Bhumibol Adulyadej (Thai: ภูมิพลอดุลยเดช; IPA: [pʰuːmipʰon adunjadeːt]; Royal Institute: Phumiphon Adunyadet; ; see full title below) (born 5 December 1927), is the current King and Head of the State of Thailand. Publicly acclaimed "the Great" (Thai: มหาราช, Maharaja) , he is also known as Rama IX. Having reigned since 9 June 1946, he is the world's longest-serving current head of state and the longest-serving monarch in Thai history. Although King Bhumibol is a constitutional monarch, he has made several decisive interventions... read more