สำนักงานราชบัณทิตยสภา

The Journal of the Royal Institute of Thailand Volume IV - 2012 16  It was within this context that King Bhumibol, accompanied by Queen Sirikit, the ninth monarch of the Chakri Dynasty, found it imperative to make state visits in 1960 to 15 countries in Europe and North America, one year prior to the ‘Berlin Wall’, the symbol of the peak of the ‘Cold War’. In 1962, the monarchs of Thailand visited four countries in Asia including Australia, and New Zealand. It was the time of the Vietnam War and political turmoil in South East Asia. Queen Sirikit’s composition in ‘In Memory of the State Visits of His Majesty the King’, 5 witnesses the world crisis during His Majesty’s State Visits to the United States in 1960. “…An important appointment that myself and the members of our entourage awaited with enthusiasm and excitement, was the day when the King would be awarded an Honorary Degree at Williams University, one of the oldest universities in the United States. […] That night, I could not sleep well. I confess it was because a member of the committee had whispered to me, “Tomorrow, even if something goes wrong, you should not be frightened. And please don’t think that we dishonour you. There might be distribution of lea fl ets or some students will walk out during the ceremony.” […]. But the situation was totally different. That night, at dinner, the Rector of Williams University, said “ … You know that in America, no one can stop people from expressing their opinions. He himself was surprised that there was no reaction as expected, and therefore, he had asked these students, (many with long hair which made them look even more frightening), why they had not walked out of the ceremony when one of the leaders of Southeast Asian country was being awarded a degree. The students said 5 In Memory of the State Visits of His Majesty the King, The Royal Compositions of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, Her Majesty Queen Sirikit is gracious to grant Her Royal permission for the fi rst edition of this book on the Auspicious Occasion of the Royal Ceremonial Celebration of Her Majesty the Queen’s Third Cycle Birthday Anniversary on 12th August 1968 (B.E. 2511) and on the Auspicious Occasion of the Royal Ceremonial Celebration of Her Majesty the Queen’s Sixth Cycle Birthday Anniversary on 12 th August 2004 (B.E. 2547) Queen Sirikit on Her Majesty’s State Visits in 1960 and 1962