A/71/PV.36 General Assembly

It is my sad duty to pay tribute to the memory of the late King of Thailand, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who passed away on Thursday, 13 October. On behalf of the General Assembly, I would like to request the representative of Thailand to convey our condolences to the Government and people of Thailand and to the bereaved family of His Majesty the King. His late Majesty the King reigned for 70 years, making him one of the longest serving monarchs in human history. He was revered by his people and admired throughout the world for his grace, dignity and humility and his steadfast dedication to his country and people. At his coronation, he declared “we shall reign with righteousness for the benefits and happiness of the Siamese people.” It was a commitment he worked tirelessly to fulfil throughout his life. The King was beloved as the people’s King, and, through the thousands of development projects he initiated over his lifetime, he oversaw a period of profound social, economic and development transformation across the country, significantly improving the livelihoods and well-being of the Thai people. The King was also a force for peace and unity within Thailand and the broader region and was a strong supporter of the multilateral system. His achievements throughout his life led to numerous awards from the United Nations and beyond, including the United Nations Development Programme’s first Human Development Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006. The King was also a committed environmentalist. He played a leading role in the promotion of soil science and conservation and was a leader in sustainable land resource management. Under the King’s leadership, Thailand raised global awareness of the importance of soil as a resource for poverty reduction, climate change adaptation, sustainable development and security. In 2013, the General Assembly recognized those efforts by designating 5 December, the same date as the King’s birthday, as World Soil Day, as well as 2015 as the International Year of Soils. His Majesty was one of the most venerated global leaders of our time. His profound legacy to the people and nation of Thailand and the world at large will always be remembered. On behalf of the General Assembly, I extend our most sincere condolences to the Government, the royal family and the people of Thailand as we mourn His Majesty the King’s passing. Our hearts and thoughts are with the people of Thailand at this time. I now request the General Assembly to rise and observe a minute of silence in memory of the late King.

It is now my honour to give the floor to the Secretary-General, His Excellency Mr. Ban Ki-moon.

We come together to pay tribute to the life and legacy of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand, the world’s longest- reigning monarch. On behalf of the United Nations, I once again express our most profound condolences to Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, the royal family, the Government of Thailand and the Thai people. A visionary and a humanitarian, King Bhumibol was loved and revered by the people of Thailand and respected around the world. I had the honour of meeting King Bhumibol during a visit to Thailand in 2007. I had long admired his dedication to improving his country and the lives of its people, particularly those that were most vulnerable. Over seven decades, King Bhumibol served as a stabilizing force in Thailand, notably during times of political turmoil and tension. The outpouring of grief from the Thai people on his passing is testimony to the King’s tremendous influence across the country and a recognition of his lifelong work to better the lives of his people. King Bhumibol’s commitment to sustainable development and national resilience helped to move the country through its various phases of development and towards becoming a vibrant economy. In recognition of his work, King Bhumibol was awarded the first United Nations Development Programme Human Development Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006. The United Nations recognizes and pays tribute to the remarkable life that His Majesty King Bhumibol led and joins all those who loved and revered the King in offering heartfelt condolences. In the spirit of the late King, the United Nations looks forward to further strengthening the partnership with the Royal Thai Government and the people of Thailand in order to advance democracy, development, peace and human rights for all.

I give the floor to the representative of Georgia, who will speak on behalf of the Group of Eastern European States.

It is with great sadness that we have learned about the passing away of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand. On behalf of the members of the Group of Eastern European States, I would like to express our deepest condolences to the royal family and to the Thai people. It is painful to lose a leader who cared so deeply about his country, the world and humankind. His Majesty worked tirelessly for rising prosperity and the development of Thailand, skilfully steering the country through difficult times, He was a King who was loved by his people and deeply revered internationally, a true leader who inspired his own nation and the rest of the world. As an advocate for education and building bridges between nations, King Bhumibol inspired and encouraged people to strive for peace and prosperity. As he wisely noted, “a good person can make another person good; it means that goodness will elicit goodness in the society; other persons will also be good”. His Majesty King Bhumibol will always be remembered for his outstanding leadership and his dedicated service to his country. His achievements as the “development king”, who made an extraordinary contribution to human development, is cherished worldwide. As former Secretary-General Kofi Annan stated while presenting him with the first Human Development Lifetime Achievement from the United Nations Development Programme in 2006, “As a visionary thinker, [His] Majesty has played an invaluable role in shaping the global development dialogue”. Let us also recall the unique talents and passion of the King, who, as a musician and a composer, used music as a bridge to build communications, relationships and friendship. The leadership, courage and wisdom of King Bhumibol will be missed. In this time of grief and sorrow, our thoughts and prayers are with his family and the people of Thailand.

I give the floor to the representative of Chile, who will speak on behalf of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States.

It is an honour for me, on this sad occasion, to pay tribute to the life of His Majesty Bhumibol Adulyadej, King of Thailand, on behalf of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States. From the time he ascended the throne, in 1946, His Majesty King Bhumibol was able to win the respect and admiration of the people of Thailand, whose well-being and progress were his constant concern. During his reign, he worked tirelessly to improve the lives of all his people. His Majesty’s commitment to placing his people and their well-being at the centre of development was recognized by the United Nations system when he was awarded the first United Nations Development Programme Human Development Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006, as mentioned by the Secretary-General in his statement on the passing of His Majesty. During his seven-decade reign, His Majesty bore witness to and participated in profound political, economic and social transformations in his country, the region and the world, emerging as an internationally recognized figure. We recall his commitment to the unity of Thailand and will remember him as a unifying national leader. The member States of the Latin American and Caribbean Group join in the mourning and the deep feelings of sadness on the passing of His Majesty. We extend our heartfelt condolences and sympathy to the royal family and to the Government and people of Thailand.

I give the floor to the representative of the Niger, who will speak on behalf of the Group of African States.

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Group of African States to pay tribute to the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand. We would like to express our deepest condolences to the royal family, the Government and people of the Kingdom of Thailand. His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej stood as a pillar of Thailand’s unity and dedicated himself to the benefit and happiness of the Thai people. He was the leading and guiding spirit behind much of Thailand’s remarkable socioeconomic development over past decades. During his 70-year reign, His Majesty’s ingenuity manifested itself in more than 4,000 royally initiated projects, from irrigation to flood alleviation and from public health to education. His Majesty’s self- sufficient economic philosophy — the epitome of his lifelong development experiences — has been widely shared beyond national boundaries as a homegrown approach to achieving sustainable development. This loss is not only a loss for Thailand, but also a loss for the world. His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej will be remembered and revered as the “development king”. The African Group is confident that the legacy of the late King will continue to inspire the people of the Kingdom of Thailand and the international community, particularly in their pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals. May His Majesty rest in peace.

I give the floor to the representative of Kuwait, who will speak on behalf of the Group of Asian and Pacific States.

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Group of Asian and Pacific States to pay tribute to and honour the memory of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej of the Kingdom of Thailand at this gathering of the General Assembly. The Group would like to express its most sincere and heartfelt condolences to the Government and the people of the Kingdom of Thailand, who were blessed with His Majesty’s leadership for over 70 years. He was their longest-serving monarch until his passing on 13 October. His Majesty was cherished in his beloved Thailand, unifying the country throughout many difficult and trying times. Known as a compassionate King, he was a peacemaker who encouraged dialogue over conflict and maintained the utmost respect throughout his reign. He saw his country flourish and become a regional leader and one of the largest economies in South-East Asia. His love for Thailand was reflected in his commitment to and advocacy for economic, social and sustainable development for his country and his people. His tireless work and contributions earned him the recognition of the United Nations Development Programme in their first Human Development Lifetime Achievement Award. A great statesman, whom we shall all miss, has passed. A monarch of unwavering integrity, abiding humility and steadfast service to his people, His Majesty was truly revered by all. Thailand’s loss is a loss for all of the region and the world. Once again, the Group of Asian and Pacific States offers its most sincere sympathy to the royal family, the Government and the people of Thailand as they mourn the loss of their extraordinary leader. May his soul rest in eternal peace.

I give the floor to the representative of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, who will speak on behalf of the Group of Western European and other States.

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Group of Western European and other States. On behalf of the Group, I wish to offer our sincere condolences to the royal family and people of Thailand on the death of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej earlier this month. His Majesty guided the Kingdom of Thailand with dignity, dedication and vision throughout his remarkable 70 years on the throne. He was the longest- serving monarch in the world at the time of his passing. As I stand in this Hall, I am astonished to realize that His Majesty ascended the throne when the United Nations was only a year old, with Thailand becoming its fifty- fifth Member State. He was the embodiment of the post-war generation with its hopes and dreams of global peace, development and universal human rights. From that same vision, the Charter of the United Nations was born. The challenges faced by His Majesty during his long reign echoed those that faced all Member States in this Organization. It is difficult to select highlights from such a long and rich history of service to the Thai people, but I will make three observations. First, His Majesty will be remembered for serving the needs of his people. His Majesty spent years of his reign touring Thailand’s agricultural provinces, meeting local people, visiting rural projects and asking local leaders about the challenges of their lives. His Majesty led development programmes in the poorest parts of the country and was a keen supporter of advanced agriculture and sustainable development. The mark of that work can be seen across Thailand today. His Majesty was also a talented musician and patron of the arts. He was an accomplished painter, photographer, composer and saxophonist. For many years, His Majesty broadcast a live music concert for his people, performing with a jazz group in the studios of the royal radio station. Finally, His Majesty will be remembered for his unwavering dedication to the Thai people. He was greatly respected at home and around the globe for his dedication to his people and Government. He was a welcome symbol of stability for his nation through both good and more challenging times. His Majesty leaves a lasting legacy and a true mark on history. We join the people of Thailand in mourning his passing.

I give the floor to the representative of the United States of America, who will speak on behalf of the host country.

Today is one of the many days that I feel very privileged to represent the host country of the United Nations so as to have the chance to address those present on such an important occasion. On behalf of the United States of America, I wish to convey our deepest and most heartfelt condolences to Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, her children and grandchildren and to the people of Thailand on the passing of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. His Majesty was not only a lifelong friend and partner of the United States of America, he also had deep personal ties to our nation. The King’s parents met in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where both were studying medicine — his father at Harvard and his mother at Simmons College. His Majesty only lived there as an infant, but his presence is still very much felt in Cambridge. I can speak with a bit of authority on this subject, because before I had the privilege of serving in the Obama Administration, I was a professor in Cambridge at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. My walk to and from campus often took me through King Bhumibol Adulyadej Square, which is adjacent to the Kennedy School and was named in honour of his birth. Walking through King Bhumibol Adulyadej Square, it is not uncommon to see Thai people, who have come to pay homage to His Majesty, taking photographs next to the plaque bearing his name in the Square. There are several places like that in Cambridge. In the nearby Brigham and Women’s Hospital, where His Majesty’s mother once worked, hardly a day goes by when Thai visitors do not come bearing gifts, flowers or small handwritten notes. That is the kind of devotion His Majesty inspired in the Thai people. Nearly two decades ago, a journalist asked the King how he wanted to be remembered. He replied that he cared very little about how history remembered him. He said, “If they want to write about me in a good way, they should write how I do things that are useful”. In the eyes of His Majesty, doing things that were useful meant finding a way to solve problems that affected real people, most importantly the vulnerable and marginalized people. As the King saw it, the only way to know what was useful and to understand the problems people were facing was to get out into the field, into the places where people lived. So the King travelled constantly within his country, in particular to the poor and rural parts, where over the course of his tenure, he would develop thousands of development projects. But it was not only that His Majesty went to those places — we see leaders do that a fair amount — it was also how he went. He made a point of meeting directly with locals, whether fishermen, rubber planters, rice farmers or primary school students. When he met with officials, he would choose those working at the grass-roots level: agronomists, school teachers, policemen. His Majesty was more than just a keen observer. Being useful meant helping fix the problems that he encountered and empowering the Thai people to do the same. He had a mind that was at once kinetic and deliberate, creative, as we have heard, and scientific. Over the course of his life, he registered nearly 40 patents and trademarks, often for inventions that he built, tested and modified himself, most of which aimed at tackling everyday problems faced by the poor. That is completely extraordinary. Take the invention nicknamed the “Monkey’s Cheeks”, which he designed to address the perennial floods that Thailand experiences. His Majesty remembered seeing as a child the way monkeys would store chewed bananas in their cheeks so that they could eat them later, and he built a system of small reservoirs that worked using a similar principle, storing excess water during heavy rains that could be used later for irrigation. The system of the Monkey’s Cheeks is still being used across Thailand today. Many of the King’s inventions fit this pattern, merging conservation with human development. He was decades ahead of the curve in recognizing that what was environmentally sustainable was crucial to the long-term health of communities. In June 1960, His Majesty returned to the United States at the invitation of President Dwight Eisenhower. He was asked to address a joint session of the United States Congress. He was just 32 years old. Speaking to Congress, His Majesty said that he had accepted the invitation in part because of what he called “the natural human desire to see my birthplace”, Cambridge, which he returned to on that trip. But he also came, he said, to affirm our two nations’ unique friendship and shared values. As he put it, the friendship of one Government with another is an important thing, but it is the friendship of one people for another that assuredly guarantees peace and progress. His Majesty told members of the United States Congress that one tradition was valued above all others by the Thai people — the commitment to family. He said: “The members of a family are expected to help one another whenever there is a need for assistance. The giving of aid is a merit in itself. The giver does not expect others to sing his praises everyday, nor does he expect any return. The receiver is nevertheless grateful. He, too, in his turn will carry out his obligations.” The King was speaking about the bonds and generosity among the members of Thai families. But in retrospect, his words can just as easily be applied to the way that he lived his life, a life of always looking for ways to be useful to those in need, a life of giving and of serving every single day, not to earn praise, not to get something in return, but rather because that is what one does for one’s family. His Majesty considered all the people of Thailand to be his family. How fortunate the Thai people were to have had His Majesty as a member of their family, and how fortunate we are to be able to learn from the way that this remarkable king chose to live his life.

I now call on the Permanent Representative of Thailand.

Allow me to first express my sincere appreciation to you, Mr. President, for organizing today’s meeting to pay tribute to His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej and for your statement of condolences. We also deeply appreciate the kind and touching statements made by His Excellency the Secretary-General, the Chairs of the regional groups and the Permanent Representative of the United States of America, our host country. His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej was the guiding light of Thailand. Through the many crises and challenges the Kingdom had to face in the past seven decades, His Majesty was always there for his people, giving them resolve, resilience and, most important of all, direction. He was a symbol of our national unity, sustaining the Kingdom’s cultural and social integrity, providing spiritual and material foundations on which Thai people from all walks of life built their livelihoods. From the early years of his reign, His Majesty had this vision of people-centred development. His Majesty reached out with the aim of leaving no one behind. Through more than 4,000 royal development projects, His Majesty empowered the poorest and the most vulnerable, improved livelihoods, provided opportunities for the people to prosper and promoted a peaceful society that was and is mindful of the environment. His Majesty showed the way for transforming the Kingdom from what was commonly called an underdeveloped country into the upper middle-income country it is now. His Majesty Bhumibol Adulyadej was no stranger to the United Nations. Twice in the 1960s he made official visits to United Nations Headquarters, here in New York, and shared with the Secretary-General his insights into tackling pressing global issues. His Majesty’s pioneering work on crop substitution and integrated rural development, started in the early 1960s, has over the years been praised by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime as an effective means to eradicate illicit drug production. The work has developed into the now globally recognized concept of alternative development, which has successfully turned opium poppy fields in many countries around the world into horticultural plantations and handicraft and vocational training centres or even into tourist attractions. The United Nations and its specialized agencies on numerous occasions recognized His Majesty’s role as a development king through his contribution to improving people’s lives, rural development, food security and his life-long dedication to the cause of sustainable development. His Majesty was presented with the Agricola Medal of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 1995, a United Nations Habitat Scroll of Honour Award (Special Citation) in 2003, the first ever United Nations Development Programme Human Development Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006 and the World Intellectual Property Organization’s Global Leader Award in 2009. In recognition of his research and development work on soils, His Majesty’s birthday, 5 December, was designated World Soil Day by the General Assembly in 2014. His Majesty’s countless efforts in working for decades at the grass-roots level, side by side with farmers and communities, on thousands of royal development projects throughout Thailand have crystallized into what is now known as the sufficiency economy philosophy. That gift of His Majesty to the Thai people advocates moderation, reasonableness and prudence based on knowledge and virtues as a way of life and a decision-making framework. Acknowledged as a practical approach to achieving sustainable development, the philosophy has been successfully practised in Thailand and in many other countries, in the agricultural and business sectors and also in public administration. We are proud to have been able to share His Majesty’s gift with our friends here at the United Nations over the years. (spoke in French) We are confident that the great legacy left by His Majesty King Bhumibol, in particular the sufficiency economy philosophy, will continue to guide both Thailand and our friends in our common quest to attain the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. On behalf of the Thai people and the Royal Thai Government, I would once again like to convey our most sincere appreciation for the messages of condolence delivered during this sad period.

The General Assembly will now turn to the election of 14 members of the Human Rights Council to replace those members whose term of office expires on 31 December 2016. The 14 outgoing members are Algeria, China, Cuba, France, Maldives, Mexico, Morocco, Namibia, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Viet Nam. In accordance with operative paragraph 7 of resolution 60/251, of 15 March 2006, these Member States are eligible for immediate re-election, except the delegation that has served two consecutive terms, namely, Maldives. The 14 vacant seats should be distributed among the regional groups as follows: four seats for the Group of African States, four seats for the Group of Asia-Pacific States, two seats for the Group of Eastern European States, two seats for the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States, and two seats for the Group of Western European and other States. In accordance with resolution 60/251, membership of the Council shall be open to all States Members of the United Nations, and the members of the Council shall serve for a period of three years. The members of the Council shall be elected directly and individually, by secret ballot, by the majority of the members of the General Assembly. Accordingly, 97 votes constitute a majority in the Assembly, which has a membership of 193 States. The following States will continue to be members of the Human Rights Council: Albania, Bangladesh, Belgium, the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Botswana, Burundi, the Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Ecuador, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Mongolia, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Panama, Paraguay, the Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, the Republic of Korea, Slovenia, Switzerland, Togo, the United Arab Emirates and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. The names of these States, therefore, should not appear on the ballot papers. The election will be held in accordance with the relevant rules of procedure of the General Assembly on elections. For this election, rules 92 and 94 of the rules of procedure of the General Assembly shall be applied. Consistent with the practice of the General Assembly, if more than the required number of Member States have obtained the votes of the majority of the members of the Assembly on the same ballot, those Member States that have obtained the largest number of votes above the required majority will be considered elected, up to the number of seats to be filled. Also, consistent with past practice, when, in the case of a tied vote, it becomes necessary to determine the candidate to be elected or that will proceed to the next round of restricted balloting, there will be a special restricted ballot limited to those candidates that have obtained an equal number of votes. May I take it that the General Assembly agrees to these procedures?

Accordingly, the election shall be held by secret ballot and there will be no nominations. I have been informed by the secretariat that, when received before the election, the voluntary pledges and commitments made by Member States in accordance with paragraph 8 of resolution 60/251 were issued as official documents of the seventy-first session of the General Assembly. Before we begin the voting process, I should like to remind members that, pursuant to rule 88 of the rules of procedure of the General Assembly, no representative shall interrupt the voting except on a point of order on the actual conduct of the voting. In addition, ballot papers will only be given to the representative seated directly behind the country’s nameplate. I should like to seek the usual cooperation of representatives during the time when the General Assembly is conducting the elections. Please be reminded that during the voting procedure all campaigning should cease in the General Assembly Hall. This means that, once the voting has begun, no more campaign material may be distributed inside the Hall. All representatives are requested to remain at their seats so that the voting process can proceed in an orderly manner. I should also like to remind delegations to refrain from extending congratulations in the General Assembly Hall after the announcement of the elected members. Their doing so is disruptive to the distribution of ballot papers for any subsequent rounds of balloting. We shall now begin the voting process. Ballot papers marked “A”, “B”, “C”, “D” and “E” will now be distributed. Each ballot paper is assigned to one of the five regional groups and has the corresponding number of blank lines for the seats assigned to that region. I request representatives to use only these ballot papers and to write on them the names of the States for which they wish to vote. A ballot paper containing more names than the number of seats assigned to it will be declared invalid. A ballot paper will also be declared invalid if none of the names of the Member States on that ballot belongs to the relevant region. If the ballot paper of a region contains the names of both Member States that belong to the region and Member States that are from outside it, the ballot remains valid but only the names of the Member States that belong to the region will be counted. If a ballot paper contains the names of Member States that are not eligible for re-election or that are currently members of the Council, the ballot remains valid but those names will not be counted.

The result of the voting is as follows: Group A — African States (4 seats) Number of ballot papers: 193 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 193 Abstentions: 0 Number of members voting: 193 Required absolute majority: 97 Number of votes obtained: Tunisia 189 South Africa 178 Rwanda 176 Egypt 173 Morocco 2 Mauritius 1 Senegal 1 Sierra Leone 1 Group B — Asia-Pacific States (4 seats) Number of ballot papers: 193 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 193 Abstentions: 0 Number of members voting: 193 Required absolute majority: 97 Number of votes obtained: China 180 Japan 177 Iraq 173 Saudi Arabia 152 Malaysia 10 Fiji 6 Islamic Republic of Iran 1 Group C — Eastern European States (2 seats) Number of ballot papers: 193 Number of invalid ballots: 1 Number of valid ballots: 192 Abstentions: 0 Number of members voting: 192 Required absolute majority: 97 Number of votes obtained: Hungary 144 Croatia 114 Russian Federation 112 Bulgaria 1 Number of ballot papers: 193 Number of invalid ballots: 1 Number of valid ballots: 192 Abstentions: 0 Number of members voting: 192 Required absolute majority: 97 Number of votes obtained: Cuba 160 Brazil 137 Guatemala 82 Number of ballot papers: 193 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 193 Abstentions: 10 Number of members voting: 183 Required absolute majority: 97 Number of votes obtained: United States of America 175 United Kingdom 173 France 2 Greece 2 Spain 2 Canada 1 Israel 1 Italy 1 Liechtenstein 1 Sweden 1

I congratulate those States that have been elected members of the Human Rights Council, and I thank the tellers for their assistance in this election. The Assembly has thus concluded its consideration of sub-item (d) of agenda item 114.