Bhumibol Adulyadej was a widely revered leader among the people of Thailand.

Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great, referred to as Rama IX, was the ninth monarch from the Chakri Dynasty, Thailand. Being the longest reigning monarch in the country, King Bhumibolworked with 30 prime ministers beginning with Pridi Banomyong and ending with Prayut Chan-o-cha. He was a true leader who developed a number of projects to shape the entire socio-economic scenarios of Thailand. Unlike several other monarchs, he was truly concerned about the wellness of the common people living in the country. Also, he worked a lot in order to strengthen the military forces of Thailand. On the other side, he was a well appreciator of art, music, sports and science.

Here are some interesting yet lesser-known facts about Bhumibol Adulyadej:

King Bhumibol Adulyadej's full title was Phrabat Somdej Phra Paramindra Maha Bhumibol Adulyadej Mahitaladhibet Ramadhibodi Chakrinarubodindara Sayamindaradhiraj Boromanatbophit.

He reigned the country for 70 years and 127 days. He became the longest head-of-state in the world.

He was the only Thai monarch to be born in the United States of America.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej was a brilliant musician having strong interest in jazz. He wrote several compositions namely "The Candlelight Blues", "Friday Night Rag", "Lay Kram goes Dixie" etc. Also, he became a member of Vienna’s University of Music and Performing Arts. He could play several musical instruments such as guitar, piano, saxophone and clarinet.

The king, being a skilled writer, translated a number of literary works into the Thai language.

As previously mentioned, King Bhumibol was widely revered among the Thai people. His photos were everywhere including the streets, shops and even homes.

The king devoted his entire life for the development of the nation. Thus, he went on to be known as the "working monarch" as well as the "development king". In 2000, he was honored as the "Father of Technology of Thailand" by the Office of National Identity Promotion.

He led a war against the use of drugs in Thailand.

The king was very much passionate about sailing. He won the gold medal at the Southeast Asia Peninsular Games in 1967.

King Bhumibolwas a true patronizer of scientific research in Thailand. In 1950, he donated money to build the Mahidol Memorial Building to produce a vaccination for tuberculosis.

The king, being a billionaire, donated a lot for various philanthropic works across the country. He often used his personal funds for thousands of development projects in the rural areas of Thailand.

'The Revolutionary King', written by William Stevenson, is a biographical book of the King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great. The renowned American journalist Paul M. Handley wrote another book named 'The King Who Never Smiles' about the king.