WAN PHO HENG CHAT
The 5th December is His Majesty the King Bhumibol Adulyadej's birthday
or วันเฉลิมพระชนมพรรษา พระบาทสมเด็จพระเจ้าอยู่หัว in Thai language.
This public holiday is celebrated nationwide as Father's Day
("WAN PHO HENG CHAT" - วันพ่อแห่งชาติ).
The King is considered as the father of all Thai people.
Starting a few weeks before the King's birthday,
all buildings are covered up with Royal symbols
and portraits of His Majesty all over the Thai kingdom.
Every year in December
huge portraits of His Majesty are raised in temples,
administrative buildings, schools, houses, shops
by individual people and organizations.
His H.M. the King Rama IX is highly recognised
among Thai society because
he always takes care about his people.
Each year he used to go up-country
to visit villages and towns to talk to people
and to know their problems.
He is not a King far away from his people.
He has created many foundations
and has done many projects
to improve the life of his people.
He was responsible of projects which helped
hill tribes to replace their
opium culture with substitution cultures.
On the 5th december early morning time,
Thai Buddhist people go to temple
and make offerings to monks as usual.
Each year in the evening of the 5th december,
a free huge concert is organized in Sanam Luang,
the area in front of Wat Phra Kaew in Bangkok.
It is a great honour for singers to be invited
to play one song in the concert dedicated to the King.
Some of them sing songs composed by the King himself.
Every kind of Thai music is played such as Molam,
Thai country music, pop, Disco Dance
and also every kind of singers
from very old one to teenagers in order
to give satisfaction to the crowd.
National flags decorate buildings to wish
His Majesty many happy returns of the day
and a long life
("SONG PHRA CHAROEUN" - ทรงพระเจริญ).
The Avenue Ratchadamnoen Klang,
which is containing many administrative building,
is festooned with colorful lights.
This street ends to Sanam Luang,
the area in front of Wat Phra Kaew.
In the middle of the avenue Ratchadamnoen Klang,
many huge and beautiful portraits of
the King are displayed.