Happy Birthday
December 5, 2007
His Majesty the King grants an audience to privy councillors, cabinet ministers, members of the judiciary and high-ranking government officials who gathered at Dusidalai Pavilion in Chitralada Palace yesterday. Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont led the congregation in expressing their best wishes for the King on the eve of his 80th birthday.
Today is His Majesty the King's 80th birthday, a very special occasion that Thais have been looking forward to all year. Yesterday, the King gave his annual speech to a large gathering of top government officials and other dignitaries. As you can see from the photo above, this is a formal occasion, but the King himself sees to it that it is not too formal. He speaks without notes and mixes serious ideas with humour. Yesterday, to the delight of everyone, the King was in very good spirits. He, of course, has had serious medical problems over the past year, but yesterday he seemed remarkably fit and alert.
In one of the lighter moments of yesterday's speech, His Majesty explained why he has been dressing so colourfully recently. This is of high interest to people here because every time the King wears a particular colour, shirts of the same colour appear almostly instantly in the shops and the streets are soon full of people wearing yellow, pink, green or whatever colour the King was seen wearing.
grant an audience – to allow a formal meeting to take place with an important person like a king พระราชทานพระราชวโรกาสให้ข้าราชการชั้นผู้ใหญ่เข้าเฝ้า
privy councilors – members of the King’s council of advisors คณะองคมนตรี
cabinet – the group of government ministers who oversee ministries and who make or approve government policy คณะรัฐมนตรี
judiciary – the judges of a country คณะผู้พิพากษาและตุลาการ
annual – happening every year ประจำปี
congregation – a group of people gathered together กลุ่มผู้ชุมนุม
eve – the day before วันก่อน
dignitaries – people who have important official positions ผู้มีตำแหน่งสำคัญ
delight – a feeling of great happiness and pleasure ความปิติ ยินดี
instantly – immediately; right away ทันที ฉับพลัน
HM reveals the secret of his colourful attire
His Majesty yesterday revealed the secret behind his recent appearances in coats of many colours.The King was wearing pink when he left Siriraj Hospital on Nov 7 after treatment, and later emerged in green after visiting his ailing elder sister Princess Galyani Vadhana at the hospital. And on Monday he left wearing red.
‘‘If every time I go in and out [of the hospital] in the same uniform, it’s a bore,’’ he said.
‘‘I’m already old. So I don’t want to be boring in the way I dress,’’ he added.
When His Majesty wore a pink blazer on leaving Siriraj on Nov 7 after treatment, his attire sent a fashion statement to all his well-wishers.
The colour became an instant hit. People across the country began wearing pink, in addition to the King’s yellow, the most popular colour in the Kingdom. Yellow represents Monday, the day he was born.
But His Majesty did not stop at pink. Green, purple, brown, blue and red followed in other visits to the hospital.
Hours after he went to Siriraj in green on Nov 14, polo shirts in the same colour were ready for customers at shops near the hospital.
Every change was on the front page of newspapers.
attire – the clothes that someone is wearing เครื่องแต่งกาย
reveal – to let something be known เปิดเผย
emerged – came out ปรากฏ
ailing – ill and weak ป่วยหนัก อ่อนแรง
bore – someone or something that is not interesting เบื่อ
blazer – a type of light jacket (see photo above) เสื้อนอก (คนไทยมักมีความเข้าใจผิดและเรียกว่าสูท) (สูท หมายถึงเครื่องแต่งกายที่ตัดจากผ้าชิ้นเดียวกันทั้งเสื้อนอกและกางเกงหรือกระโปรง)
The King said he did not mind wearing red, the colour it had been suggested he should avoid because it could bring him bad luck.
‘‘My mother was born on Sunday. That’s red. My sister was also born on Sunday. My brother too,’’ he said, referring to the late Princess Mother, Princess Galyani and King Ananda Mahidol.
‘‘But [Khun] Thong Daeng was not born on Sunday. She was born on Saturday. It’s violet,’’ the King said of his favourite pet dog.
His Majesty also recommended that Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont wear other colours, rather than sticking to his white uniform. But His Majesty insisted that he was not bored with seeing the prime minister in the same colour.
‘‘Who says the prime minister is boring?’’ the King said.
‘‘He looks great in white. And he has done a good job,’’ added His Majesty, who was in a grey suit and yellow tie yesterday.
avoid – to choose not to do something หลีกเลี่ยง
late – no longer living ที่สิ้นไปแล้ว ที่ตายไปแล้ว
sticking to – continuing to use ยึดแน่น ยึดปฏิบัติอย่างเคร่งครัด