A fishing net maker in Sukhothai has worn over thirty portraits and symbols of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej around his neck for five years. He has done this to honor the late king, who he credits with helping him get his life back together.
Lerm Tongsawang, 68, said people who have met him appreciate his action and even gave him more portraits of the late king. Some people assumed he was mentally ill, but he didn’t care.
Lerm, a divorced man, lives alone in a small hut in Muang district, which he has also decorated with portraits of the late king.
Lerm said that the reason he started his collection was because he used to drink heavily, smoke cigarettes and gamble, but one day, while he was gambling, he realized: “The money that I use has the king’s portrait on it. Since I love the king, why let him be associated with these temptations?”
After that, Lerm turned his life around. He started wearing a THB100 bill around his neck to remind himself to be a good man.
On Father’s Day each year, Lerm would ride 10 kilometers on his bicycle to Sukhothai City Hall to light candles in tribute to the late king.
Since he found out the king had passed away, Lerm has been following the news closely and watching royal broadcasts on television.
His village headman, Noppadol Tongsawang, is concerned that Lerm will suffer from depression, so he has requested an officer from Department of Public Health to frequently visit Lerm and talk to him, Sanook reported.
Reader Interactions