12.08.09 HM the King in great shape, says Queen
Her Majesty the Queen says His Majesty the King is hale and hearty and remains dedicated to working for the good of his people.
Her Majesty the Queenwaves to wellwisherswhogathered at Chitralada
Palace yesterday on the eve of her 77th birthday today. The Queen is
accompanied by His Royal Highness Crown PrinceMaha Vajiralongkorn, Her
Royal Highness PrincessMahaChakri Sirindhorn and other membersof the
royal family. PHOTOCOURTESY OF THEROYAL HOUSEHOLDBUREAU
The Queen yesterday talked about the King's health during her
birthday address to a gathering of cabinet ministers, senior government
officials and members of the public who went to the Dusitdalai Pavilion
inside the Chitralada Palace to wish her well on the eve of her 77th
birthday today.
She was accompanied by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha
Vajiralongkorn and Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn
and other members of the royal family
The Queen said the King now lived at Klai Klang Won Palace in
Prachuap Khiri Khan's Hua Hin district where he benefitted from a
healthful climate.
The King is healthy, exercises regularly by walking and can perform
his duties such as receiving foreign guests and inspecting royal
projects in Hua Hin, the Queen said.
She said it is now impossible for the King to work as hard as he did
decades ago when he was strong and vigorous, although he has always
followed the progress of projects to help ease the plight of the
people, particularly measures to deal with floods.
"His Majesty cares very much about his people. He is concerned about
flooding and is looking for ways to prevent it," the Queen said.
She said in the past when the King travelled long distances to visit
people in remote rural areas, he always drove himself and carried maps
wherever he went to examine geographical details.
His Majesty visited people in all regions of the country to see for
himself their hardships so he could think of ways to help them
according to their varying needs.
His Majesty has initiated more than 3,000 royal projects aimed at
improving the livelihood of people in all regions and has continued to
work for the good of the people for almost 60 years.
"His Majesty said he was delighted when he learned his people were happy," the Queen said.
The Queen also spoke about a project to make artificial reefs off the coast in Pattani's Mai Kaen district.
The project was introduced after local people complained to Her Majesty about depleted fish stocks in the sea.
She said the project had now become a success and the artificial
reefs were home to an abundance of marine life with rare fish species
beginning to reappear.
Her Majesty asked Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and the relevant
government agencies to support the project to create artificial reefs
in other provinces in the South.
She also talked about the nutritional value of rice which is widely recognised and urged more consumption of the grain.
At one point of her hour-long speech, the Queen praised villagers
for their remarkable artistic skills in making exquisite traditional
handicrafts which are now on show at the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall.
The Queen said the handicrafts were described by foreign visitors as "world-class".
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