His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the United States of America, on December 5, 1927, being the third and youngest child of Their Royal Highnesses Prince and Princess Mahidol of Songkhla.  Even the facts of his birth seem to be significant in several ways.  He is, first of all, the direct grandson of His Late Majesty King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) who was renowned for the great reforms which he made to all Thai institutions, bringing them up to date and in line with the rest of the western-oriented world.  Secondly, the fact that he is the son of Prince Mahidol is also significant since Prince Mahidol himself was perhaps one of the most modern-minded of all the sons of King Chulalongkorn.  (Prince Mahidol’s life was dedicated to the development of many modern ideas, particularly in the field of medical science and he is known as the father of the modern Thai medical profession.)  Last but not least, King Bhumibol was given the significant name of Bhumibol Adulyadej, meaning ‘Strength of the Land with Incomparable Power’.  This name becomes prophetic as his reign advances through various critical periods and the Thai nation evolves more and more around the throne as the sole source of unity and strength. 

Prince Mahidol returned to Thailand and passed away when His Majesty was not yet two years old.  After a brief period of primary schooling in Bangkok, His Majesty left with the rest of his family for Switzerland where he continued his secondary education at the Ecole Nouvelle de la Suisse Romande, Chailly sur Lausanne, and received the Bachelieres Lettres diploma from the Gymnase Classique Cantonal of Lausanne.  He then chose to enter Lausanne University to study Science, but the death of his elder brother King Ananda Mahidol in Bangkok  (Rama VIII) on June 9, 1946, changed the course of his life completely.  The law of succession had suddenly bestowed on him the arduous and challenging responsibility of the Thai crown.  His Majesty decided to go back to Switzerland for another period of study, but this time in the subject of political science and law in order to equip himself with the proper knowledge for government.  In 1950, His Majesty returned to Thailand for the coronation ceremony, which took place on May 5th.  Following the coronation ceremony, he went back to Switzerland for another period of study before the urgent call of his country and people brought him back to Thailand in 1951 to stay.

His Majesty met and became engaged on July 19,1949 to Mom Rajawongse Sirikit, daughter of His Highness Prince Chandaburi Suranath (Mom Chao Nakkhatra Mangala Kitiyakara) and Mom Luang Bua Kitiyakara (nee Mom Luang Bua Snidwongse).

Their Majesties were married by Her Majesty Queen Sawang Vadhana, the paternal grandmother of His Majesty, at Sra Pathum Palace in Bangkok on April 28, 1950 and Their Majesties have four children namely, Their Royal Highnesses Princess Ubol Ratana, Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, and Princess Chulabhorn.