The King who loved his Camera

People of Thailand, I am mourning with you! I have seen how much you love and respect your king and I can understand your loss. During my travels through Thailand, I have seen his rural projects, his dedication towards his people and the reason why Thailand has had such a different recent past when compared to the rest of the South East Asian nations. And that is precisely why I respect King Bhumibol a lot. It is a tragic loss indeed!



I know that he wasn’t keeping well and I was there when the whole country cried and prayed for his recovery during his rare public appearance last year. I still cannot believe that he is no more with us. I guess it will take a while to sink in.



I am sure all of you know by now that King Bhumibol, the longest serving monarch in the world, a humble soul and one of the most loved personalities in Thailand, passed away on Oct 13. As a traveler to Thailand, my association with King Bhumibol started with the Thai Baht which has his photograph, then with the photograph of the king in almost every shop in almost every single corner of the country and finally through the opportunity to see his favorite rural projects. I never had the privilege to see the king up live, but I will always know him as the king who loved his camera.

I am not sure if Thailand will be the same without him! The world will miss him. May his soul rest in peace!