Phra Paworasoko, or Borwornsak Uwanno, the former secretary-general of the Thaksin Cabinet, was speaking yesterday in the auditorium of Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Law. The recently ordained monk said if the heads of Thai families and the rulers of the country practise the Ten Virtues of the King, Thailand would not be facing the crisis it is suffering now.

On his Coronation Day on May 5, 1950, His Majesty the King proclaimed "I shall reign with virtue, for the benefit and happiness of the Siamese people." Paworasoko said this statement reflects good governance in running Thailand.

"'I shall reign with virtue' is the method, while 'for the benefit and happiness of the Siamese people' is the objective," Paworasoko said. To reign with virtue is part of the Ten Virtues of the King, which have been around since before the Buddhist era.

It helped keep the power of the monarchs, who ruled with absolute authority in the past, in check. Since a monarch was held as the Lord of Life, his royal power affected the rights, liberty, assets and livelihood of the people, and so had to be kept in check by the Ten Virtues.

Two weeks ago, Bowornsak resigned as secretary-general of the Thaksin Cabinet, becoming the first key member of the Thaksin regime to leave office amid dubious circumstances. There was speculation that he had left office because he had been in conflict with Thaksin over the introduction of a Royal Decree designating a new election date while the status of the members of the Election Commission remained unclear. Bowornsak pledged to enter the monkhood to make merit on the occasion of the 60-year jubilee celebration of His Majesty the King.

The Ten Virtues of the King are:

1. Alms-Giving; 2. Morality; 3. Liberality; 4. Rectitude; 5. Gentleness; 6. Self-restriction; 7. Non-anger; 8. Non-violence; 9. Forbearance; 10. Non-obstruction.

Phra Paworasoko said His Majesty the King had reigned with morality, abiding by the law and the Constitution and righteousness. Moreover, the King, he added, had never exercised royal power beyond the Constitution or the traditional power as practised in civilised countries.

For instance, His Majesty the King has declined to exercise royal power through Article 7 of the Constitution to set up an interim government as petitioned by certain groups of people, Phra Paworasoko said.