Thais place King Bhumibol in these kings' company. Like them, he has guided Thailand through changing times, through its often tumultuous, at times catastrophic, transition to democracy and an industrial economy. To fleeting elected governments that most Thais believe to be hopelessly riddled with corruption and crime, the King provides an essential counterbalance of integrity and morality. He is also an award-winning yachtsman, jazz aficionado, and saxophone virtuoso.