UNGA paid tribute to His late Majesty King Rama 9

NEW YORK, Oct 29 (TNA) -- The United Nations General Assembly or UNGA had held a special meeting to pay its last respect to His late Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej last night, during which all members have honoured His late Majesty's legacy of the Sufficiency Economy principle, and held a 1-minute silence for the revered King. The meeting began with a condolence speech from UNGA President Peter Thomson, in which he expressed his deepest sorrow and condolences to the Thai people for loosing a great leader and guide. He also honoured His late Majesty King Bhumibol for his Sufficiency Economy principle, saying that the theory should also be upheld by the rest of world, while asking the assembly to hold a 1-minute silence in remembrance and honour of the revered monarch. UN Secretary-general Ban Ki Moon, meanwhile, expressed similar kind of sentiments, where he conveyed his deepest sadness and condolences to Thailand, the royal family and the government for losing, what he called, a 'guiding light'. He then spoke of HM King Bhumibol's achievements and how he was the only monarch in the world to receive the highest award for His efforts on human development. After the secretary-general had ended his speech, other UN regional representatives then took turns to the podiums to deliver their message of condolences, as well as to praise His late Majesty, voicing that King Bhumibol's Sufficiency Economy was His present to the Thai people, which could be implemented to fit everyone's daily lives, teaching them to be happy with what they have. The second to last person to step to the podium was the US permanent representative to the UN, while the Thai representative to the UN, Virachai Plasai was the last to take the stage. Mr Plasai said, "His Majesty was always there for his people, giving them soul, resilience, and most important of all, direction. He was a symbol of national unity, sustaining the kingdom's cultural and social integrity, providing spiritual and material foundation on which Thai people from all walks of life built their livelihood." (TNA)