"Having sat on the throne for 60 years, he is the world's longest-reigning monarch. His stewardship has been so masterful that in times of crisis Thais invariably turn to one man: King Bhumibol," the November 13 edition says.

"Indeed, on two occasions - October 1973 and May 1992 - with Thailand descending into chaos, the King, armed only with his moral authority, intervened to end bloodshed."

It also referred to the September 19 coup, when the military ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

"Today, a group of generals has again seized power. They have pledged to give Thailand a fairer and lasting democratic system. Once more, Thailand's people will look to King Bhumibol, trusting him to ensure that the generals keep their promise," the article concludes.

The special Time issue also honours another Thai, Mechai Viravaidya, a pioneer in family planning who became known as the "condom king" for his unconventional efforts to promote their use. His campaign was partly credited for the drop in Thailand's HIV infection rate.

"His brash, quirky style makes people laugh about sex and has forced the topic of sexuality into the open," says the article about Mechai.

"He was so successful at changing the culture that, today, mechai, in Thai slang, means condom," it says.

Other Asian heroes named by the magazine included India's Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, Corazon Aquino of the Philippines, China's Deng Xiaoping and Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.