Actually, I guess it is the King and all of us. Here in Thailand, King Bhumibol Adulyadej is greatly revered by the Thai people. Pretty much everyone in Thailand thinks of the King like a father and his likeness and symbols of the monarchy can be found just about everywhere. As you drive through the various cities and towns in Thailand, the King is there to great you with a wave and a smile. The King and the royal family dominate roadside billboards, elegant portraits are scattered throughout city streets, and placement of the yellow flag representing the monarchy parallels if not supersedes that of the red, white and blue Thai flag.
King Adulyadej has weathered a lot on the throne (a few military coups and the death of his beloved grandson in the 2004 tsunami) and has actually held his position longer than any other monarch in Thai history… over 60 years. His tenure on the throne also makes him the longest serving head of state in history… anywhere.
The King has done a lot for his people and they truly love him… so much so that they go to great lengths to protect him. Any public defamation of the King or his likeness can get you into serious trouble. Recently, a European man served some time in jail for defacing images of the King and after someone uploaded an insulting video about the King on Youtube, the site was immediately banned throughout Thailand
We have yet to come across anyone, and this includes a fair amount of foreign expatriates, who even candidly have anything bad to say about the King. As one American expat explained, "the King is a pretty cool guy." One thing is for sure, as we drive through Thailand, you can’t help but feel that the King is there with us along for the ride.
