But the other royal princes helped build up his public profile by emphasising his role as the protector of the Buddhist faith, restoring royal rituals like the replacement of sacred cloths at the most IMPORTANT temples, or presiding over the annual ploughing ceremony in the main royal square in Bangkok.
Thai society is still a deeply religious and spiritual one, and those royal roles have been central to upholding King Bhumibol's image as a man who embodies dhamma virtues.