Thai Queen Sirikit at 84 :
Royal benefactress of subjects
by Kalakeerthi DR. Edwin Ariyadasa
People of Thailand joined many activities marking the seventh cycle,
or 84th birthday anniversary celebrations of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit,
this year.
Among the reigning Royals of the modern world, the ruler of Thailand
- King Bhumibol Adulyadej - occupies an eminently unique stature. He is
the longest reigning monarch in today's world. King Bhumibol has been on
the Thai throne, without interruption, for seventy long years.
Thai Queen Sirikit, has been by the side of the king as his Royal
consort for sixty-six years, now.
This exemplary Royal partnership began officially, on April 28, 1950,
when the Royal wedding ceremony took place at Sapathum Palace, in
accordance with hallowed tradition.
This ceremony symbolized the glorious culmination of a classic Royal
romance, the likes of which is quite rare in world's chronicles.
Queen Sirikit was born on August 12, 1932, as the eldest daughter and
third child of Prince Chandaburi and Mom Luang Kitiyakara. The new born
child was named Mom Rajawongse Sirikit Kitiyakara.
The name 'Sirikit' is quite akin to 'Shri Keerthi' - meaning glory
and honour).
Her father served in Paris, as the Thai Ambassador in France. At this
time, the young King Bhumiool Adulyadej, was pursuing his studies in
Switzerland. The young King would occasionally visit the Thai Ambassador
in Paris. It invariably led to the young King and the comely daughter of
the Ambassador, meeting each other at the Ambassador's Residence. The
15-year-old Princess Sirikit, instantly won the heart of the 20-year-old
King.
The Royal romance evolved into maturity, under strange circumstances.
A car accident made it necessary for the king to enter Hospital in
Lausanne, Switzerland. At the request of her mother, Princess Sirikit
stayed at the Hospital, helping the King's recuperation.
At the celebration of the 17th birthday, of the Princess, the
engagement between the king and M.R. Sirikit, took place at the
Ambassador's residence.
This event, is highly significant as the ushering in of the dawn of a
Royal partnership, that substantially promoted, the well being of the
Noble Kingdom of Thailand and of the spiritually-oriented people of the
land.
From the beginning, Queen Sirikit, inspired her subjects as the
glorious embodiment of Royal benevolence. Her serene, subdued and
gracious charm, extensively enhanced by the built-in Royal dignity,
which she projected effortlessly, won her wide-spread adoration, both,
at home and abroad.
I remember how, a long time ago, a foreign writer, dazed by her
compelling presence, described her as the personalized sound of a
mandolin.
When the king was ordained a Buddhist monk, for a brief while, as a
mandatory ritual, M.R. Sirikit was appointed Queen Regent. If Queen
Sirikit was so included, she could very well have opted to spend her
days in ultra-Royal luxury.
Assistance
But, sharing her Royal consort's deep concern, to be fully committed
to the elimination of the difficulties and privations their subjects
suffered, Queen Sirikit decided that bringing relief and assistance to
those underprivileged masses should be her Royal mission.
Queen Sirikit's pioneering efforts, to illuminate the lives of these
poverty-ridden rural folk of Thailand, possess an epic quality.
Immediately after the Royal wedding, the young King and his consort,
set out on a train-tour through Thailand. The historic journey may have
begun as a honeymoon trek.
The travels, revealed to the two young Royals, the wide-spread
poverty of the farmers who formed the major segment of the Thai
population.
While the King concentrated his attention on the improvement of all
aspects of rural agriculture, Queen Sirikit explored the creative
potential of the village folk whose crafts astonished her no end.
Her initial response was to dole out doses of relief, aid and
assistance. But, Queen Sirikit soon discovered that these relief and aid
efforts could only be a temporary palliative. The Queen observed that
when the given aid or relief was exhausted, these underprivileged rural
folk were back at square one. They were still in need.
Through this disturbing personal experience Queen Sirikit fully
realized the concept of 'Sustainability' as the right solution in this
context.
Some historians point out that Queen Sirikit introduced the strategy
of 'sustainability' about 60 years ahead of world organizations that
advocated this system, fairly recently.
With a keen discerning eye, Queen Sirikit began to scrutinize those
rural products and village crafts that could command an extensive demand
outside the few consumers within the rural sector. Queen Sirikit was
alert to the urgent requirement.
Publicity
When the Queen became comprehensively aware of the potentiality of a
given rural product she adopted the most result-oriented strategy. If
the products were locally made textiles or silks, the Queen herself
would wear those at important functions, both, in Thailand and abroad.
She thoughtfully institutionalized the assistance. The Queen would
appoint teachers to train rural craftsmen to refine their products.
Training facilities were provided. The Queen set up the foundation for
the promotion of supplementary occupations and Related Techniques.
(Support for short).
This was in 1976. Support outlets for fine arts and crafts are now
extensively patronized. They flourish under the supervision of Queen
Sirikit. At the start these initiatives were supported by the Queen's
own funds.
The support training centre has now been upgraded into 'Queen Sirikit
Institute'.
Queen Sirikit's 'sustainable Strategy' has now spread to a whole
series of fields.
An outstanding instance is the movement towards the preservation of
the traditional marked drama style described as khon.
Under the supervision and guidance of Queen Sirikit, the State has
taken steps to arrest its deterioration and disappearance. To prevent
environmental deterioration Queen Sirikit, has strengthened the
eco-consciousness of the masses.
Queen Sirikit has directed her attention towards, endangered species
- both animal and plant.
The Queen has declared: "All Thais have come to realize the various
significances of forestland. Apart from the forests' ability, to absorb
polluted air, to serve as the habitat of wild animals, and to store a
wealth of medicines for human use, providing cures for thousands of
diseases and illnesses, and a lot more under research, and their
unfathomable value, in providing water for our consumption.
"Water is the essence of life on Earth, vital for agriculture,
industry and all national development projects.
"We therefore have launched strong reforestation and tree planting
campaigns to rehabilitate the environment which will in turn benefit the
Thai people as a whole."
We could consider this a universally valid ecological manifesto, from
Queen Sirikit .
The whole of humanity can adore Queen Sirikit, as a Royal, who is
perpetually mindful of the destiny of the masses. |