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Published on January 3, 2008

Her Royal Highness Princess Galyani Vadhana occupied a special place in the hearts of all Thais, from members of the rural poor to the most sophisticated among the nation's elite. Her lifelong devotion as a supportive eldest sister of His Majesty the King, a dutiful daughter to the late Princess Mother Sri Nagarindra, and a gracious patron of charitable foundations and the arts, endeared her to people from a wide cross-section of society.

Along with our beloved King and her niece, HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, the Princess, with her calm, self-effacing demeanour, commanded genuine affection from the people. She was renowned for her many good charitable works and the sincerity with which she performed them. She was always seen at the side of HRH the Princess Mother on visits to remote villages - visits that brought doctors and nurses to provide free healthcare to the many underprivileged people who continue to lack access to medical services.

After the passing of the Princess Mother in 1995, Princess Galyani Vadhana took over most of the charitable foundations. Her patronage ensured that government agencies and private volunteers worked together smoothly for the benefit of the poor in all parts of the country.

The example set by these hard-working royals, who put the people's happiness and welfare before their own personal pleasures, explains the enduring popularity of the monarchy in this country.

The Princess may have been a less visible member of the Royal Family, but her positive contributions to the country and towards people's happiness have been far-reaching and deeply-appreciated by all. It was obvious that Princess Galyani Vadhana learned her humility and her sense of public service from her mother, who was a commoner before her marriage to their father, HRH the Prince of Songkhla.

In her younger years, Princess Galyani Vadhana also pursued an active career as an educator, teaching French at well-known institutes including Chulalongkorn and Thammasat universities. Her love of learning and her multi-faceted interests as a promoter of the arts and sciences led to her active involvement in scholarship programmes that have contributed positively to the country's educational system. These scholarships have opened up opportunities for less fortunate but worthy candidates to pursue higher education.

A lover of Western classical music and an avid concert-goer, Princess Galyani Vadhana was often seen attending major cultural events. She continued to do so until earlier last year when her health had already shown signs of deterioration. One of the most touching sights for regular concert-goers was Princess Galyani Vadhana using a walking support device to get to her seat at a concert at the Thailand Cultural Centre. As a patron of the arts, the Princess had graciously presided over a countless number of performances, thus providing much-needed encouragement to budding local artists and promoters of cultural events. What was most pleasurable for people to see, was that she appeared to enjoy herself doing it.

There is no more fitting tribute than for the Royal Family to carry on the Princess' lifelong dedication to social work, education and the arts. Her work in these fields is just part of the legacy of public service that has served to strengthen the extraordinary bond between the Thai people and the monarchy.

However, as the country embarks on yet another attempt at rebuilding parliamentary democracy under the constitutional monarchy, the need for the Thai people and the monarchy to reaffirm and redefine this very special relationship seems even more important and inevitable.

The Thai people can be assured that the lofty examples set by His Majesty the King, his late mother and Her Royal Highness Princess Galyani Vadhana will guide later generations of the Royal Family on how to reach out to the Thai people.

Thailand has already undergone tremendous political, social and economic change during the long and happy reign of the present King. Loyal Thai people will continue to love and respect the monarchy as an institution that stands for national identity and unity.