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Crown Prince's popularity in Thailand
HRH speaking during the graduation ceremony at RSU
Bhutan's 26-year-old crown prince has become the latest heartthrob of women in Thailand. His Royal Highness the Trongsa Penlop Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck is more popularly known as 'Jigme" amongst the Thais. The Crown Prince Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck has appeared almost daily in local media, which dubbed him "Prince Charming."

"He is smart, modest and polite, and most importantly he is very good-looking," a 32-year-old government official, said.

The Crown Prince is very popular in Thailand

The Thai media is full of reports about Bhutan's unique marker of national progress of the Himalayan Kingdom Bhutan.

The University also composed a special song entitled 'Precious Prince Of Hearts" for the Crown Prince which was performed at the ceremony and is to be included in the graduation bulletin.

The prince "won hearts with grace, good manners." the Bangkok Post said.


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Learning English with Bangkok Post: November 28 lessons

Together, the two stories make a very nice lesson. The show very clearly how the English language describes an event from two different time perspectives. You might also teach the lesson over two days, pretending the crown prince is about to make his visit to the floral expo and then finding out what happened on the next day.

Alternately, you could divide the class into two parts, having one section of the class read the "before" account and the second section read the "after " account. When the students have finished reading their respective stories, focus first on the flora expo. The first group could describe what was expected to happen and what was scheduled to happen at the expo. The second group could then detail what actually happened. Both groups could then describe other information that was included in their stories.
Here are some additional things you might want to point out or assign.

HRH Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck greets His Majesty King Bhumibol of Thailand during the 60th anniversary celebration of the King Bhumibol Adulyadej's accession to the Throne in Bangkok, Thailand
(June 2006)
November 24, 2006: The morning before the visit

With with this story, I would definitely point out the two contrasting ways the writer describes the future. Where the events are likely to happen but not completely certain, the writer uses present passive:

Bhutan's Crown Prince Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck is expected to draw a huge crowd of admirers...

Up to 50,000 people are expected to turn up at the event to catch a glimpse of the charming prince...

Pol Col Wirat Sumanaphan, head of the security and protection centre at the floral expo, said the majority of visitors were expected to be there to greet the Bhutanese crown prince at around 2pm.

Where the events are scheduled and will definitely happen, or the sentence deals with rules police have set up, the writer uses "will":

Well-wishers will be allowed to welcome the crown prince on both sides of the path leading into the expo. But the six areas of the park that Crown Prince Jigme is due to visit, including the Royal Pavilion, the orchid garden and Bhutan's national garden, will be off-limits to the public during his visit.

During his visit to the expo, the crown prince will officially hand over to Thailand Bhutan's ''Himalayan Garden of Peace''...

Arthit Urairat, rector of Rangsit University, said the university will present Crown Prince Jigme with an honorary doctorate on Feb 21 next year.

Notice also there is one sentence using indirect speech that would have used "will" had it been direct speech.

Pol Col Sattakit Kornthong, deputy chief of Chiang Mai provincial police, said full security measures would be in place with a 300-strong police force assigned to the compound of the event.

November 25, 2006:

The day after the visit

Let's use what I wrote in the main lesson as the basis of an activity:

When you read this story, you will immediately notice that the tenses have changed. What tense would you expect the story to mainly use? Read to see if you are right. (You would expect that the main tense with be the simple past and it is. Note that there is also an interesting use of the past perfect: "She [Rattanaporn Suwakon] had been impressed by the polite and modest manners of the prince". The clearly refers to a time in the more distant past - to the crown prince's previous visit).

From the first story you learned:

1. A large crowd of admirers was expected to turn up at the flora expo to try to catch a glimpse of the Crown Prince Jigme.
2. Crown Prince Jigme was due to visit six areas of the park, including the Royal Pavilion, the orchid garden and Bhutan's national garden.
3. The crown prince was going to officially hand over to Thailand Bhutan's ''Himalayan Garden of Peace'', which was being exhibited alongside other gardens from around the world.

As you read the story below, look for evidence that the events above actually occurred. Write the sentences which give the information.

1. The whole province of Chiang Mai seemed to have reached fever pitch when a huge crowd of people flocked to see Bhutan's Crown Prince Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck who arrived in the northern province yesterday.

2. The prince took a tour of the six areas of the expo, including the exposition centre, the Royal Pavilion, the orchid garden, and Bhutan's national garden.

3. The crown prince officially handed over to Thailand Bhutan's "Himalayan Garden of Peace," which is being exhibited alongside other gardens from around the world.

Where else did the crown prince visit that was not mentioned in the first story? (Wat Phra That Doi Suthep)

What other information is included in the second story? Why do you think it was included?

Information from two ordinary people, Rattanaporn Suwakon and Nisarat Nilsawan, who saw the crown prince plus a description of what an elderly woman did to show her respect for the crown prince. This is "human interest" material that helps give the reader a feel for the atmosphere surrounding the event.

Source: Bangkok Post, Thailand, 2006
December 14, 2006
His Majesty King Jigme Singye Wangchuk said that the responsibilities of the Throne would be delegated to the Chhoetse Penlop before 2008. His Royal Highness Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck will be enthroned as the fifth Druk Gyalpo in 2008.
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Bhutan's Royal Family

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