His Royal Highness King Bhumibol Adulyadej (also known as King Rama IX) hasn't been granting audiences or appearing in public for a couple of years, with rare exceptions. At 83 years old there is concern among his subjects about his health, and photos of him are also rare. The photo below is one of the "approved" portraits of the beloved monarch, but today's photos are of the man in more vibrant and youthful times.
The photo up top is a more candid glimpse of him from several decades ago, and is probably my favorite picture of him. The quality of the images is a little off because they're my pictures of pictures, taken at a display at the Rama II Summer Palace, now a lovely park in Amphawa. The images at the display concentrated more on the 1950s and 1960s, and the quality of the originals left something to be desired due to enlargement of the snapshots, etc.
Nevertheless, they're a glimpse of a man enjoying life - such as the moment right after their wedding, below - and I thought they were worth passing along today.
More about Rama II Park itself next time.
2 comments:
The king is currently 83 years old.
You're right, Christian - typo on my part. Now corrected. Thanks!
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