living and health care. When Thais worked, He worked; when Thais slept, He still worked. He always
sacrificed all of His time to the lives and a better future for Thais. He not only gave some money to
the poor, but more importantly He also taught them how to make their own money, to rely on them-
selves and to live simply.
If you enter any Thai house, you will see many pictures of Him there, possibly on the calendar.
Apart from that, if there were a civil war and political clashes, He would come out from His room,
stand at the balcony, and tell everyone to stop fighting and get back to living in harmony. As a
matter of fact, He did not have to do that, but He chose to talk to His people Himself.
Apart from doing many things, our King was also an inventor. For example, He invented the
Chaipattana Aerator, which is a water mill that purifies the water Thais use. He built many dams and
reservoirs to store water so that Thais could use it during summer and also produce electricity. Because
of His inventions, many Thais started to know the value of the natural resources we have and the
importance of environmental protection.
Personally, I appreciate His kindness and dedication. I admire and respect Him as another beloved
father. His whole life has taught me a lot about how to keep ‘Serviam’ in mind and put my feet into
the shoes of others. Working with just one eye for more than 70 years is absolutely not easy, but He
did, and everyone loves Him in return. I am proud and lucky to be born in the reign of King Rama
IX, and I am sure that I would continue His work and live simply, just the same as He has done.
Third Place, M5 (three-way tie): Ms Sabaitong Sonsomsuk (Room 5)
When someone says the word ‘king’, people usually think of a ruler or a supreme figure, but
in Thailand, we think of a loving father and a saint. His Majesty, the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the
heart and soul of Thai people, recently passed away at the age of 89, yet His legacy stil lives on.
He was famous for His royal duties, talents and teachings.
Starting His reign at the age of 19, King Bhumibol has been a hard working developer and a
true leader ever since. His significant projects include the Monkey Cheek Project [Kaem Ling Project]
which helps reduce problems with drought in arid lands. When His Majesty the King works on a project,
He does not send people to solve problems; He would rather go and investigate it himself. He has
worked on many thousands of projects throughout His whole life and continued to do so until He was
too old.
24 Mater Dei News ฉบับที่ 51 ปีที่ 13 ปีการศึกษา 2559