Bhumibol Adulyadej

Bhumibol Adulyadej (p`mēpôl' ädl`yädĕt'), 1927–, king of Thailand (1946–), b. Cambridge, Mass. A member of the Chakri dynasty, he was at school in Switzerland when his brother, King Ananda Mahidol, died (1946) under mysterious circumstances. Bhumibol ruled with a regent until 1950, when he was formally crowned Rama IX. The longest-ruling monarch in Thailand's history, in 2000 he also became longest-reigning ruler in the world. He has enjoyed great popular support although his power is largely ceremonial. The king has actively promoted development projects and has been generally a stabilizing force in the country's turbulent politics, intervening several times to resolve governmental crises or criticize government leaders. His displeasure with the government of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra partially contributed to the coup that ousted Thaksin, and the king subsequently gave his approval to the coup and new government. The king's name also appears as Phumiphen.

Bibliography

See study by P. M. Handley (2006).

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Bhumibol Adulyadej

 or Phumiphon Adunlayadet or Rama IX

(born Dec. 5, 1927, Cambridge, Mass., U.S.) Ninth king of the Chakri dynasty and Thailand's longest-ruling monarch. A grandson of King Chulalongkorn, he succeeded to the throne in 1946 after the death of his older brother, King Ananda Mahidol (r. 1935–46). His role as head of state is largely ceremonial, but he moderates between extreme parties in Thai politics and serves as a focus of national unity.