Travel Blog

A Thai friend writes:

It is nearly impossible for non-Thais to apprehend and to understand the reason for the depth of affection Thais have for the King.  It is not merely the length of his reign; it is also the combination of certain mental dispositions of the Thai people and a truly great King. King Bhumibol’s constitutional powers were circumscribed but his moral authority, which blossomed out of his good works and dedication to his people, was boundless. One would be hard pushed to find amongst the Thai people more than only a few who would not have gladly and without hesitation laid down their life for this great King.  Indeed, half a century onto his reign, the Thai people unanimously bestowed upon their King the suffix of 'the Great'.  He is properly called 'King Bhumibol the Great'. If one can begin to understand even a little of this, one begins to have some insight into the Thai psyche.  The whole world does not think or perceive things in the same way. 

 To be illuminating, any explanation of the mental disposition of Thais and the sorrow Thais feel now must begin with the basics. The older generation Thais regard His Majesty as ‘father’; the younger generation Thais regard Him as ‘grandfather’ – and this in an oriental country where fathers and grandfathers continue to be more revered and to possess more authority than any modern westerner can possibly fathom; in an oriental country where the culture and the perceptions have not been influenced by the teachings of Sigmund Freud. A full explanation would go much deeper than this.

 Any visitor to Thailand during the official one-year mourning period would be well advised to behave with restraint and sensitivity, as if visiting the home of a very dear friend who has just lost his or her beloved father or grandfather. A visitor who goes further than this and dresses in black and white would win the love of all Thais with whom he or she comes into contact.

 Those of us who do the un-Buddhist thing of looking to the future are wondering ‘whither Thailand?’ The country is now adrift in every way, and there are forces that would destroy or radically change the country.