nPostednon December 5, 2013
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AnNational Day is a time to feel proud of your nation. A time for flagsnand patriotic anthems. Perhaps a time for speeches, or parades, ornfireworks.
AnNational Day is a time to feel proud of your nation. A time for flagsnand patriotic anthems. Perhaps a time for speeches, or parades, ornfireworks.n
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nMostnnations choose a National Day that commemorates their founding, orntheir independence, or their unification. But Thailand’s patrioticnday is the birthday of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who was born on thisndate in 1927.
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Likenthe United Kingdom’s Queen Elizabeth II, the king of Thailand is thenhead of state but not the head of the government; the Prime Ministernheads up the government. Also like Queen Elizabeth II, King Adulyadej hasnruled for a long, long time. Actually, he is the world record holdernof current monarchs, having ruled for 67 years (and counting).nElizabeth II is in second place, having ruled for almost 62 years. n
Likenthe United Kingdom’s Queen Elizabeth II, the king of Thailand is thenhead of state but not the head of the government; the Prime Ministernheads up the government. Also like Queen Elizabeth II, King Adulyadej hasnruled for a long, long time. Actually, he is the world record holdernof current monarchs, having ruled for 67 years (and counting).nElizabeth II is in second place, having ruled for almost 62 years. nn
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nDidnyou know…?
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nThailandn was the only country in southeast Asia that was never colonized by an European power. Perhaps that is why its name (Prathetn Thain in the Thai language) means “Land of the Free.”
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Othern world’s records connected with Thailand include the world’s smallestn mammal (the bumblebee bat), the world’s longest human hair (16 feet andn 11 inches), and the world’s most expensive pet wedding ($16.241). n
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nI’ve never heard of anyone paying even 5nbucks for a pet wedding. I’ve just never heard of a pet weddingnbefore!!!
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nBangkok’sn full name is “Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosinn Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Buriromn Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiyan Witsanukam Prasit.”
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nThisntranslates to: “The city of angels, the great city, the residencenof the Emerald Buddha, the impregnable city (unlike Ayutthaya) of GodnIndra, the grand capital of the world endowed with nine preciousngems, the happy city, abounding in an enormous Royal Palace thatnresembles the heavenly abode where reigns the reincarnated god, ancity given by Indra and built by Vishnukarn.”
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nInam guessing that this is yet another world’s record!
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Theren are more than 400 wats (Buddhist temples), many of them fabulouslyn and intricately adorned, in Thailand’s capital, Bangkok.n
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nAlsonon this date:
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Physicist Werner Heisenberg’s birthday
Physicist Werner Heisenberg’s birthday
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Sinterklaasnin the Netherlands
Sinterklaasnin the Netherlands n
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nAnniversarynof Mozart’s Death
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nEducatornElizabeth Cabot Agassiz’s birthday
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nPlannahead:
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nChecknout my Pinterest pages on:
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nDecembern holidays
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nDecembern birthdays
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- Historicaln anniversaries in December
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nAndnhere are my Pinterest boards for:
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nJanuaryn holidays
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nJanuaryn birthdays
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nHistoricaln anniversaries in January
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