Homage to the crystal light
A gorgeous illustrated biography of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn offers guidance and fun
AMONG THE many events being planned to commemorate Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn's 60th birthday in April, the ML Pin Malakul Foundation has a head start with the launch of a spectacular biography, "Dang Dung Kaew Song Sawang Tang Sai Ngam" ("Bright Crystal Light Over the Beautiful Way").Published by Nanmee Books, the collector's edition is the culmination of four years' work, much of that time spent gathering the details as well as a wealth of photographs that illustrate not just her life but her aptitude in 60 different fields of endeavour.
"The book promotes Her Royal Highness as a role model for young people," says Nanmee managing director Suwadee Chongsatitwatana. "She is grateful and respectful to her elders, impeccably behaved and always determined to seek out knowledge. This is her life story amended with impressions shared by her teachers and friends."
Khunying Sumonta Promboon, the Professor ML Pin Malakul Foundation's vice chair, explains that it was established in 1995 under the Princess' patronage, so the account is undeniably factual.
"We want children to take inspiration from this book and follow in Princess Sirindhorn's footsteps. They'll be able to see why people love her and have so much faith in her."
The content is transcribed from more than 50 autobiographical articles the Princess herself wrote. Chapter 1 deals with her birth and education, which commenced in 1958 with kindergarten at the Chitralada School. She was a bookworm from the start and always achieved high scores in examinations. Clever and diligent, the Princess graduated from Chulalongkorn University with a master-of-arts first class.
Chapter 2 demonstrates her remarkable abilities in various fields of study. Her ambition to ensure that every Thai youngster had adequate nutrition and educational opportunities led to sweeping developments.
In 1980 she launched the pilot project "Agriculture for School Lunch" at Border Patrol Police schools in Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi and Prachuab Kiri Khan. Students at the schools began growing their own produce and preparing their own meals. The concept was such a success that it was extended to more than 700 schools in remote areas around the country and now encompasses culture, local wisdom and care for the environment.
"Her Royal Highness has sound knowledge in the basics of ideology and philosophy," says Khunying Sumonta. "The Agriculture for School Lunch project was her first initiative, and it demonstrated that having the children plant vegetables themselves was better than waiting for other people to help them. And, to get a good education, children need to have good health."
Over the years the Princess has accumulated hundreds of postcards, odd-shaped stones and old pens and pencils, and she uses these to create art. She displays many of these collected items at the Suan Pratum Villa where she lives, along with her artwork, souvenirs from her travels abroad, traditional Thai musical instruments and various innovative objects given to her by others.
Chapter 3 of the book is a real charmer - a survey of the Princess' oft-praised sense of humour, presented in the context for her yen for acquiring fresh knowledge wherever she goes. The chapter is largely drawn from "Ram Luek Tueng Thewalai Tin Aksorn", which she wrote and published in 1986 while having to skip school because she had to accompany Their Majesties the King and Queen on a national tour.
To keep up with schooling, the Princess had the lessons tape-recorded to play back on her own machine, which she called the Taypajarn.
Never decline a chance to try something new, she enthused in an article titled "Rattanamanee Sri Silpasat" - or anything odd, either. She recalls visiting a village in Yunnan, China, and sampling the highly recommended gecko soup. It was as flavourful as chicken but smoother in texture. "Don't know if my geckos in Thailand would be delicious or not," she quips.
Chapter 4 comes from the book "Karn Jadkarn Suksa Khong Kapajao" ("My Education Management") and reveals the Princess' gift for languages. She explains that school holidays her mother the Queen Sirikit allowed her to learn English, French, Pali-Sanskrit and Latin - as well as piano, painting, math, science and more. Good teachers from several provinces were happy to fulfill her thirst for knowledge.
The Queen was even keener to ensure that her daughter grew up healthy. Every weekend the Princess had to complete a regimen of exercise and play outdoors "to blow the cobwebs away". She swims, cycles and loves playing football, volleyball and badminton. But in her book "Keela Penya Wiset" ("Sport is Wonderful Medicine"), she confesses that she didn't do so well in ballet classes. It was beneficial nevertheless, she says, because it straightened her legs and she learned how to do summersaults.
The final chapter assembles fond messages from friends and former instructors. Assistant Professor Sukunya Bumroongsook, who teaches history at Thammasat University, remembers having the Princess as her roommate when they were both students at Chulalongkorn.
"Princess Sirindhorn is very generous and friendly to everyone. She always acted like any normal person. She had a big backpack full of pens, a stapler, scissors and inhalants and was always happy to share her stuff with her friends. She participated in all the university and faculty activities."
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