Bhumibol Adulyadej
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His Royal Majesty Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX, royal name Phra Chaoyuhao Bhumibol Adulyadej) the Great (born December 5, 1927), is King of Thailand since 1946. He is the world's longest-serving Head of State, and is the 9th king of the Thai Chakri Dynasty.
He was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the United States. After a brief period of primary schooling in Bangkok, he left from the age of six with the rest of his family for Switzerland where he continued his secondary education at the Ecole Nouvelle de la Suisse Romande, in Chailly-sur-Lausanne and received the Bachelieres Lettres diploma from the Gymnase Classique Cantonal of Lausanne. He received his university education at the University of Lausanne where he studied law and political science.
After his older brother Ananda Mahidol died, he succeeded him, on June 9, 1946 as the new king. However, he first finished his education before being officially crowned on May 5, 1950. A few days before, on April 28, he married Mom Rajawongse Sirikit Kitiyakara. They have four children, viz:
- (Formerly HRH) Princess Ubol Ratana, born April 5, 1951;
- HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, born July 28, 1952;
- HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, born April 2, 1955;
- HRH Princess Chulabhorn, born July 4, 1957.