon???

Surely the fake ones will have identical numbers??

Couldn't they come up with a different colour to destinguish from the Lance Armstrong ones?

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was wearing the wristband numbered 999, Tuesday said he had secured the beautiful number through good connection.

"good connection"... ?

Never one to miss out on a publicity opportunity, is he?

To amend for his egoism, I'm awaiting the news that he will in turn auction the auspicious wristband to raise money for a Thai Home For The Aged, orphanage, rural medical clinic, or ANY other worthwhile organization that doesn't have his "good connections."

And you're doing this tomorrow, right PM?

Wonder why Mr. T didn't go for number 999,999 and be even more auspicious.

Let's hope the head waiter doesn't realise the significance of wearing his 999 wrist band upside down !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good thinking

They are also selling "We Love The King" T-shirts...

Made in China also me thinks.

Sold out already in Isaan.

They are not the same colour as that Armstrong guy's.

OK just so i am getting this straight the proceeds are going to pay for the kings birthday,not to charity or to pay the schooling or anything.

ummmmmmmmmm well i suppose it is a good way to say 'we love you king'.

but to a western eye its still kinda crazy that its financing a state occassion...

any how i hope King Bhumibol the happiest of birthdays and may he have good health.

...Almost all of one million wristbands emblazoning "We Love HM the King" message sold out...

....With number running from 0 to 1,000,000, each wristband has an identical number....

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I make it a million and one.

Hmmm anyone here manage to grab any? Thinking be a nice idea to wear one.

Expect more to be available. You also can go to www.kingpower.com and buy from the duty free operator directly.

Somehow, I suspect, that whatever the bands raise will not even come close to what the king himself has contributed to Thailand's needy.

I'd buy one myself, I think he is terrific and Thailand is very lucky to have such a monarch. But somehow, I don't think Koh Phangan will have very many.

Interesting that they're yellow - the same colour as Sondhi's We Will Fight for the King T Shirts...

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was wearing the wristband numbered 999, Tuesday said he had secured the beautiful number through good connection.

"good connection"... ?

Never one to miss out on a publicity opportunity, is he?

To amend for his egoism, I'm awaiting the news that he will in turn auction the auspicious wristband to raise money for a Thai Home For The Aged, orphanage, rural medical clinic, or ANY other worthwhile organization that doesn't have his "good connections."

And you're doing this tomorrow, right PM?

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Maybe Mr T should have number 666!

So looking at the photo, it doesn't say 'We love the King'

It actually says 'Long Live the King'.

So looking at the photo, it doesn't say 'We love the King'

It actually says 'Long Live the King'.

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It says "We love the king" in Thai.

It also says 'King Power' on the inside.

Which is the name of the company selling them.

Thats good advertising for King Power.......well done their PR dept.

.....King Power home of Duty Free Products

Edited October 22, 200520 yr by The_Moog

They are also selling "We Love The King" T-shirts... 

You know, of course, that the sale of the T-shirts was started as a movement to show disapproval of YOU KNOW WHO (YKH) and in particular of his treatment of the Auditor General, Khunying Jaruvan Maintaka.

Because it could be deleterious to one’s health or result in a billion-Baht libel suit by YKH, people started wearing the T-shirts expressing support for the king, who continues to refuse to sign the appointment of the Senate’s proposed new Auditor General.

The wristbands are a follow-on, it seems, and by buying some of them YKH is in fact himself supporting a movement directed against him.

I have a cunning idea – and by posting it here I am establishing my intellectual property rights to it (as if anyone cared about IPR in Thailand) – the sale of T-shirts, wristbands and/or any other item with the text “WE HATE YKH” (YKH substituted with the corresponding name, of course), printed in a font that YKH’s henchmen do not recognise, e.g. one of the StarTrek fonts Klingon, Bajoran, Carcassian, Ferengi, or any other font suitable for the purpose (see attached picture). Everybody wearing such item will know what it means.

On the other hand, I think it’s a crazy idea. IPR for sale

I like the idea.

OK just so i am getting this straight the proceeds are going to pay for the kings birthday,not to charity or to pay the schooling or anything.

ummmmmmmmmm well i suppose it is a good way to say 'we love you king'.

but to a western eye its still kinda crazy that its financing a state occassion...

any how i hope  King Bhumibol the happiest of birthdays and may he have good health.

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Typically when the king put on this type of an event, the money generally goes to the funds which help the homeless, orphanage or any other chairities. Most Thai people knows this and thats why they love him so much .

Does anyone know where I can purchased this wristband. Also, about the shirt, Is this something the king also support or its not authentic item?

Does anyone know where I can purchased this wristband. Also, about the shirt, Is this something the king also support or its not authentic item?

From "King Power".....a duty free booze retailer.

Their advertising is embossed on the inside of the wristband.

I was told that Siam Commercial Bank was the marketer nationally. Wrong info' ?

I was told that Siam Commercial Bank was the marketer nationally. Wrong info' ?

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Correct info as far as I know:

http://www.manager.co.th/asp-bin/PrintNews...D=9480000144211

The wristbands do feature on the King Power Website although I cannot read Thai so am unsure as to whether you can buy direct.

There is also a useful downloadable map of BKK on their site:

Download Map (1.56 Mb)

Edited October 23, 200520 yr by Noel

My mother-in-law was wearing one today and I asked her what it was all about. She said that the money didn't go to any charity.

She also had a thing that came with it - car stickers saying we love the king and a thing written by him. It was about good thoughts to think and actions to perform in life - pretty good. Thai people sure listen to what their king says!

Exactly how much of the purchase price will go to charity?

.... the sale of T-shirts, wristbands and/or any other item with the text “WE HATE YKH” (YKH substituted with the corresponding name, of course), printed in a font that YKH’s henchmen do not recognise, e.g. one of the StarTrek fonts Klingon, Bajoran, Carcassian, Ferengi...

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I'll have a Klingon T-shirt please!