Thailand, King, Birthday

Pavin Chachavalpongpun, a Visiting Research Fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies of Singapore, has an article for Asia Sentinel. Key excerpt:

King Bhumibol, looking frail, delivers an abbreviated address that does little to still the national qualms 
...
The king originally decided to skip this year's speech, citing his ill health although he did appear after all although he remains hospitalized. The king's annual speech is a much anticipated political event in Thailand, and even more so since Thailand has sunk deeper into political turmoil. 

In past years, the king has used the speech to send out certain signals and messages of how he evaluated the efficiency and the work ethics of the incumbent government. As Thailand's political situation has gone from bad to worse, any statement from him has become increasingly significant and undoubtedly politicised. The speech on Dec. 4, abbreviated as it was and confined to platitudes about working together, was a disappointment.

By not delivering a more complete address, he has kept Thai society guessing on how and what he has been thinking about the perturbing political situation. Unfortunately, his silence could further engender a negative impact. 

BP: Actually, this year's speech was on December 5 and not December 4 as it usually is. It was very abbreviated - or at least that was the snippet shown on TV and/or released to the public. BP knows a number of people who were anxious after the initial announcement that HM the King would not be giving his annual birthday address so even if this address was short, it likely alleviated the anxiety of a number of people for now.

One can see details of this anxiety from this recent BBC article. Key excerpt:

The birthday celebrations of King Bhumibol Adulyadej are muted this year as the king remains in hospital recovering from pneumonia.

Instead of hearing his annual speech and watching the king's inspection of the glittering trooping of the colour, his loving subjects are worrying about his - and their nation's - health.

More than 1.2 million people have visited the Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok where the king has been staying for more than two-and-a-half months.

Monks, schoolchildren, groups of work colleagues and ordinary people have travelled from across the country to bring flowers and write messages sending him their best.

"I am writing my wish - for the king to get well very soon so he can go back to the palace," said a woman writing in one of the many royal-crested books.

 

Another woman broke down as she spoke: "The king right now does not feel well so we have come here to support him. I pray every morning for him to get well soon, as the people love him so much."

BP: There are also some interesting quotes from Handley and Crispin.