After a period of illness, the King of Thailand  passed away on 13th October 2016 at the Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok, the capital of Thailand.

His Majesty  was born on 5th December, 1927 at the Mount Auburn Hospital, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. (His father was studying at Harvard). He was not named at birth. The auspicious name Bhumibol Adulyadej, meaning “strength of the land, incomparable power” was given to him by the then King. He grew up in Switzerland, following the death of his own father.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej, also known as Rama IX assumed the throne on 9th June 1946, therefore ruling Thailand for seventy years. This makes him one of the longest reigning monarchs ever. During his reign, he was served by a total of 30 prime ministers.

The King was revered in Thailand. I was particularly supportive of the Royal Development Projects (RDPs) established to improve the lives of rural people whilst developing sustainable agriculture. My favourite packaged fruit juices in Thailand are Royal Project ones.

I add my thoughts and well wishes to those who mourn today through the initial 30 days of the mourning period.