In 1928, Prince Mahidol was awarded an M.D. Cum Laude by Harvard University and returned to Thailand with his family to reside at Sra Pathum Palace. There, on the 24th. of September, 1929, he passed away. Prince Bhumibol Adulyadej was only 1 year and 9 months old at that time.

At the age of five, Prince Bhumibol Adulyadej entered Mater Dei School in Bangkok, In 1933, the family went abroad once again to reside at Lausanne in Switzerland. The young Prince received primary education at Ecole Miremont where he began to study French, German and English. For secondary education, he attended Ecole Nouvelle de la Suisse-Roman, Chailly sur Lausanne.

On the 2nd. of March, 1934, His Majesty King Prachathipok, Rama Vll, abdicated the throne. 0n behalf of the Thai people, the Government asked the Princess Mother for Prince Ananda Mahidol to be their King. Thus Prince Ananda Mahidol ascended to the throne as King Rama VlII of the RoyaI House of Chakri. On the l0th. of July, 1935, the King conferred upon his younger brother the title His Royal Highness Prince Bhumibol Adulyadej. At that time, the Royal Family was still in Switzerland, but had moved to Pully, near Lausanne, to reside in a mansion name ''Villa Vadhana''.

The Royal Family returned to Thailand in 1938. They resided at Chitrlada Mansion of Dusit Palace. The Thai people were overjoyed at seeing their young King. This visit was all too brief and two months later, they had to return to Switzerland to continue their studies.

In 1945, he received the Bachelier es Lettres diploma from the Gymnase Classique Cantonal, and entered Lausanne University to study Science.

On the 5th of December, 1945, the Royal Family once again returned to Thailand. This time they reside at the Boromphiman Hall in the Grand Palace. Tragically, His Majesty King Ananda Mahidol passed away on the 9th of June, 1946. By the Law of Succession, His Royal Highness Prince Bhumibol Adulyadej ascended to the throne on that same day. Since he had not completed his education, the King returned to Switzerland in August. He changed the subject of his studies to Law and Political Sciences.

During this period, His Majesty met Mom Rajawongse Sirikit Kitiyakara, daughter of His Highness Prince Chandaburi Suranath and Mom Luang Bua Kitiyakara. The couple became engaged on the 19th. of July, 1949 in Lausanne, Switzerland.

His Majesty returned to Bangkok on the 24th. of March 1950 for the Royal Cremation of His Late Majesty King Ananda Mahidol. The Royal Wedding Ceremony took place on the 28th. of April 1950 and the wedding rite was
performed by his grandmother the dowager Queen Srisawarinthira. Mom Rajawongse Sirikit Kitiyakara became Queen.

His Majesty returned to Bangkok on the 24th. of March 1950 for the Royal Cremation of His Late Majesty King Ananda Mahidol. The Royal Wedding Ceremony took place on the 28th. of April 1950 and the wedding rite was
performed by his grandmother the dowager Queen Srisawarinthira. Mom Rajawongse Sirikit Kitiyakara became Queen.

The Coronation took place on the 5th. of May, 1950 in the Bhisal Daksin Throne Hall in accordance with ancient tradition. His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Rama IX of the Royal House of Chakri, pronounced an oath,
"We shall reign with righteousness for the benefit and happiness of the Siamese people."

After the Coronation, Their Majesties the King and Queen went to Switzerland in order for His Majesty to recouperate from an illness on the advice of physicians. Their eldest daughter, Her Royal Highness Princess Ubol Ratana, was born at the Mont Choicy Hospital in Lausanne on the 5th. of April 1951. The Royal Family returned to Thailand when the infant Princess was seven months old to take residence first at Chitrlada Mansion, then at Amphornstan Mansion of Dusit Palace. There, Her Majesty gave birth to her other three children:

He was ordained in the Royal Chapel at the Grand Palace. During the 15 days period in monkhood, His Majesty resided at Wat Bovornives, and by Royal Command, Her Majesty Queen Sirikit became Regent of the Crown. In 1957, Their Majesties moved to Chitrlada Mansion where they have resided until the present.

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HIS MAJESTY THE KING'S INTERESTS IN THE ARTS

Apart from the Affairs of State, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej takes an active interest in all things which will uphold the Royal Proclamation to reign "with righteousness for the benefit and happiness of the Siamese people". He personally supervises development projects in agriculture, irrigation, land, religion and medicine, even to the extent of travelling to the remotest areas of the Kingdom. He also gives royal patronage and support to all aspects of the Arts. He has shown interest in literature, history, architecture, the visual arts and the performing arts. Moreover, he is, in his own right, an artist worthy of the highest accolade.

During the period 1937-1945, in Switzerland, His Majesty the King started to take an interest in painting and studied from books which he had bought. From 1959 to 1967, he painted 107 paintings, signed with his initials.

Photography has been a favourite hobby since the age of 8. During the brief visit to Thailand in 1945, he was always seen with a camera, constantly taking photographs. Up to the present, His Majesty has continuously taken photographs of Her Majesty the Queen, their children and grandchildren. He has documented events and his loyal subjects in every place that he had visited.

His Majesty the King enjoys the handicrafts and music more than any other aspects of the arts. In childhood, he made model boats and toys out of household materials. During the 1938 visit to Thailand, his model of the Sri Ayudhaya was sold in a charity auction for Baht 20,000. He gave the money to an antituberculosis campaign. From 1964 onwards, His Majesty became interested in sailing as a sport. He began to construct sailing boats and to sail them within the grounds of Chitrlada Mansion. He has built boats of the International OK, Moth and Enterprise Classes. He sailed his own OK Class boat in the 4th. SEAP Games in December of 1967 and won the Gold Medal which was presented by Her Majesty the Queen.

His Majesty is also interested in sculpture. During the period 1965 to 1967, he was active in this field, having Mr. Paitoon Muangsomboon as advisor and assistant. His Majesty has modeled a seated figure of a woman, a half figure portrait of Her Majesty the Queen, the "Buddha Navarajbopitr" Buddha statue and an important Buddhist amulet.

His Majesty the King's accomplishments in music took root during his young days in Switzerland. He studied music from books and look classical, music lessons. He enjoyed playing the wind instruments, mainly the clarinet, saxophone and trumpet. He developed an interest in jazz. After the Coronation, he took up the piano to help with music compositions. He enjoyed playing and composing music with leading musicians. In 1964, selected pieces of His Majesty's compositions were performed in the Vienna Concert Hall. The performance was broadcasted and publicized throughout Austria. On this occasion, the Austrian Government conferred upon His Majesty an honorary membership to Institute of Music and Arts of the City of Vienna.

All of His Majesty's activities as described above clearly demonstrate that he has been interested in the Arts since his youth. A study of his works of art reveals great achievements of a mature artist, not those of an amateur. This is witnessed by the fact that important institutions have presented His Majesty with the highest accolades as an artist. In 1964, the Institute of Music and Arts of the City of Vienna conferred the twenty-third honorary membership upon His Majesty. In 1965, Silpakorn University conferred is Honorary Doctorate in Painting. In 1986, the National Culture Commission conferred upon His Majesty the title "Supreme Artist". In 1987, Kasetsart University conferred upon him an Honorary Doctorate in Music.