Even if you don’t recognize the name of Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej, you might be familiar with his image, which can be seen everywhere in Thailand.

For many Koreans, encountering the king’s portrait at the Thai national day reception rekindled memories of travel in the country.

The Thai Embassy hosted a reception celebrating the king’s 87th birthday and Thai national day at Lotte Hotel in Seoul on Wednesday. Dignitaries, scholars, businesspeople, military officers and journalists joined the auspicious event, which is celebrated on Dec. 5 in Thailand.

“The Thai monarchy has been a part of our history for over 1,000 years,” said Thai Ambassador Kulkumut Singhara NA Ayudhaya. “Since his coronation in 1946, His Majesty King Bhumibol has been a pillar of our nation with his leadership, bringing happiness and prosperity to the people.” 

The ambassador said that the monarch was often referred to as the “development king” in Thailand, in recognition of over 4,000 development projects in agriculture, aquaculture, animal husbandry and flood prevention he has initiated under his rule.

“The king not only contributed to the well-being of Thais and sustainable development of communities, but also helped Thailand become a leading exporter of high-quality agricultural products,” Ayudhaya added.

Deputy Prime Minister Hwang Yoo-yeah said in his congratulatory speech that he was aware that “His majesty has been highly admired and honored in Thailand for his humble lifestyle and good governance.”

Hwang continued, “During the Korean War, Thailand sent 15,780 troops to Korea. Thanks to their invaluable sacrifice and bravery, Korea has become what it is today.”

“Koreans are grateful for the great sacrifice made by the Thai people, and we will always cherish our friendship,” said Hwang.

The two countries’ relations have blossomed since establishing diplomatic ties in 1958; bilateral trade volume reached $13.3 billion last year. Over 23,000 Thais work in Korea and around 3,000 Thais are married to Koreans and living here.

Thailand’s Phuket and Pattaya remain popular honeymoon destinations for Korean couples. Thanks to the Korean Wave, Korean food, pop-culture and language education are in high demand in Thailand.

Global superstar Psy was invited for King Bhumibol’s 85th birthday anniversary in late November 2012. He sang and danced in his “Gangnam Style” in front of 25,000 fans in Bangkok.

King Bhumibol is currently the world’s longest-serving head of state and the longest-reigning monarch in Thai history. He is revered as a unifying, sacrosanct figure, using his symbolic significance to aid the country’s democratic development during his six-decade reign. The king and his wife Queen Sirikit have four children.

The king is known to exercise significant power in the affairs of the state through extra-constitutional powers. The Thai royal family is also protected by its lese majeste law, which punishes acts of criticism, defamation and threats against its members.

On the king’s birthday, also known as Father’s Day in Thailand, people wear traditional yellow costumes as a sign of loyalty to the royal family. Roads are lined with royal flags and in the royal palace in Bangkok, thousands gather to listen to the king’s speech.

The king canceled his plan to hold an annual audience this year due to poor health. He is recovering from surgery that removed his gall bladder in October after tests revealed it had swollen. He was last seen in public in early November.

By Joel Lee (joel@heraldcorp.com)