The King & I

You may not be aware that I live in a country run by a military junta that is going through an enormous time of turmoil – if not militant uprising – as it struggles to find a way back to democracy. Legal and constitutional battles are continual, as are small street protests and the constant threat of social unrest. It seems at times the only thing that unites people is there love for their King, and the belief that somehow he’ll guide them back to the middle way.

And given is his power and influence - he might just pull it off. King Rama IX has ruled Thailand for 62 years – and has clearly been the most influential person in recent Thai history. He’s a pretty amazing guy – became king at 18, had a stint as a monk, got a PHD from a US college, speaks 5 languages, and plays a number of musical instruments. But above all he has been the voice of reason – the moderate peace maker - as the country has struggled for decades to maintain democracy in a region where, by necessity, the military has always had a very strong influence.

Perhaps most importantly he is seen as the voice of the poor – championing causes such as health and welfare, education, sanitation and his latest focus - environmental sustainability.

The King has always had a visible presence here – in every shop and home you’ll find his picture, his image decorates most major monuments, and before every film people stand up and listen to the god awful royal anthem and see his somewhat frail but smiling image. If that all sounds a bit Orwellian, consider that in this the year of his 80th Birthday, every Monday most Bangkokers wear yellow shirts to celebrate that he was born on a Monday. It’s like everyone is heading for the same nightmare private school where canary yellow is the uniform of choice. Given that I have neither love nor respect for ‘my’ queen, it’s not easy to accept this love at face value.

Increasing my skepticism is that any criticism of the king is forbidden. Like the Swiss guy in February who was sentenced to 10 years in a Pattaya jail for getting drunk and drawing graffiti on the King’s picture. I know, a dickhead, but 10 years?? The King pardoned him, and that only added to his esteem in the eyes of the people. In another infamous incident 2 months ago, a site on YouTube made his face look like a monkey. The YouTube site has been banned, completely, ever since. Not great for my work and that of my clients, who often use this site for viral marketing campaigns.

This sort of heavy handedness begs the question – is it real love or obligation? Is this ‘love for our beloved king’ (a very common expression) about pretence and showing what a loyal Thai you are to other people, or is it genuine affection for the man?

I think the answer lies in looking at people’s attitude to the rest of the royal family. Like the UK Royals – the spawn are an absolute nightmare. The crown prince here is seen as a playboy who spends his time in brothels and dodgy business dealings, and the rest of the clan don’t seem to fair too much better. In fact most people are afraid of the day when the prince could become King, and are hoping that fate or providence will intervene. While he provides endless fodder for the tabloids - most people just don’t like him.

And I like that.

It proves to me Thais don’t love the royal institution for its own sake – some of them are actually despised. Particularly those who abuse their position. As for the King, he is the one man who has provided them with a constant hope and direction in turbulent times.

You may remember Yul Brenner, in the movie the King & I, as a Siam King struggling to learn the values of a civilized society from his western teacher. A quaint and typically oriental fairy tale, on how the west always sets the right example. Perhaps in a new version, we can have the Thai king educating western royals on how the way to a country’s heart is through working his guts out to help as many people as possible, and avoiding war the process. It may not sell papers, but perhaps it might help save a few jaded monarchies. Not that I really want them saved.

But this guy is the real deal, so long live this king. Just don’t ask me to wear neon yellow on a Monday.